Americans are projected to spend $29.1 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, but 2 in 5 people say Valentine’s Day activities are not affordable, according to a survey released Wednesday by personal-finance company WalletHub.
What’s Happening: WalletHub released its 2026 Valentine’s Day Spending Survey showing widespread concerns about holiday costs. The survey is nationally representative.
What We Know: The survey found 82% of Americans believe Valentine’s Day is a trick to make people spend more money. Nearly 2 in 5 people have set a Valentine’s Day budget. Men will spend almost twice as much as women on average for Valentine’s Day 2026.
By the Numbers: Americans are projected to spend $199.78 per person celebrating Valentine’s Day. Americans will spend $13.3 billion on jewelry and special evenings out, including $7 billion on jewelry and $6.3 billion on dining out. One-third of Americans say their relationship is a strain on their finances.
What Else the Survey Found: Seven in 10 people think financial infidelity can be worse than cheating. Nearly half of people say they would not marry someone with bad budgeting habits, a bad WalletScore, or a bad credit score.
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