As restaurant managers and florists preparing for one of the busiest days of the year know, Valentine’s Day is a huge and growing business.
Americans will spend $18.9 billion on flowers, chocolates, restaurant meals, and even ”anti-Valentine’s Day” gifts like ”Valentine’s Day is for suckers” t-shirts and “heartbreakers and hell raisers” mugs, according to the National Retail Foundation, which surveyed 6,357 adults about their Feb. 14 plans. (For those who don’t plan to drop a wad of cash: Saying “I love you” is free.)
In general, men planned to spend about $124 on a spouse or significant other, while women planned to spend only $54. (That’s in line with the results of Business Insider’s Valentine’s Day survey, in which respondents said they’d spend between $26 and $159.)
Here are some insights from the NRF’s survey into what men and women say they will spend money on this Valentine’s Day:
Men spend a lot more
But women spread the Valentine’s love to a broader range of people
Women are more likely to pick up a gift at the discount store
A lot more men give flowers, but more women give candy and cards
Men spend five times as much on jewelry than women
Those who aren’t celebrating mostly tune the whole thing out
