How talking to your partner can help you save money this Valentine's Day

A stock photo of a Valentine's Day card is shown. (Getty Images)

Amid inflation and rising costs, it may seem difficult to have an affordable Valentine’s Day; however, experts say it’s possible to cut costs just by talking to your partner.

“Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be something that’s costly,” said credit counsellor Sandra Fry in an interview on Friday.

“There’s lots of inexpensive ways to still celebrate the day … it doesn’t have to be nearly as commercial as the holiday is made out to be.”

According to Jessica Moorhouse, financial educator and host of the More Money podcast, people have the expectation that they have to spend a lot of money on holidays, but that’s not necessarily the case.

She suggested talking to your partner to figure out what it is you really want, and expressing what the day means to you.

“We’re marketed so much that we have to go to a restaurant on Valentine’s Day and spend a ton of money and get a nice bottle of wine. Get flowers and chocolates and get all of this [stuff] that most of us don’t actually need or want,” she said in an interview on Tuesday.

Fry said it’s about having a conversation and setting expectations.

“Make sure the other person’s on side [with the expectations], so they’re not expecting a big gift and things like that,” she said.

Once you determine what you really want from the day, Moorhouse said you can go forward with planning something special. She said this could include taking part in an inexpensive activity that your partner enjoys, like going for walk, or doing something out of the ordinary that your partner may appreciate.

“I think thinking outside the box and figuring out what would my partner really appreciate that I don’t normally do and how can I express that in a way that’s maybe not something super expensive,” Moorhouse said.

Another way to save a bit of money is to avoid buying expensive cards, and instead send an e-card, make a video, or write a letter about what that person means to you.

“It is actually about the thought that counts more than the actual thing,” Moorhouse said.

For those who want to go out for a nice meal on Valentine’s Day, Moorhouse suggested talking to your partner about favourite foods and restaurants in order to find an affordable option.

“You can have the best time, still have some good food, but you’re not spending $150 a plate,” she said.

For those opting to stay home this Valentine’s Day, Fry suggested making dinner, watching a romantic movie and lighting some candles.

“None of those are really things that should be causing people to get into debt,” she said.

If you’re still wanting to give a gift this Valentine’s Day, Moorhouse recommended figuring out what your partner actually wants so you don’t waste money on something they won’t use.

“I think in general most people do like some sort of gesture, whether it’s a letter, a card, or flowers, and for that, of course, there’s lots of different places that you can go to,” she said.

Moorhouse also suggested looking to different places to find less expensive gifts and flowers, including local spots, convenience stores, as well as some big box stores like Costco and Walmart.

Fry noted that you can always buy smaller gifts, so instead of getting a box of 100 chocolates, you can get one with eight or 10 candies.

“The gesture is still there. Instead of a dozen roses, [get] a rose,” she said.

Though this year’s Valentine’s is just days away, Moorhouse said it’s not too early to start planning for next year, especially if you want to save some money.

“If you did want to make sure you have a Valentine’s Day card for next year, wait until the day after Valentine’s Day [this year],” she said.

“You can get so many Valentine’s-themed things, and yes you’d be buying them a year in advance, but that’s how you can get them for like 50 per cent off.”