Lizzy and Lissa break down the hidden costs – financial and otherwise – of Valentine's Day. They unwrap the real cost of Valentine’s Day—financially, emotionally, and socially. Is it worth the hype, or just a commercial trap dressed in pink and red?
Lizzy and Lissa break down the hidden costs – financial and otherwise – of Valentine's Day. They unwrap the real cost of Valentine’s Day—financially, emotionally, and socially. Is it worth the hype, or just a commercial trap dressed in pink and red?
Main Topics
00:00 Valentine's Day and Credit Card Debt
01:08 Running The Numbers Segment
04:12 Historical Origins of Valentine's Day
05:49 Personal Takes
10:18 Navigating Expectations
18:27 Social Media and Valentine's Day
22:51 Valentine's Day As A Kid
26:37 Creating Your Own Traditions
28:02 The Costs of Valentine's Day
29:08 20 Cents Segment
References for Statistics
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sis/resources/fun-facts/valentines.html
https://wallethub.com/blog/valentines-day-survey/57387
Lizzy: According to Wallet Hub's 2024 survey, three out of 10 people think a Valentine's Day gift is worth going into credit card debt for.
Lissa: No.
Lizzy: That's crazy.
Lissa: Gifts are not... no. Okay, we're going to talk about that today. Today we're talking about is Valentine's Day worth it?
Lizzy: Let's talk about it.
Lissa: Welcome to Net Net with Lizzy and Lissa, where we analyze hidden costs and empower you to make your own damn decisions in life. Each episode covers a different facet of life, and at the end of each episode, we each give our takes on whether we think something is net positive or net negative.
Lizzy: I'm Lizzy, a strategist and consultant with almost 20 years of experience in finance and investing.
Lissa: And I'm Lissa, a personal finance expert and a certified financial planner. We're best friends who talk about money.
Lizzy: And everything else.
Lissa: Is Valentine's Day worth it?
Lizzy: First up running the numbers on Valentine's Day.
Lissa: In that same Wallet Hub survey that we mentioned earlier, they say that shoppers spend more than $25.8 billion for Valentine's Day, making it the third-priciest holiday in the US after Christmas and Halloween.
Lizzy: 25 billion.
Lissa: That's a lot of money.
Lizzy: That's a lot of money, y'all. So what exactly are people buying? 57% of people report planning to buy candy for Valentine's Day. No surprise there.
Lissa: Yeah. After candy, 40% of people plan to buy greeting cards and 39% of people plan to buy flowers.
Lizzy: All right. So some low cost expenses. Other things people spend on to a lesser degree include an evening out, jewelry, clothing, and gift cards.
Lissa: Ooh, I like jewelry. Here's a fun stat. For once, men's finances are affected more than women. Men spend almost twice as much as women on average for Valentine's Day.
Lizzy: Yeah, that doesn't surprise me.
Lissa: Yeah.
Lizzy: Not at all.
Lissa: But we know there is more to life than numbers and statistics. So let's talk about it. Is Valentine's Day worth it? Should you celebrate and spend money on this holiday?
Lizzy: All right, so we touched on the financial costs, and I'm sure that varies. What are some of the other costs of Valentine's-
Lissa: Emotional. I can only guess that people are willing to go into debt for Valentine's Day because it has something to do with the trade-off of the emotional side. Your partner being mad, upset.
Lizzy: Yeah, disappointed.
Lissa: Disappointed.
Lizzy: It's going to cause a fight if you don't.
Lissa: Or, maybe not as extreme, just they won't feel as special. And you care more about making them feel special than your own finances.
Lizzy: Isn't that interesting? And so I wonder how much of that, the way you framed it, the motivation is to avoid conflict or avoid hurting someone versus genuinely wanting to express love.
Lissa: You know what? I dropped the ball. There was a stat that I failed to include in our notes, but it had to do with the expectation. I can't tell you the actual stat, but there was a percentage of people who have expectations from their partner for a gift at a certain price level.
Lizzy: Okay. So I think that's part of this whole emotional experience. And so you're anticipating this day, you may be wondering what that other person's going to do. You're planning what you are going to do or get for them. And then the moment comes, you may be disappointed, there may be a mismatch. You went really big and they didn't. And so as always, when you have expectations, you're setting yourself up to either be disappointed. Or they just meet them, and so then you don't necessarily have that same joy that you might have.
Lissa: We've talked about holidays and gift giving in other episodes, but in terms of Valentine's Day specifically, you seem to be the history buff. Do you know where this comes from?
Lizzy: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah yeah. I dug into it.
Lissa: Where does this holiday even come from?
Lizzy: So people may have heard of St. Valentine or have heard it called St. Valentine's Day. That's because it originated as a Christian feast honoring a martyr named Valentine. There are several different St. Valentines throughout religious history, but the eighth century Galatian recorded the celebration of the Feast of St. Valentine on February 14th. So that's the first time it was celebrated on that day. The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the lovebirds of early spring. And then in 18th century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers, candy, greeting cards, which became known as Valentine's.
Lissa: Oh, so didn't originate in the US as we tend to assume. A lot of consumers-
Lizzy: Right, the commercialism?
Lissa: Yeah, commercializing things.
Lizzy: Yeah.
Lissa: Obviously the US has probably helped bring it into that $25 billion industry.
Lizzy: Make it what it is today.
Lissa: Yeah. Okay, that's interesting.
Lizzy: Yeah. So it actually had more of a history than I expected and the association with love and that kind of celebration happened much earlier than I would've guessed.
Lissa: Yeah. So I guess what is your take on this official holiday that's for love? Good thing? Bad thing?
Lizzy: I guess kind of neutral. We've touched on our episode on holidays. To me, holidays mark an opportunity to make a day a little bit more magical or extra special relative to your normal day-to-day. That said, Valentine's Day is pretty low on my list. I think I do subscribe to the idea that if you love someone or in a relationship or something, that's something you should be expressing regularly. And a random pre-determined day isn't extra meaningful to me. So for me, historically, it has been something I acknowledge to some extent, but nothing extravagant, like a small token, a card and maybe a $20 gift or candy or something. Nothing really major. And I don't expect that in return. Some acknowledgement is nice. Some flowers.
Lissa: Yeah. Interesting, interesting.
Lizzy: What about you?
Lissa: I think my relationship has changed as is the theme with a lot of our episodes. I think I bought into it a lot, maybe in my early twenties, in my twenties, that if I had a partner, if I was dating someone, that I really wanted to feel special on that day because the bar was that, oh, everyone else is feeling a little special on this day, so I want to feel a little special too.
Over the years that's changed, and I don't remember which Valentine's Day it was. There was one particular Valentine's Day where we live in Los Angeles, I think I had an appointment or something in the late afternoon. I was driving down La Cienega and there were a couple restaurants on both sides of me in Beverly Hills where there were lines out the door and everyone was paired up, coupled up. So it just felt like a factory, like, all right, we're going to get all these couples in, get you in, get you out. And ever since that, I remember, I don't want to go out to dinner on Valentine's Day. Have you ever been out to dinner on Valentine's Day?
Lizzy: I can't think of a specific time. I went to dinner and a movie on Valentine's Day on that weekend. It was when I was in a long distance relationship, so I don't know if it was on the exact day.
Lissa: But not the day of, on the day of one time years ago, this was not my current partner. The years ago I was at a Italian restaurant. It was actually an Italian restaurant I really wanted to try. It was a local one. And this dude took me there on Valentine's Day, which was very thoughtful because he knew I wanted to go there. The problem was this restaurant and many others, they do a set menu on special days like that because it helps them manage their kitchen better, right?
Lizzy: It's efficient.
Lissa: It's efficient operationally. And so unfortunately, I couldn't order what I was interested in ordering from the main menu. And it was just like this fixed menu, set menu for whatever, $75 a head. No modifications, no nothing. And so-
Lizzy: Kind of defeated the purpose.
Lissa: ... defeated the purpose of trying out that restaurant. And I get why some places do it like that. It makes sense.
Lizzy: Yeah. It's a crazy night for a restaurant.
Lissa: Yeah, because everyone's trying to go out. Everyone's trying to do that evening out to make their person feel special. But that was over a decade ago, and I feel like ever since that and that time I was driving down and seeing all these couples, I was like, yeah, I don't want to spend it going out. We could do something special a different night. Or that night, let's make it ourselves. Let's make dinner. Let's do something where we don't have to deal with crowds.
Lizzy: Yeah. It's funny as I'm thinking about this, it's interesting how prescriptive it has become. And I can think back to gifts I've gotten that are a teddy bear and candy or something, which is lovely-
Lissa: A heart-shaped chocolate box?
Lizzy: Yeah. But I don't really care to have that, other than that it's day and that's what you do. And so it's interesting thinking, if anything, what would matter more to me or I'd appreciate more might be a handwritten note or a walk on the beach or something a little simpler. But there has become this interesting standard of what is expected and what you do. And I think, as the stats noted, this disproportionately affects men for once. And I think that has shaped my view of the holiday. I don't know a single man who cares about Valentine's Day.
Lissa: Who cares and-
Lizzy: For themselves, who likes it-
Lissa: ... meaning what they're expecting.
Lizzy: ... it's important to them. I think they are, if they're doing anything at all, they're doing it begrudgingly. They're going along with it because that's what their partner expects.
Lissa: You don't think any of them... I actually know some guys who like to make their partner feel special on that day, but I don't know if that's trying to show up against other men to make sure.
Lizzy: Yeah, that might be true. Every partner I've had or guy friend I've talked to, it's like, "I have to." They're like, "Ugh, it's just money to spend." And I've always heard the argument, "I'll do something every other day of the year. Why does this day matter?"
Lissa: But do you? Do you buy those flowers on those other days?
Lizzy: Of course, yeah.
Lissa: I also think it's interesting based on, if you are going to do something for your partner on Valentine's Day, how spread out? Is it from their birthday? Because if your is also... This is also an interesting side note, but if you're a dude or if you're whoever, and your partner is a woman and she's a mother, do you get her a gift for Mother's Day? Or do you only get your mom a gift on Mother's Day? And if you do get your wife a gift because she's a mother to your children, so you got Christmas, if you celebrate Christmas or if you celebrate any holiday at the end of the year, then you have Valentine's Day, then you have Mother's Day, and then where else in this year does birthday land is like you're giving gifts every few months?
Lizzy: Sure, yeah.
Lissa: And so I can understand the sentiment if people are like, oh my God, not another holiday where I got to spend something, granted, it could be something small.
Lizzy: Yeah. And I do think a lot of men, or maybe just people in general feel like there's this standard to live up to that they don't always know what it is. So I'm going to try to do something, but I don't know if I'm going to hit the mark. I might disappoint you. I think it feels like a lose-lose. I'm spending money to start a fight no matter what. Right? And that just-
Lissa: Is that a pessimistic you though? I feel like maybe I could see people being upset with what they receive, but I would think most people just appreciate something.
Lizzy: I don't know. I think a lot of people have grand expectations, whether they even realize it or not. Everyone wants to feel special. And as much as I am saying I don't really care about Valentine's Day, if someone I was with did something over-the-top for me, I'd be like, oh wow, that's lovely. Right? That's great. And so I think a lot of people unconsciously have that desire for something really over-the-top and then may not even realize that they're going to be disappointed with something small.
Lissa: Which ties directly to the financial cost then, because it can range.
Lizzy: Absolutely.
Lissa: It Could be a $10 box of chocolates or $100 dollars or more for going out to eat, jewelry, et cetera.
Lizzy: Right. And I think it's just so random what people's standards are. And I'm saying this on behalf of women, but it may vary gender wise and across your sexuality. But I think, especially if you're newly dating someone or maybe you've been together for a really long time-
Lissa: Oh, that's the interesting part.
Lizzy: ... there's all these dynamics of do I get them candy? Do I get them flowers? Do they expect jewelry? There's levels to this, and are they going to perceive it to be a reflection of how much I love them?
Lissa: Yeah.
Lizzy: It's challenging, right? I think it's a lot to navigate without actually realizing. It's a lot to navigate.
Lissa: All right, how long do you have to be dating someone to expect that they do something for you on Valentine's Day?
Lizzy: See, that's so hard, and that's one of the costs. It's not just the emotional costs. It's like an actual relationship, social cost of if you make the wrong move, it can have a real impact on your relationship. I don't know. I don't know that it's a time answer.
Lissa: There's no rule of thumb?
Lizzy: Yeah. I think if you're exclusive, you should definitely do something.
Lissa: Do a thing. Acknowledge the day.
Lizzy: Acknowledge the day in some way. Prior to that? That's tough. I don't know, some kind of gesture. But that's very telling, right? If one of you wants to make a gesture.
Lissa: And the other doesn't?
Lizzy: And the other doesn't, even if it's just a card and the other doesn't, it's like, oh, okay, I thought we were there and we're not. Tricky. Right?
Lissa: Man, now that I'm thinking about this, Valentine's Day has been interesting in the past because I've had those thoughts. Because there were times I started dating someone in October, and then sometimes we started dating in January. And I don't know that I ever expected something, but I would think that'd be really nice if they did something for me or ask me ahead of time what I wanted to do that day, then I would know that we're on the same page. Or do I just go make plans with my girls and have a Galentine's day because nothing's going to happen?
Lizzy: Right. But have you ever been dating someone that you're like, I hope they don't want to do something. I hope we don't get there. Because I feel like usually the dynamic is often that the ball's in the dude's court to put themselves out there, which I don't like that dynamic.
Lissa: Not that I can think of because I feel like if I felt like that about a person, I wouldn't be dating them no more.
Lizzy: But I think some people date someone like that. They're like a placeholder. It's casual, it's fun.
Lissa: Yeah, nice to have someone around and you like them for certain things, but not to the degree that you want to spend that particular holiday with them.
Lizzy: Right?
Lissa: Yeah.
Lizzy: And I think for men, they're afraid to lead someone on.
Lissa: Ooh, didn't even think about that.
Lizzy: Yeah, okay, maybe-
Lissa: If I get you a thing, you're going to think we're together.
Lizzy: ... if I get you a thing, are you going to think I'm in love with?
Lissa: You're going to call me your man. You're going to tell-
Lizzy: Right. Exactly.
Lissa: And they might want to go that route, might not, but either way, they might not be ready. It is like a forcing function almost.
Lizzy: Landmines everywhere, I think for men. It's a lot to navigate.
Lissa: I didn't even think about that. Those are costs in itself to celebrate this day.
Lizzy: Yeah, for sure.
Lissa: It's tricky because there's costs either way, like you said, there's costs to celebrating it and celebrating it the wrong way and doing the wrong thing. And there's cost to not celebrating it. You could lose your F buddy by making the wrong move.
Lizzy: For sure. Yeah. And so I think that's why for a lot of people, it's a source of frustration or it's silly. Because it's a trivial day, but undoubtedly, others look to it for answers. Like a where do we stand? And it's a ranking function based on how you treat someone. And that just seems silly.
Lissa: Yeah. All right, I have a side, this is a complaint or just, I don't even know if this is a cost, but how do you feel about people who post on social media, on Instagram to show and I guess brag about all the things their partner did for them or got them for Valentine's Day?
Lizzy: It doesn't bother me at all.
Lissa: Yeah, I'm, sure. Great. Lovely for you. I don't know, I don't have any feelings about it really.
Okay, cool. Me neither. I would say maybe in the past I did when I was younger. Sometimes it would make me feel like, dang, I wish I had that. But I don't think I ever thought of the person as like, damn, why are you bragging? Why are you braggadocios about this?
Lizzy: Yeah, yeah.
Lissa: Yeah, I think otherwise I wouldn't be following you. Or I wouldn't be friends with you on social media if that was the case.
Lizzy: I don't tend to skew that way in general when I perceive stuff. There's probably been times when I was single and lonely and like, damn. But I can't remember anything specifically.
Lissa: Which is crazy. This is a thing I have that I have worked through in therapy of, I overthink to not want to do that to others. So that's why I won't post like, oh, Alan got me this and did this for me.
Lizzy: Because you don't want to make anyone feel bad.
Lissa: Yeah, but it's just silly to even overthink that because it's just about sharing. If you want to share, share. I don't know why I'm like that.
Lizzy: Interesting. Well, I know why you're like that.
Lissa: What?
Lizzy: Because back in the day, people used to hate on you when you were doing well. We had friends who would always hate on you.
Lissa: That's true. That's true. The second I started making more than one of our ex-friends, she was mad, mad. And yeah, you're right.
Lizzy: Yeah, she to let you know.
Lissa: Okay. Past traumas. I got to heal.
Lizzy: Past traumas, girl. All right, so do you have any notable Valentine's Days, good or bad?
Lissa: Yes.
Lizzy: That was a loaded question.
Lissa: I was about to say no.
Lizzy: I'm leaving you.
Lissa: My initial answer was going to be, no, I've not had notable Valentine's Days. I've had nice ones where we did a nice thing, but I can't even remember them because they don't stand out to me as a special day. But I have the opposite. I had a breakup happen on Valentine's Day.
Lizzy: I was with you.
Lissa: Yeah. Well, I called you crying in the morning, because that's when it happened, and then what'd we end up doing?
Lizzy: Went to the UCLA game.
Lissa: Oh, yeah, we went to a basketball game that day.
Lizzy: Basketball game.
Lissa: Yep.
Lizzy: Yeah.
Lissa: I can't even tell you how that happened. It probably was already going to happen.
Lizzy: It was in the works, I'm sure.
Lissa: It was in the works, but then it was like we were going to rekin... rekindle? We were working it out.
Lizzy: It's a lot of on and off.
Lissa: Yeah, we were working it out. And then it was like the plan was, all right, I'm going to stay at your place. We're going to hang out. And then tomorrow we'll do something for Valentine's Day, even if that just means ordering in or whatever. But we got into a fight that night. It lasted like the night, and then in the morning it was just like, all right, we're not doing this, we're calling it quits. And I was like-
Lizzy: Blessing in disguise.
Lissa: ... and I was like, damn, it just so happens to be February 14th that we're going to break this off. This sucks.
Lizzy: That just adds insult to injury. It just makes it a little worse.
Lissa: Right. But I will say every Valentine's Day since then has been special because of my husband. And so it's like that pales in comparison. We could do nothing, but the fact that I have a good dude-
Lizzy: Yeah, you have a relationship you love, marriage.
Lissa: I'm like, cool. Whatever. February 14th, whatever. But give me some chocolate though.
Lizzy: I haven't had a breakup on Valentine's Day, but I had a situationship and two days before Valentine's Day, after my team lost the Super Bowl, it was like, man, you're really cutting me when I'm down.
Lissa: Yeah. Actually, I look forward to Super Bowl more than I do Valentine's Day, in February.
Lizzy: Valentine's Day, right?
Lissa: Yeah. And then one of the homies, her birthday is in February, so I look forward to her birthday and the Super Bowl more than I do Valentine's Day.
Lizzy: It's not a big deal for me.
Lissa: So do you know anyone, friends or family, who love this holiday?
Lizzy: No one is coming to mind, to be honest with you.
Lissa: No?
Lizzy: There probably are people, just I don't really think about it.
Lissa: So do any of us even like it?
Lizzy: Yeah.
Lissa: Is it even a thing then?
Lizzy: I don't know. I mean, growing up my mom would always do something for us. There's this candy and coffee shop that's kind of old-timey. It's like a staple in the city I grew up in, and they have packaged gummies and stuff for every holiday. And so she would get us these little gummy hearts that only came around at Valentine's Day and they were so good. And I remember liking it as a kid, giving the paper Valentine's with the candy. And I think there was some element growing up of, I wonder if someone's going to reveal some crush they have on me, right? But yeah.
Lissa: Was this a thing when you were in elementary school when you guys gave out each other Valentine's cards and they'd have different themes like Mickey Mouse or whatever, but was it a thing to see who got the most?
Lizzy: Oh yeah, for sure. Because it used to be you could give them to whoever you wanted and then became it have to give everyone.
Lissa: Yeah, you have to give everyone.
Lizzy: Yeah, schools would dictate you had to give everyone. I think that was a little after my time at least.
Lissa: I think our time-
Lizzy: And now, I don't even know if they allow them. I'm not sure.
Lissa: Oh, right. I don't know either.
Lizzy: Those PC culture.
Lissa: [inaudible 00:23:59] kids. I know. Yeah, I-
Lizzy: But I love that, picking, okay, what cartoon is going to represent me and-
Lissa: Yeah, because have those-
Lizzy: ... you fill them out
Lissa: ... Valentine's Day cards that are perforated and then you rip them apart and then you have two Mickey Mouses, two Goofys, two whatever, but you got to decide who to give-
Lizzy: Yeah, who gets which one. Honestly, those are probably my best Valentine's Day memories is just doing that.
Lissa: Yeah. I want to go back to doing that, but to friends.
Lizzy: I know. Yeah. I actually have, this was years ago, I mentioned this on a different episode, one year I bought cards for you and two of our closest guy friends that I was going to send to you for Valentine's Day, and I just never did it. So I still have them. Yours is a pizza shaped.
Lissa: Well, you know what?
Lizzy: One of these years I'm going to give it to you.
Lissa: This holiday happens every year, so you can use it at any point.
Lizzy: If I ever think about it, I'll give it to you finally.
Lissa: Yeah. Yeah, that's interesting though. I also can't think of anyone who looks forward to it and it's a huge thing.
Lizzy: That it's especially meaningful to them?
Lissa: It's more so conversations I might have with my friends is if someone's dating someone pretty new and it's more of a, wait, should I get him something? Not get him something? Get her something? Don't get her something? Or the aftermath of so-and-so didn't do anything for me.
Lizzy: Yeah, I think it's that biggest deal in an early relationship.
Lissa: Early, yeah.
Lizzy: Yeah.
Lissa: Because when it's later and you've been together for years, you guys decide together almost how to make it special or to avoid-
Lizzy: Yeah. It might be a date night or... yeah
Lissa: Or like, "Hey, this year, who cares? Let's not do anything."
Lizzy: Yeah, let's not. Yeah
Lissa: Yeah.
Lizzy: Yeah, I think so. There is a holiday that I celebrated when I lived in Spain, in the Catalonia region of Spain, I was in Barcelona, called Dia de San Jordi. So St. Jordi Day. And in English, it doesn't translate, but basically it's the Book and Roses Day. So it's celebrated in April. Similar concept to Valentine's Day, but the tradition is to give roses and a book. And I like that. It's like representative of love for a partner or a person or a friendship. But the book part, you know me, I love my books. So I like that tradition quite a bit.
Lissa: Do you know what the origin of the book thing is?
Lizzy: It's actually a blending of two different holidays, and there's a whole myth. I looked into it as well, but it was a little convoluted.
Lissa: See, I like that. I think we might've talked about this in a previous episode. Maybe it was the holidays one. But when you mentioned your mom gave you guys heart-shaped on Valentine's Day, I think that is a benefit and an amazing magical thing about even Valentine's Day or even this holiday that's commercialized when you create your own tradition out of it, and that becomes your thing with your partner, or whoever, your family.
Lizzy: Right, right. Yeah. I'm not knocking it. It's interesting your relationship to it as a kid versus as an adult. I feel like as a kid, it was actually more about friends and family. I think in school you'd make little Valentines for your parents and stuff, and it was more universal. And then as an adult, it's much more about romance, which is interesting how that changes.
Lissa: Is it about romance? Or is it about gifts?
Lizzy: Well, theoretically about romance. But it's about acknowledging a romantic interest versus... I guess people celebrate Galentine's Day or whatever, but that's less common.
Lissa: You think so?
Lizzy: I think it's like a consolation celebration.
Lissa: Yeah.
Lizzy: I think less people, their instinct... like other holidays, Christmas, for example, you're anticipating getting stuff for your friends. I don't think people automatically think that for Valentine's Day.
Lissa: True. That just made me think of, in terms of financial cost, that even if you don't have a Valentine, you may still end up spending more that day or week because of the consolation. For if you're single, and I know this was for me when I was single too, some years I'd be fine. I'm thriving. I love being single. But then some years you feel down.
Lizzy: Yeah, for sure.
Lissa: Because you're lonely. You wish you had a partner. Maybe had a partner. Don't anymore. And it's those times where you're like, fuck it, Galentine's Day. I'm going to go do something. Or I'm going to do something big for myself. I'm going to go do something spontaneous for myself. And that costs money.
Lizzy: Absolutely.
Lissa: So there costs all around this day, whether or not you celebrate it.
Lizzy: Yeah, absolutely. All right.
Lissa: Yeah.
Lizzy: Yep.
Lissa: Any other costs that we're missing? Financial, social, the conflict of your partner, if you don't make the right move?
Lizzy: I think that's the big ones.
Lissa: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I kind of already know what might happen, but 20 Cents?
Lizzy: 20 Cents.
Lissa: 20 Cents is the segment of the show where both Lizzy and myself, Lissa, each get 60 seconds to give our 2 cents on today's topic, whether it is a net positive or a net negative to celebrate Valentine's Day. Where does 20 Cents come from?
Lizzy: You get the opinion of two dimes.
Lissa: Two dimes. All right, Liz, you are up first. Is Valentine's Day worth it?
Lizzy: Man, this is one of those times I wish we had a net neutral.
Lissa: You just don't care.
Lizzy: Yeah, sure, but it's not a big deal. I guess I'm net positive in the sense it's not hurting anyone. If you want to celebrate it, sure. I tend to do something small for the people in my life. So I guess why not net positive? But it's not a big priority to me.
Lissa: All right, all right. Net positive-ish-
Lizzy: Ish.
Lissa: ... is Liz's answer.
Lizzy: Yeah, ish.
Lissa: All right, all right.
Lizzy: What about you, Lis?
Lissa: For me, Valentine's Day, interestingly, has evolved over the years. I think I cared a lot before. I've had some years where I didn't care. I think now I'm more in your boat, a little neutral. But I will say I'm going to lean positive. In terms of celebrating that specific day, I'm less concerned, because like I said, I don't like going out to those dinners and stuff. I'll wait till another day. But also, one interesting thing about Alan and I, my husband, is our dating anniversary is on the 15th of July, and so every 15th we make it a point to make it a date night. So 15th is so close to the 14th that come February, I'll just be like, "Nah, let's just go do something on the 15th."
Lizzy: Yeah, go tomorrow.
Lissa: Yeah. So that said, I'll say net positive because I want to welcome all the gifts and blessings into my life every February 14th.
Lizzy: There you go. And if anyone wants to bring me a heart-shaped pizza or some tacos-
Lissa: Yeah, you will gladly accept
Lizzy: ... flowers, I love flowers, I'll gladly accept.
Lissa: Yeah, so net positive. Yeah.
Lizzy: Yeah.
Lissa: One thing real quick before we end the episode that we didn't touch though was we talked about the commercialization, but also I guess the waste that comes out of that.
Lizzy: Oh, yeah, that's a great point.
Lissa: Right?
Lizzy: That is a big cost.
Lissa: Yeah, it's a big cost, not to us as individuals I guess, but to the environment.
Lizzy: I think both, right? This is funny. I was thinking about this. I was looking for a prop, and obviously I had just bought myself flowers, but I'm looking around my room like, "Do I have anything I've received on Valentine's Day?" And I'm like, "No, all of those relationships are over. Why would I keep it?"
Lissa: You threw it away. Yeah.
Lizzy: Yeah, you throw it away. So there's a little bit of a temporary quality to some of this.
Lissa: One quick side note too is I was looking for a prop to bring for this episode and couldn't find one. Yesterday I was at Rite Aid. I was like, oh, I'll get some Valentine's Day stuff, because I assumed they market four months in advance. We had that issue with Halloween when we talked about Halloween.
Lizzy: For sure.
Lissa: There was no Valentine's Day anything.
Lizzy: That's because Christmas is the super holiday, the holiday that dominates them all.
Lissa: So then right after Christmas, we'll start-
Lizzy: That's what is it.
Lissa: Okay. So I couldn't find it. Well, all right. Well, this is what we think right now at this moment in time. Both Liz and I are net positive-
Lizzy: ish.
Lissa: ... kind of net neutral, but net positive-ish for celebrating Valentine's Day. But no one can make that decision but you. What do you think? Is Valentine's Day worth it?
Lizzy: Hit us up. Let us know what you think. DM us on Instagram at NetNetPodcast or email us at hi@NetNetPodcast.com. And if you want to follow us individually, here's where you can find us.
Lissa: I'm at WealthforWomenofColor on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
Lizzy: You can follow me at Live_Well_Lizzy on Instagram and TikTok.
Lissa: All references, statistics and resources mentioned can be found in our show notes. This podcast is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, and should not be constituted as financial advice. Remember to always do your own research, consult a professional as needed, and feel empowered to make your own damn decisions.