American Consumer Credit Counseling helps consumers achieve a budget-friendly Valentine’s Day
Boston, MA – January 31, 2018
As Valentine’s Day nears, many consumers have started thinking about the perfect gift or activity for their significant other. If you are on a tight budget, an extravagant day with that special someone can be stressful. To help ease the financial pain, national nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) offers ways consumers can have a frugal – but meaningful – Valentine’s Day.
“Valentine’s Day often creates high expectations and stress associated with providing the perfect day filled with expensive gifts, flowers and a fancy dinner out for your significant other,” said Steve Trumble, President, and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is based in Newton, MA. “These expenses can add up quickly and blow a consumer’s budget. Fortunately, there are many ways to be frugal while also having fun and showing your significant other how much you care for them.”
According to the National Retail Federation, just over half (54 percent) of respondents were planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2017. Last year it was expected that consumers would spend a total of $18.2 billion on Valentine’s Day, down from the record-high of $19.7 billion in 2016. Each consumer was expected to spend an average of $136.57, down from 2016’s record-high of $146.84.
ACCC offers frugal Valentine’s Day tips.
- Home cooked meal – Instead of stressing about reservations and going out for a fancy dinner, create a romantic atmosphere at home. Save money and impress your significant other with a home-cooked meal.
- Movie night – Skip the crowded theater and rent a romantic film, pop some popcorn, and enjoy each other’s company from the comfort of your own home.
- DIY gifts – Don’t fret over spending an arm and a leg on the perfect gift and consider making a photo collage of your time together or writing a poem to express how you feel.
- Make a card – The “perfect card” is often overpriced. Take the time to design your own card and make it personal to show your significant other how you feel..
- Delay the celebration – Consider celebrating your love a day or two after Valentine’s Day when flowers and chocolate are on sale.
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling and student loan counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- Or visit us online at http://www.ConsumerCredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management through credit counseling, debt management, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education concerning debt solutions. To help consumers reach their goal of debt relief, ACCC provides a range of free consumer personal finance resources on a variety of topics including budgeting, credit and debt management, student loan assistance, youth and money, homeownership, identity theft, senior living, and retirement. Consumers can use ACCC’s worksheets, videos, calculators, and blog articles to make the best possible decisions regarding their financial future. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®). For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit https://www.consumercredit.com/debt-resources-tools/
