valentine-day

Valentine's Day Budget 2026: How Much to Spend Without Going Broke

Valentine's Day Budget 2026: How Much to Spend Without Going Broke Americans will spend a record $29.1 billion on Valentine's Day 2026 — $199.78 per person on average. The biggest categories: jewelry ($7B), dining out ($6.3B), clothing ($3.5B), and flowers ($3.1B). Whether you are planning a grand romantic gesture or a thoughtful evening on a budget, knowing these numbers helps you spend intentionally instead of emotionally. A first Valentine's Day together can easily cost $380: a prix fixe dinner at a steakhouse downtown ($165 for two), a premium bouquet of two dozen red roses bought on February 13 ($95 at a local florist — marked up 40% from the week before), and a panic-bought gold bracelet at the mall ($120) to make the flowers and dinner feel like "enough." The following year, with more planning: a home-cooked lobster tail dinner ($45 in ingredients), flowers ordered online two weeks early ($38),...