With Valentine’s Day just a week away, you may be wondering what thoughtful present your partner has carefully selected. If you, on the other hand, know that he is utterly useless when it comes to gift-giving and are trying to accept that he has inevitably bought you the fuzzy socks ‘you’ve always wanted’ then fret no further. Below are five of the best ways to hint subtly what you want as your valentines day gift, whether it is a diamond ring or a new leather bag.

1.  This trick involves patience. While on your computer, open up a tab with whatever you are aiming to receive and then go about your daily business, waiting for him to use the internet and voila! Job done, he will see what you have been looking at and even where he can buy it from, and almost definitely order it then and there! (TIP: this also works on tablets, laptops and phones, maybe even try them all! He’s bound to get it if he sees it every time he goes to Google.)

2.  A fool proof way to let him know what you want is to show him, without him knowing. Do this by planning your route to pass the shop (e.g. a jeweller’s) and as you go past it, glance in the window, long enough for him to see, but not long enough that you stop. He will hopefully look where you are looking, and buy you what you want! Sometimes a glance just isn’t enough, in these cases the only thing left to do is to cast aside all subtlety and full out stare, maybe point, and in desperate circumstances even say ‘that’s nice!’.

3.  Another great way to use the internet to get what you want is to post said item on social media. From tweeting the company to posting it on a friend’s Facebook wall, he will see that you’re interested in the brand/object, and hopefully get the idea! Another benefit of doing this is that even if he doesn't get the hint, maybe one of your friends/family might!

4.  You should also mention what you want around him as much as possible, just not directly at him. If you have friends over, go into the next room and loudly proclaim that ‘there is this one thing’ that you’d really like, or, even better, pretend to be on the phone and say something along the lines of ‘He’ll never guess that I want a new [insert ideal gift here]!’

5.  It’s the oldest trick in the book but it still works; leave a magazine or catalogue somewhere in his view with the item you desire circled in thick black pen – he won’t be able to miss it. Better yet, leave a few scattered around the house – if he doesn’t get this hint he certainly won’t get any of the others!

Hopefully these tricks will come in handy but remember, the most important thing is that he must think it was all his idea – as soon as he thinks you’re telling him what to get you, he may just decide that you’d love those fuzzy socks after all!