Expressing undying love for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day doesn’t cost any money, but nearly everything else does. Some 53% of Americans planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2024, bringing the expected holiday spending total to $25.8 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2024 Valentine’s Day Spending Survey.

While there’s nothing wrong with showering someone you love with gifts, it’s still possible to celebrate this wonderful holiday on a budget. Below, we’ll explore some steps savvy consumers can take to keep their expenses under control.

1. Plan ahead

Valentine’s Day is all about love — but it’s also about sweets, flowers and fine dining. Last year, OpenTable reported Saturday, Feb. 12, as the single biggest dining day of the year, with more than 50% of Valentine’s Day reservations booked by Feb. 7— and dining out exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

For 2024, lovebirds may want to plan for Saturday, Feb. 10 — and get reservations for that candlelit dinner as soon as possible, especially for top restaurants. You might want to use the same approach for buying gifts as well. Shop well in advance to make sure you get what you want and avoid overspending at the last minute.

2. Celebrate at home

For Valentine’s Day 2024, Americans are expected to spend 8.1% more than last year on restaurants and dining, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To avoid the high cost of a night out, consider cooking a romantic dinner together. This can be a fun and intimate experience (as long as you know your way around the kitchen). Heck, meal-kit company HelloFresh reports that 42% of their respondents prefer a home-cooked meal on Valentine’s Day.

Whether you dine in or dine out, there are ways to reduce your financial burden. For instance, you may want to consider using one of the top credit cards for dining out or buying groceries — like the American Express® Gold Card or the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card — to earn rewards on your food purchases.

Additionally, many credit cards offer their own dining programs to help you save or earn rewards (such as Capital One Dining), or partner offers on meal-kit, grocery or dining services. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with partner bonuses for Instacart+ and Gopuff, along with other food-related perks.

3. Get creative with gift ideas

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