Survey: One-third of consumers to limit Valentine's Day spend to $50 or less
While some plan to spend more on Valentine’s Day this year, many consumers are being more careful with their budgets than in previous years.
One-in-10 (10%) Americans say they are increasing their holiday budget this year, and the amount of people planning to spend between $250–$500 is up 4% year over year, according to a new survey from open feedback platform Trustpilot.
However, over one-third (37%) of consumers are keeping their Valentine’s Day budgets to $50 or less, up from 27% in 2025. For those planning to spend less this year, inflation (30%), the rising cost of household necessities like groceries and gas (23%) and concerns about the future of the economy (12%) are the primary reasons for pulling back.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents say they will spend Valentine’s Day with a partner, while 21% of singles plan to celebrate themselves or with friends. However, almost a third (31%) of Americans say they would prefer their partner to save money rather than spend it on a gift.
"The trends we are seeing this Valentine’s Day reflect a continuing divergence in consumer spending behavior," said Taylor Cunningham, VP of U.S. marketing at Trustpilot. "When deciding what to do with their discretionary dollars, today’s consumers aren’t blindly following brand promises. They’re spending with brands they can genuinely trust, based on their own experience or the genuine experiences of others.”
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Additional insights from the Trustpilot survey include the following:
- Four-in-10 (43%) men report having used an AI agent to plan gifts, compared to just 32% of women. Of respondents who said they’d be open to using an AI agent, 56% were male and 40% were ages 25-34.
- For the respondents using AI agents to shop, 38% cite "price" as the most important factor.
- Requests for flowers have decreased by 50% year over year in the Trustpilot survey. Only 4% of Americans want a bouquet, down from 8% last year.
Trustpilot and Qualtrics conducted an online survey of 1,015 people ages 18 to 75 in the United States about their Valentine’s Day spending plans. The survey ran from Jan. 26 - 30.
