You can be a clutch gift-giver this Valentine’s Day without spending a small fortune. A great gift giver sees the world through the receiver’s eyes and thinks deeply about what that gift will mean to them and the bond it will strengthen. In other words, a meaningful, lasting gift is sentimental and pulls from an experience or symbolize a turning point in your relationship.
Early in our marriage, my wife suggested that we write letters to our future selves on Valentine’s Day. We wrote about why we were happy and speculated about the future. Years later, we would open the letters, flashing us back into our past to reflect on what made us most happy at that time. That was a memorable Valentine’s Day together and it didn’t cost us a penny. Meanwhile, in 2021, Americans spent $21.8 billion on Valentine’s Day, and those aged 35-44 spent, on average, $264. How was most of the money spent? More than half of shoppers purchased candy, while 37% purchased flowers. Roses are the Valentine’s Day flower of choice. The Society of American Florists estimates that more than 250 million roses are produced on Valentine’s Day. Candy and roses are far from sentimental; they’re cliche. Here are three ideas to be clutch on Valentine’s Day and spend less. 1. Choose an experience, not a possession: Experiences create more joy than material things and foster stronger social relatio …