Ask Robin About Valentine's: Talai and Aaron

Robin tells her romance secrets and helps with two makeovers. Talai and Aaron have been married for two years. Aaron is a full-time law student, and Talai works in the law school library. Living on only one income means they have to budget everything.

They can't afford to do some of their favorite activities like going to movies and dinner. They often don't turn the heat on in their house because it would cost too much money. Aaron says they use a lot of blankets because "the blankets are already paid for, and the gas is not."

Talai asks Robin, "Do you have any ideas on how we can have a romantic Valentine's Day on a small budget?"

"It's tough when you don't have a lot of money," Dr. Phil tells Talai and Aaron. "We were married too, when I was in graduate school, and we didn't have two dimes to rub together."

Robin recounts some of those hard times when her husband had to get creative with his gifts. "He would come from his class with a box of cereal, my favorite cereal. I would just sit there and pour milk until I finished that whole box. And I thought 'you are the sweetest thing' because he knew that was my favorite thing," she says.

"I can remember one time we were in the college bookstore, and they had this embroidery kit, which is what I really love to do. I was just looking at it and said 'How much is that?', and the man said $20. I walked away. And about a week later, I picked up the newspaper and when I opened it up, a note fell out. I picked it up ... Phil sent me on a scavenger hunt around our apartment complex that brought me back to the apartment, and there was that $20 embroidery kit."

Robin continues, "One evening he had a night class, and I was cleaning the apartment ... He steps into the doorway and he still had his backpack on ... and sticking out of a backpack were these red geraniums, and dirt is all over him, and I looked in the mirror at that precious man standing at the door with these flowers ... He took that backpack off, and he took those flowers out and there were roots, mud, dirt ... he had pulled them out of the flower bed on campus."

Enjoying the praise from Robin, Dr. Phil says, "That was 27 years ago, she remembers it today."

Robin replies, "I plant red geraniums in the yard every year."

 

Dr. Phil emphasizes that you do not have to spend a lot of money to make a lasting impression or to do deeds that lighten your partner's load. He asks Robin about a particular candle that she loves.

"Every year I get one of these at Valentine's Day and bring it home and just burn it. Victoria's Secret sells this candle. It's 'Rapture.' And it smells wonderful," she explains. "Of course it's in the shape of a heart. And because it's my favorite and it's Valentine's Day, there's one under your chair for everyone in the audience."

Robin surprises Talai and Aaron saying, "Because I know it's so cold in the East, we are sending you two on a getaway to Cozumel, Mexico.

You're going to spend four days and three nights in Cozumel on us. Everything is paid for all together." With the help of Orbitz.com, they'll stay at the Grand Cozumel hotel, and Dr. Phil gives them an additional $500 in spending cash.

The couple is thrilled.