2022 Valentine’s Day Spending Survey

Whether you love it or loathe it, there’s no denying that Valentine’s Day is a big deal. We spend billions of dollars on the occasion each year. There’s a lot riding on what we do (or don’t do) in Cupid’s name on February 14, to the extent that it could affect whether some people wind up filing joint or individual tax returns come April. This year, Valentine’s day will likely look a bit different from normal, though, as couples find their date options restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people may also find their budgets more constrained. In fact, 70 million Americans expect their significant other to spend less on Valentine’s Day this year, according to a nationally representative survey conducted by WalletHub.

WalletHub’s survey aimed to find out more about how consumers are approaching Valentine’s Day 2022 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked about everything from spending to financial turnoffs and how money problems affect relationships. You can check out the complete results in the infographic below.

Key Stats

• Some People Prioritize Financial Stability. Almost a third of people say money matters more to them in a relationship now than it did before Covid.
• Bad Credit Might Keep You Single. Compared to last year, 37% more Americans say they wouldn’t marry someone with bad credit.
• People Are Less Inclined to Go Into Debt This Year. 17% fewer Americans think a Valentine’s Day gift is worth going into credit card debt this year compared to last year.
• More Men Say V-Day Debt is Worth it. Men are 29% more likely than women to think a Valentine’s Day gift is worth going into credit card debt.
• Financial Infidelity Hurts. Over half (53%) of Americans feel that financial infidelity can be worse than cheating.
• Keeping Secrets About Money Hurts Relationships. 30% of people say financial secrets are the worst relationship problem in 2022.

Ask the Experts

We posed the following questions to a panel of leading consumer studies scholars. You can find their bios and responses below.

1. WalletHub’s survey found that 49% of people would not marry someone with bad credit. What does that tell you about the state of relationships and financial literacy right now?
2. Do you have any tips for people who want to make sure they date someone who is good with money?
3. Why do you think men are 29% more likely than women to believe that a Valentine’s Day gift is worth going into credit card debt for?
4. What advice do you have for the 54% of people who say they would break up with their significant other if he or she spent irresponsibly?
5. Do you believe the 53% people who say irresponsible spending is a bigger turnoff than bad breath?

Ask the Experts

Julian K. Saint Clair
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Marketing; A-LIST Pathway; MBA Program Academic Director; STEM Equity Champion: Star Tech Global Academy – Loyola Marymount University
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Colby B. Jubenville
Ph.D. – Director, Center for Student Coaching and Success– Middle Tennessee State University
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Mary Beth Henning
Professor of Education – University of Mount Union
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David K. Crockett
Professor of Marketing, University of Illinois at Chicago
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Ayalla A. Ruvio
Associate Professor, Department of Marketing, Broad College of Business – Michigan State University
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Virginia Solis Zuiker
Ph.D., AFC® – Associate Professor, Family Social Science – University of Minnesota
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More Experts

Survey Methodology

This report reflects the results of a nationally representative online survey of over 370 respondents.

After we collected all responses, we normalized the data by age, gender and income so the sample would reflect U.S. demographics.

Full Details Overall

Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

Supporting Audio File:

• Raw audio file (for editing into clips)