Men spend twice as much as women on Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day is supposed to be all about showing your significant other how much you care, and in America we do that by spending lots of money on gifts. For every homemade card create or heart-shaped cookie baked, infinitely more men and women coughing up a different kind of dough on overpriced roses and greeting cards. According to a study by the National Retail Foundation, we are expected to spend a whopping $15.7 billion expressing our love on Valentine's Day.
Apparently men will spend more than twice as much on gifts as women, shelling out $158.71 on average. Aw, you shouldn't have! No really, you probably shouldn't have. That's a lot of money! Dudes, please make sure you can actually afford these gifts, and shop around for flowers so you're not getting completely ripped off. (Also, please don't buy us a scale.) On average, ladies will spend around $75.79, which we figure is about the cost of a fancy cologne.
While surely "it's the thought the counts," we don't know anyone who would deny jewelry, which is perhaps why it's the most popular gift this holiday, with 17.3% buying their significant other a little bling. In order of amount spent, other big gifts this year will be dining out, flowers, clothing, and candy.
"Though the economy will still be on their minds, Valentine's Day holds a special place in many Americans hearts," said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch. "Some may opt for a quiet night out or a home cooked meal to keep costs down, but it seems there are others who are a little more interested in a nice night on the town."
Interestingly, only 52% of people buy a card, which is often the best part! Getting a few heartfelt words written in ink can mean more than some crappy afterthought chocolate, so keep this in mind, fellas!
What are you getting your sweetheart for Valentine's Day and how much do you plan on spending?
Related links:
The worst Valentine's Day gifts ever
Top 9 Personalized or Monogrammed Gifts for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day Poll Results: What the Guys Think!
