Thanks for all the advice and entertaining commentary guys. I agree that you can’t go wrong with the spa treatment idea. Unfortunately I gave that to her for Christmas and she hasn’t even had the time to use the voucher yet.
I decided to look into the jewellery option and found some very nice options in the $100-$200 mark. I never realized pearls were so cheap. The fresh water farmed variety are criminally cheap (you can pick up good sized studs for under $100).
Oh, no … here comes a three-page discussion about farmed vs natural pearls.
I am proud that no one suggested giving anyone a “pearl necklace”.
Does she support you financially?
I’ll start it.
Your eyes would pop out if you knew what pearls used to be worth before people figured out how to create real pearls on demand. Now let’s talk diamonds… DO NOT BUY!
alrite, ready for the flaming.
better have quality time with wife and kids than spending too much on gift or jewelry she almost never wear.
Sorry, no flaming, BS hasn’t said the exact same thing yet… 
It seems to me you’re trying to compensate for something you don’t have by showering her with gifts.
You’re obviously trying to start an argument here. The truth is though is that you’re absolutely right. I’ve had very little time recently to dedicate to my wife. I get home home from work, do the minimum to help out with getting the kids ready for bed, have a really quick dinner with wife (which she has usually prepared), then I study until about midnight before going to bed. On the weekend I make a bit of time on Saturday, but the rest of the weekend is dedicated to studying.
I wish I had time to make her something, or time to do what bchad suggested and read through poetry in search of something meaningful, or do something that really makes it clear that I made time for her and put lots of effort in it. The truth is though as you pointed it is that I’m making up for my lack of time by just spending money on her.
That’s exactly my point. I don’t think the gifts will compensate. At some point she’ll want more than just another object to add to her collection.
Agree 100%.
You really can’t set aside one day, man? One day to do something nice for your lady. I get the whole busy thing. Can you put aside studying for a day/evening and just focus on her (unless you have some obligation that day/evening you cannot ignore)? It may not come around often, but just showing her you care every now and then certainly helps.
Ah yes, very true. how could I forget. BS has to come in and say something similar for the flaming to start, and be targeting me.
Yes of course, tonight is our anniversary and I’m taking her out for drinks and a nice restaurant. The night is all about showing her how much I love her.
What I meant in my post is that I should be dedicating a lot more of my time with her than I am at the moment and I feel guilty about that. If we didn’t have kids it would be different, she could be out with her friends or doing the things she likes to do. But with kids, she’s kinda stuck at home on her own with them and that’s really tiring for anyone.
Well, what did you get her, in the end?
I got her some pearl studs, a card, and going to pick up some flowers on the way home. Then we’re off to some fancy French restaurant for dinner.
I was in the dog house for a couple weeks after not doing anything for Valentines day. I’m hoping this will all make up for it.
I surprised my wife last anniversary (our 8th) with 8 different gifts presented to her throughout the day. I am sure you would take time off from work…
Why dont you try that? Women dont need expensive monetary valued gifts to keep them happy, make them feel important thats all…
If you are interested in what I bought:
A greeting card
A book that I know she likes but is expensive
Imitation jwellery set
A bag
A spa coupon
Mobile pouch with some engravings as she keeps misplacing her mobiles.
2 more which I am not able to remember now 
And of course a customary dinner outside at a place of her choice, but the menu is something I choose…
By the way, Happy Anniversary!
Haa, the only useful thing I did in the entire write up was to wish you!
Hope you had a good one!
This is a good start, but I bet it would mean so much more to your wife if you did just this (flowers and night out, minus the gift) and arranged it for just an ordinary day and not your anniversary. Obviously you have to acknowledge your anniversary, but try to set up another date night in a month or two and I’d bet she will be that much more excited. While celebrating your anniversary (or Valentine’s Day) is the right thing to do, it is also sort of “expected”, which I think ramps up the expectations of your significant other. When out of the blue you set it up that you have a babysitter and just the two of you have time to enjoy each other’s company, that will be a real home run.
And trust me, I get the whole studying and work and there never seeming to be enough time in the day, most of us hear can relate. But most of the time our gf’s or wives can’t relate unless their also doing intense continuing education, so that excuse doesn’t go as far with them. Plus, I always found with studying that I myself needed a break, so being spontaneous and taking the wife out for a night was really a bonus for both of us.
^^ Oh, definitely this. It means so much more if you do something nice for her on a day that you’re not kind of obligated to do something. I agree, try to do something nice in a month or two just to show this isn’t being done just because the calendar tells you to, but because you personally want to.