Valentine’s Day: Then vs. Now
Valentine’s Day: Then vs. Now
Or, Why Date Night Now Requires a Budget, a Babysitter, and a Prayer
There was a time—back when gas was cheaper and our backs didn’t hurt—when Valentine’s Day felt simple.
You grabbed a dozen roses from Kroger.
Picked a card while standing in the aisle blocking other shoppers.
Went out to dinner.
Maybe lined up a babysitter if you were feeling fancy.
Now?
Now Valentine’s Day feels like something you should’ve planned back in January… with a spreadsheet.
And if you live in Georgia—where dinner reservations disappear faster than parking at The Battery on game day—you really feel it.
So let’s talk about how Valentine’s Day has quietly become one of the most expensive nights of the year—and why it’s totally okay if you’re side-eyeing the whole thing.
Valentine’s Day: Then vs. Now (The Reality Check)
Here’s what typical Valentine’s purchases looked like about five years ago versus now.
At this point, Valentine’s Day isn’t a holiday—it’s a financial decision.
Let’s Be Honest About These Prices
🌹 Roses: From Sweet Gesture to Luxury Item
Remember when roses felt like a safe purchase?
Now you’re standing in the Kroger floral section staring at a $90 price tag thinking,
Are these flown in directly from heaven?
Between shipping costs, labor shortages, and Valentine’s demand, roses have become the Range Rover of romance. Lovely. Impressive. Absolutely not required for daily life.
💌 Cards & Chocolates: The Sneaky Expenses
Cards and candy are deceptive.
You think, “It’s just a card.”
And suddenly it’s $7.50… and you haven’t even opened it yet.
Add chocolates—now smaller than they used to be, somehow—and you’re easily at $25 thinking,
We could’ve shared a Nothing Bundt Cake and been happier.
🍽️ Dinner Out in Metro Atlanta: Godspeed
If you didn’t book dinner by January 20th, bless your heart.
Valentine’s dinner around Atlanta now usually means:
Prix-fixe menus
Limited choices
A bill that makes you nod politely while mentally recalculating the grocery budget
And that’s before traffic, parking, or waiting 20 minutes past your reservation time.
👶 Babysitting: The Silent Budget Killer
This is the part no one warns you about.
Babysitting rates have climbed fast, and Valentine’s night often comes with premium pricing. A few hours out can quietly tack on another $100+.
Suddenly eating leftovers on the couch while watching Netflix sounds extremely romantic.
The Real Cost of a “Classic” Valentine’s Day
Let’s add it up:
Flowers
Card
Chocolates
Dinner
Babysitter
You’re easily looking at $300+.
And that’s not counting:
Gas
Parking
Or the emotional cost of realizing your babysitter canceled at 5:42 p.m.
A Very Real PlanIt.Mom Reminder 💛
Some seasons of life look like:
Takeout after bedtime
A glass of wine from the kitchen you already paid for
Celebrating on February 18th when restaurants calm down and babysitters text back
That doesn’t mean romance is gone.
It just means life is loud right now.
Love is built in:
Carpool lines
Late-night kitchen cleanups
Someone grabbing you coffee without asking
And honestly? That kind of love lasts longer than roses anyway.
Because love doesn’t need reservations—just intention, flexibility, and maybe a little chocolate you don’t have to share.
💌— PlanIt.Mom
