Valentine’s Day is nearly here, and many of us are musing over our budgets for the holiday. Whether you’re a die-hard Valentine or think the holiday is a capitalist scam, chances are you have some feelings about what is a reasonable amount of money to spend on your beau.
According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumers spent an average of $143.56 on Valentine’s Day last year. Meanwhile, the number of adults celebrating the holiday is actually declining. In 2009, 72% of adults between 18 and 34 observed Valentine’s Day. As of 2017, a little more than half of those under 55 planned to celebrate. Many of these people felt that the holiday was overly commercialized.
According to statistics, young people today are participating a bit differently: Though fewer individuals are observing the holiday with the same excitement as before, those who are opting in are spending more than ever before.
Curious about how real women are approaching the holiday, we reached out to our community to find out. Ahead, 15 millennial women weigh in about how much they consider to be the right amount to spend, and also dish about how much they make and what they usually do to celebrate.
Age: 29
Salary: $500,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: No limit
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“It is so rare that my husband and I have a chance to celebrate and spend time alone, so any expense is worth it. We have a young child and demanding careers. Since Valentine’s Day falls over a long weekend this year, we will probably take a weekend trip somewhere. These typically run a couple thousand.”
Age: 22
Salary: $15,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: No limit.
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“Some years I spend $20 on a hoodie he wants, some years I spend $200 on concert tickets. Valentine’s Day is about celebrating a loved one, so I don’t give myself a budget on it. I just keep myself responsible and save gradually if I know it’ll be a big year, cost-wise, for Valentine’s Day.”
Age: 27
Salary: $55,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $100
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“My husband and I take turns paying when we go out on a date, and Valentine’s Day is an occasion when we usually go out on a date. This is the maximum total we would spend all together for dinner and drinks.”
Age: 32
Salary: $64,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $50
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“This is the typical amount my partner and I spend on each other around Valentine’s Day. We split most of our expenses and don’t splurge on holidays or birthdays, but enjoy having time together more. This year, we have plans to attend a free gallery opening that some friends invited us to, then get Thai food (we’ll split the bill) and watch a movie at home afterward. He also bought us tickets to a concert a few days before Valentine’s Day (his treat). I plan to take us to a local winery the weekend prior (my treat). I love Valentine’s Day, and since we missed it last year, I want to make the most of being together this year.”
Age: 30
Salary: $61,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $50
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“It’s probably been eight years since we went out to dinner on Valentine’s Day — we don’t want to spend a lot of money or fight the crowds. Last year, we ordered pizza, ate an obscene amount of sweets, and watched a movie at home.”
Age: 23
Salary: $40,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $25
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“My partner of four years and I don’t usually get each other presents because gifts are at the bottom of our respective love languages. We also don’t make it a priority to celebrate, since we’ve lived in different cities since 2017. We won’t be in the same city this year, and I don’t think either of us is hurt about it. In fact, I’ll be flying to Dublin, Ireland, on the 14th to visit one of my close friends who recently moved there, so I’d say that’s a pretty good Valentine’s Day for me.”
Age: 25
Salary: $41,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $100
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“This is enough to split the bill for dinner and a small gift, like Godiva chocolates.”
Age: 27
Salary: $60,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $25
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“Given our feelings toward the holiday, we normally make each other cute silly cards and get a bit of chocolate to share. This year we will make homemade Valentines, buy some chocolate, and probably rent and watch a movie at home.”
Age: 25
Salary: $48,300
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $50
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“Valentine’s Day can be fairly overhyped, with overpriced and busy activities. We prefer to stay in and buy small gifts, usually oriented around food. So $50 is enough to cover between $20 and $30 on a gift, plus $15 or so of ingredients to make a nice dinner.”
Age: 31
Salary: $36,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $50
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“It should be just enough money to have a meal with your significant other. Nothing flashy — just spending time with them should be enough. We still have not made plans, but most likely we’ll go out for dinner and come home to some Netflix.”
Age: 37
Salary: $122,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $25
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“I would rather have experiences, like traveling and eating at new restaurants. This year I’ll probably cook him dinner, and I bought him a $25 umbrella stand.”
Age: 29
Salary: $80,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $0
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“Growing up, my parents never celebrated it, since my mom’s birthday is on the 13th. My boyfriend’s birthday is also February 13, so we’ve kept the tradition of not celebrating Valentine’s Day. I get him a birthday gift and we do something nice around that time, but I don’t think it’s fair for him to plan something for me on or around his birthday. We do go out and buy cheap chocolate on the 15th, though.”
Age: 22
Salary: $40,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: No limit
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“I think any amount is reasonable, as long as it is previously approved between you and your partner. For us, we recently spent roughly $200-300 on each other and bought luxury items that will last us for years. Not only did we consult on price, but we also discussed what we wanted. That way, we didn’t spend money on a gift that wasn’t used. This year we will probably order in for about $60-80, and then we might go out to eat or on a “date” that weekend for around $100.”
Age: 31
Salary: $300,000
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: $100
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“Each year my husband and I talk about our expectations. Some years we go on a date, some years we set a low budget and get creative, and some years we go for nicer presents. Whatever the decision is each year, we stick to it and we’re both happy. This year we’ll probably watch Netflix and exchange our presents; we each picked something around the $100 range. We’ll plan a date for another night when it will be less crowded and easier to get a sitter. We’re so happy together, and after all these years together it’s nice to celebrate each other, but there’s no pressure to make the day perfect — it’s about the big picture of our relationship.”
Age: 23
Salary: $60,400
Valentine’s Day maximum budget: No limit
What do you usually do on Valentine’s Day, and why do you think this is a reasonable amount to spend?
“For my relationship, we do not normally indulge in extravagant things. Valentine’s Day is the one day a year where we go all out and dress up and go to a fancy dinner. This year we are going on a big trip to Tokyo soon after Valentine’s. So instead of our usual fancy dinner, we are going to cook dinner at home and drink some good wine.”
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