Moms and Dads expect to get lucky on Valentine's Day, while the rest spend more to get more

WILTON, Conn., Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day is not just an opportunity for the young and single, with parents the group most likely to expect romance on Valentine's Day, according to new research released today by Toluna QuickSurveys. Having children greatly increases a person's expectations of romance on Valentine's Day, with 63% of parents expecting some or a lot of romance, compared to only 39% of single adults. Around 1 in 25 respondents actually plan to conceive on the special day, and 1 in 50 intend to marry.

In general, the research found most Americans (54%) think the traditionally romantic day is actually "corny," "stupid" or "Hallmark," yet around the same number of Americans (55%) will spend $50 or more to mark the day, with presents ranging from electronics (the preferred present for 11% of respondents) or art (3%) through to more traditional presents such as lingerie (8%), candy (34%) or simply a card (the most popular option for nearly half – 49% – of respondents).

More than one in four (26%) shun the day entirely, instead opting to celebrate either on a weekend or any other time to avoid the Valentine's Day crowds.

Other findings from the report, which surveyed 2000 representative Americans, include:

Spend to get: There is a strong correlation between the amount of money spent and the expectation of romance. Those who plan to spend between $100 to $499 were eight times more likely to expect a lot of romance than those who plan to spend only $10 to $19 on Valentine's Day.

It's not a man's world: Men are most likely to spend between $100 to $499, while women are most likely to spend between $50 to $74 on Valentine's Day, indicating that men spend at least twice as much as women and feel significantly more pressure to do so, with almost half of male respondents (46%) saying they felt pressured to buy a gift, compared to only 27% of women.

Show me the money: Those on the West Coast will splash the most cash this Valentine's Day, with 29% spending over $100 on the day (those in the Midwest are most likely to spend just between $30 and $49).

The Southern romance: Those who live in the South are the most likely to feel happy on Valentine's Day (59%), as well as more likely to indulge in romantic gestures such as buying jewelery (23%) and booking a hotel room for the night (10%).

House Rules: Nearly one in ten (9%) of respondents will change their Valentine's Day plans following the announcement that House of Cards will premiere on February 14.

Phil Ahad, Vice President of Toluna QuickSurveys, commented on the findings, "Valentine's Day is more than a great money spinner; it's a chance for couples to connect. Despite the fact it's corny, our research shows American men really rise to the occasion."

For more information on the Toluna QuickSurveys Valentine's Day survey, please contact [email protected].

About Toluna QuickSurveys

Toluna QuickSurveys takes the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of DIY survey-tools and adds speed and reliability by providing direct access to a global panel of four million people available to respond to surveys. No other survey tool in the market can match the speed, reliability and cost-effectiveness.

About this survey

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Toluna surveys using SmartSelect, an automated, state-of-the art matching methodology for selecting a representative sample of the US adult population.

SOURCE Toluna QuickSurveys