Can you feel the love tonight? Groupon surveyed to see who does better at getting ready for Valentine’s Day

Groupon surveyed 1,000 Americans in relationships to see who puts in the most Valentine’s Day effort. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Groupon surveyed 1,000 Americans in relationships to see who puts in the most Valentine’s Day effort. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Groupon surveyed 1,000 Americans in relationships to see who puts in the most Valentine’s Day effort. The research, which should serve as a wake up call to anyone who still needs to buy their partner a gift, showed that men, those in newer relationships and married individuals all gave themselves the highest marks.

“At its very essence, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and a chance to show your partner how much you value them,” said author and relationship expert, Tracey Cox. “My advice to anyone who is guilty of not putting enough effort in is to go for something fun you can do together. Because giving someone your time is one of the most precious things you can give and you can use it to make more memories together. It is these shared experiences that creates the bond that will get you through life’s rough spots.”

When asked to rate themselves on how much effort they put towards their Valentine’s celebrations, men say they put in 10 percent more effort than women do. The average man said they plan to spend $217 on gifts for their partner this year, while the average woman plans to shell out just $99.

The survey results also confirmed the long-held notion that some romantic impulses really do drop off over time––showing that people are more likely to go all out for their first Valentine’s Day together. The average person in the first year of a relationship plans to spend $223 on gifts for their Valentine. However, that number drops by one-third after year one with an average planned spend of $149 for those in a relationship between one and five years.

And while being in a relationship typically means spending less money on Valentine’s Day over time, it doesn’t mean that everyone who has made a commitment ends up spending less. In fact, married individuals plan to spend nearly twice as much this year ($168 versus $87) than those who identified themselves as in a relationship.

While Groupon found that some gifts scored higher in terms of effort than others, a resounding 71 percent say it’s not really about how much money is spent. Participants identified dinner at a restaurant, a card, a weekend getaway or an activity together as some of the most meaningful gifts.

For more information on the survey results visit https://www.groupon.com/pages/valentines-day-2017.