![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/files\/2013\/02\/val-graphalt.jpg\")
<\/a>Alexis Anderson<\/strong> Love is in air this Valentine\u2019s Day, and couples are cautiously spending a little more for their loved one\u2019s as they did last year. \u201cValentine\u2019s Day is one of our busiest days of the year. We have a lot of consumers every year to purchase Valentine\u2019s Day bouquets. We have gotten so many orders from customers, we had to stop ordering bouquets.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe normal amount of money is spent annually is $60 on our chocolate strawberry desserts, it is usually one of our most popular items.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the National Retail Federation, the 2013 Valentine\u2019s Day spending survey conducted by http:\/\/BigSight.com shows only a slight increase in expected sales this year with the average person planning to spend $126.03 on candy, cards, gifts and more, up from $116.21 billion last year. The total spending will reach $17.6 billion.<\/p>\n Celebrating Valentine\u2019s Day is not always for couples; though people plan to spend the most on their significant other, 60.6 percent of shoppers plan to show their appreciation for other family members and will spend an average of $26.46.<\/p>\n Consumers haven\u2019t forgotten about their four-legged friends either; 20 percent of Americans plan to buy gifts for their pets this year, with total spending expected to reach $815 million. One-quarter of celebrants will buy gifts for friends, spending an average of $8.49, and 13.2 percent say they will buy Valentine\u2019s Day gifts for their co-workers, planning to shell out an average of $5.12 on their colleagues. Greeting cards are the most popular gifts; jewelry is expected to be a big hit as well, with 17.3 percent. However, this is the lowest in history.<\/p>\n Some Jackson State University students believe that there should be a limit on how much money is spent on Valentine\u2019s Day. John Daley, a freshman electronic engineering freshman from Memphis, Tenn., said. \u201cI would spend $100 maximum on gifts, and $50 for a date. The gifts can range anywhere from jewelry, teddy bears, and roses.\u201d<\/p>\n The NRF reports that Americans this year will spend an average of $68.98 on their significant other, friend, or family members, up from $63.34 from last year. The average person will spend $5.04 on their furry friends, up from $3.27 from last year. Consumers will also spend an average $6.30 on friends, $4.97 on classmates and teachers.<\/p>\n In 2012, people spent $17.6 billion on the holiday of hearts and flowers; the highest estimate in the past 10 years. Consumers will spend $3.5 billion on jewelry this Valentine\u2019s Day, clothing ($1.6 billion vs. $1.5 billion in 2010) and dining out ($3.4 billion vs. $3.3 billion in 2010) will also be the popular gift options.<\/p>\n James Earl Lehaman, a graduate student majoring in communications from Greenville, Miss., said, \u201cI am experiencing the most sincere relationship I have ever encountered. I expect to spend more than I ever have on Valentine\u2019s Day. I have set aside a personal budget of $400-500 this year. Where no dollar amount is parallel to how I feel about the love of my life, I want to do all I can to make her day special.\u201d<\/p>\n According to http:\/\/visualeconomics.creditloan.com, gender weighs heavily on the price tag of Valentine\u2019s Day. Northeast residents are the biggest spenders, spending almost $146.30. The southern states came in second place with $128.67, the western region in third at $119.82, and the Midwest spending the least at $110.96. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 age range spends the most at $176.85. Ages 18-24 spend $148.05, 35-44 spend $141.82; 45-54 spend $122.43; 55-64 spend $88.13.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Alexis Anderson Blue & White Flash \/ Staff Writer Love is in air this Valentine\u2019s Day, and couples are cautiously spending a little more for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_plus_post_options":"{}","editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1766"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1766"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1766\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nBlue & White Flash \/ Staff Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nSteven Welch, manager of Edible Arrangements in Flowood, Miss., said that this year the demand for their fruit merchandise has increased.<\/p>\n
\nAriel Campbell, a junior criminal justice from Atlanta, Ga., said, \u201cIt depends on the gifts; last year I spent over $60. My limit is $100.\u201d<\/p>\n