Valentines

Experience Over Expense This Valentine's Day

(KDKA) Those heart-shaped boxes full of delectable chocolates and bouquets of flowers aren't just romantic this Valentine's Day, they are also expensive.

Valentines Day has become a very pricey holiday

Annually, Americans spend about $13 billion on gifts for loved ones.

However, one couple is proving that you don't have to spend a lot of dough just to warm your honey's heart.

This Valentine's Day marks the 20th anniversary of Lori and Paul Barish's first date.

And Paul's first gift to Lori was simple, but something she still treasures today, a pair of red leather gloves.

"They signified the start of a relationship to me," she said. "I think because there was something tangible that you have."

The gloves are long gone, but Paul scored big for his gesture.

Now he likes to come up with special gifts to show his feelings for Lori, things such as handmade CDs of her favorite songs.

"I still can't look at them without crying," she said.

Paul says the whole process of giving simple gifts is an act of love.

The average American man spends about $100 on Valentine's Day, while women spend about half that.

Relationship expert, Jeff Cohen, says flowers, expensive jewelry, and candy hearts aren't the only way to make an impression.

"Valentine's Day comes down to both the gift and the experience," he says. "The gift is something you give, but creating an experience is that much more important."

Cohen says the point to gift giving is to pay attention to what's important to your partner, such as create a special relaxing bath potion, set up a romantic spot by the fire, wrap up some homemade love 'coupons' for things like a night out, or even giving a massage.

"Plan something that the other person would enjoy," he says. "You don't want to be Homer Simpson who gave Marge a bowling ball with his name on it."

If your imagination fails you, there are several websites that can help you come up with inexpensive ideas that won't break the bank.

But the bottom line is simple, it doesn't take a lot of dough to impress your Valentine.

Gifts from the heart like a warm tub or a romantic home cooked meal leave a lasting affect.

"They're just really meaningful gifts to me and I hope that I can keep them for years," Barish says.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for love, Cohen points out the obvious, Valentine's Day can be a bonanza if you go to a bar or club, since anyone you meet out on the town on the holiday is pretty much guaranteed to be single.

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