Valentine’s Spending Expected to Shatter Records

When you're in the store gathering the items for your dearly beloved you don't really notice the price. When you get to the checkout counter that's when it all adds up. Literally. According to the National Retail Federation, you and I rolling up some record expenses all in the name of romance this Valentine's Day.

According to the NRF's website last year we spent about $20.7 billion dollars saying it with flowers, candy, balloons, stuffed animals, and other assorted romance inspiring purchases. This year that spending is expected to leap by 32%. In other words, retailers will be making bank on Cupid's big day to the tune of $274 billion dollars.

If you do the math, I didn't but the NRF did, which means the average Valentine's Day consumer will spend an average of $196.31 on their someone(s) special today. It sounds like a lot but if you consider the average cost of a dozen roses and a nice dinner for two and then throw in a card and a box of chocolates and maybe some wine the price seems about right.

The value? Well, I will leave that up to you and your Valentine to decide whether that was money well spent or not. All I know is this. Don't overeat on your Valentine's dinner or else all you'll be getting for Valentine's Day is a good night's sleep. Hey, that's not such a bad thing and it certainly lasts a lot longer than the other Valentine's bedroom activities do.