Something Other than Roses
There is probably no more expensive time of year to buy roses than the period leading up to Valentine's Day. Also, though there are often coupons available for online vendors like FTD, most coupons for Valentine-y arrangements expire in early February. Also, flower shops charge a fortune for deliveries on a Sunday, which Feb. 14 falls on this year. So if you want to give flowers, you can either get creative or pay through the nose. Does she have a favorite flower beside roses? Maybe tulips or carnations? They'll be cheaper. If it has to be roses, stores charge top dollar for long-stemmed red, so maybe pink and short-stemmed will do. There are also plenty of nice house plants you could bring home — and unlike fresh flowers, which will wither and die in the near future, a plant will last indefinitely and be thought of more as an investment.