Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and as you may know, it’s one of my favorite holidays! My husband and I are planning to go out to dinner, and as you can see from the data below, quite a few other people are also going out.

As you know, a lot of money is spent on Valentine’s Day gifts. According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average $136.57, down from last year’s record-high $146.84. Total spending is expected to reach $18.2 billion, down from $19.7 billion last year, which was also a record. (These sales figures include purchases for significant others as well as friends, family members, and even pets.)

According to the NRF, these are the top purchases that people will make for Valentine’s Day:

  • Candy (50% are planning to purchase; spending expected to be $1.7 billion)
  • Greeting cards (47% percent; $1 billion)
  • An evening out (37% percent; $3.8 billion)
  • Flowers (35% percent; $2 billion)
  • Jewelry (19% percent of shoppers; $4.3 billion)
  • Clothing (19% percent; $1.9 billion)
  • Gift cards/gift certificates (16% percent; $1.4 billion)

Here’s another interesting statistic I found (on statisticbrain.com): 53% of women surveyed said they would end their relationship if they didn’t get something for Valentine’s Day. Hmm, I’m not sure what to make of that!

I wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day, and remember if you buy flowers, candy, or clothing, you can record these purchases, even if they don’t have a barcode. If you have a scanner, use the Barcode Reference Booklet. If you use the NCPMobile App, use the onboard Non-Barcoded Items Listing.

Have a great day!