Valentine’s Day Candy Hearts Now Begging Couples to Split Rent
KEY POINTS
- •Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation reported January’s price jump with roses rising 17% to about $13.
- •High earners view their 401(k) gains positively, supporting luxury spending while others trim costs drastically.
- •TGI Fridays offers a $50 three-course Valentine's deal, and Ikea dishes kids-eat-free offers through February 14–16.
This Valentine's Day, the economy’s romance police have spoken—those sweet candy hearts are swapping 'LOVE BUG' for hard financial realities like 'SPLIT RENT' and 'COOK FOR 2.' Thanks to a Groundwork Collaborative report using NIQ data from January, roses surged 17% to $13 a bouquet and chocolates hiked 10%, making a budget bouquet the new sexy. While high earners swipe their 401(k) gains like a love card, ordinary folk settle for popcorn and home movies, as TGI Fridays attempts to seduce daters with a $50 three-course deal. Ikea even pitches Valentine’s Day furniture with kids-eat-free because nothing says 'romance' like Swedish meatballs and a Billy bookcase. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Canadian Charlize Alcaraz ditches the $200 gift budget for wine and Netflix, proving some lovebirds prefer fiscal responsibility to roses and prosecco.
Share the Story
When valentine’s candy starts reminding you to 'SPLIT RENT,' you know love is less poetry, more budgeting spreadsheet. Romance in the 2020s is basically a subsidy for the one percent and a tightly rationed Netflix sans chocolate for everyone else.
If your Valentine's plan is skipping dinner to save for rent, congrats–you’re starring in 'Love in the K-Shaped Economy.'
Nothing says romance like flowers that cost more than your last electric bill and candy that lectures you on financial responsibility.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 2/13/2026 | Author: Juliana Kaplan,Madison Hoff
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