Yes it's that wonderful time of time of year again when we blokes with significant others have to start desperately assembling the half-remembered hints of our hopeful partners in a bid to find a gift deemed acceptable, or worse - impressive, by society.
St Valentine and Cupid have really stitched us up too, planning their celebration of love just weeks after we've gotten our finances straight from Christmas.
Luckily, whether you're male or female, thriftiness has become acceptable in the face of ever-tighter budgets, so you won't be judged too harshly if you'd prefer to keep costs down this Valentine's Day.
This doesn't mean looking cheap though. You can still sweep your partner off their feet without breaking the bank. Here are a few tips you can use to help you become a cost-cutting Casanova.
Great savings on gifts
Discount codes, vouchers and promotions have become really popular in recent years and nobody need know, let alone judge you.
Let's start with the classics - flowers and chocolates. If you're going to be buying them anyway then you might as well check out the discount codes on our vouchers channel. You'll find a handful of voucher codes to make sure you don't have to pay full price.
Perfume always goes down well too and there are currently vouchers for free delivery and discounts on our vouchers channel, so you're bound to come up smelling of roses. Sign up for our vouchers email newsletter to make sure you get wind of the latest vouchers as soon as possible.
For something a little more specific to your area, visit MoneySupermarket Local Deals. You'll find discounts on things like spa treatments, dining out, experience days and more.
Discount dinners
If you're planning a romantic dinner, a lot of restaurants offer discount codes or discounts for booking online. Be sure to check that any discount codes you plan on using are actually valid on Valentine's Day though. If they're not, you might prefer to avoid the crowds and go another night, either before or after February 14.
For example, Valentine's Day 2012 falls on a Tuesday, so it might be a better idea to celebrate the weekend before or after. Nobody wants to be crammed into a packed restaurant sharing the celebration with scores of other couples after all.
Whisk them away
If you want to put your mates to shame with a grand Valentine's gesture, you could even get a great deal on a weekend break.
This doesn't have to be Paris or Venice though - even if they are more typically associated with romance. A break somewhere like Cologne, Amsterdam or even closer to home in London could be cheaper, quieter and actually even more thoughtful.
If you're interested in planning a few days away, check out our article on how to get a good deal on a Valentine's break here.
If you're single
If you're single and want to celebrate or boycott Valentine's Day, you could still take advantage of some of the Valentine's deals and discounts on offer with friends (if you can stomach the nauseating sight of all the loved-up couples, that is).
Better yet, avoid the whole thing and stay in with a film and some snacks. Again, keep an eye on our vouchers channel for discounts on DVDs and Blu-rays.
Please note: Any rates or deals mentioned in this article were available at the time of writing.
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