Book tables for Valentine’s Day as way back as in November: that way no hotel can charge you fixed rates as they would closer to the date.

Never freeze on a single date. Options are not only for the investment banking nerds. You must have multiple dates. February 14 is silly season. Your girl could easily fall ill if not fall in love with someone other than you. You then can’t possibly be alone on that special night.

You must have the power to axe your date and not the other way round. Once you’ve frozen on who you think is worth spending that much money with, let the others know with poetry and passion. Tell them how your aunt has just been detected with a minor bout of insanity and you want to take care of her.

If you really want to make it very dramatic, then talk about a younger relative who’s just been widowed and it is important for you and the family to spend time with her in order to distract her from her enduring grief. If you really want to win major brownie points, then talk about your ailing dog.

Now to the day itself. Roses are three times more expensive than books so don’t waste your time at a florist. Just buy her a book of love poems and or better still a CD of Andrea Bocelli’s Amore. Now remember you did keep multiple dating options. Spread them like peanut butter all over the day. Ask someone out for a romantic walk in the nearest park (where Raj Thackeray is not taking a walk) and give her the spiel: you wanted to begin your day with her and end it with that widowed relative. Then invite someone to lunch: not to some fancy place but to your college canteen and tell her, her looks remind you of your youth and you wanted to share your childhood memories with her.

Now as far as the evening is concerned, make sure you’ve dressed right. Women love to believe that men have made an effort. Make sure you’ve brushed your teeth. Take her to the restaurant but leave early if you want to make some headway (no pun intended): do not go for a drive because every other clown is doing just that. Take her wherever. The morning after is critical: send each of them a hand-written note soaked in aftershave and tell them how yesterday was so special and how Valentine’s means so much to your evolution.