JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — I went all around the internet for ideas on how to save money for Valentine's Day.
Here's the main list I found, things consistent in every article:
- Do homemade stuff
- Handwritten notes
- Stay single
Let's be honest, those things will each save you lots of money. But practically, each of those things probably won't work out in the end. So let's start with the timeless, and most basic of Valentine's Day gifts.
Flowers.
The number one thing to remember with buying flowers is shop local. We visited Flowerama in Mandarin, and the owner Frank Smetak agrees.
Certainly, he'd like you to visit his shop but says you'll save the most money going into any local florist as opposed to calling a national 800 number or big website for delivery.
"You order from them and they're just coming to local florists like us to fill the order and make the delivery, and they take a big percentage off the top," he said.
And that percentage is paid by you in the form of all kinds of fees.
Everyone needs 'a guy.' A go-to person in a pinch.
A car guy.
A repair guy.
A flower guy.
You get these go-to guys and gals by walking into stores, meeting the owners, and getting to know them. When you do that, you can find the best deals in the long run too.
Many stores, like Flowerama, have Valentine's Day flowers right now for as little as $10.