Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating the people you love, but costs can add up quickly. Between flowers, gifts, dinner reservations and getting around town, it’s easy to spend hundreds before you even realize it.
The good news is that by using shopping portals and taking advantage of built-in credit card perks, you can offset a meaningful portion of your Valentine’s Day spending without changing your plans.
Here’s a guide to simple strategies that can help you save money and earn rewards on Valentine’s Day spending.
Use shopping portals to earn bonus points on Valentine’s Day purchases
Shopping portals are one of the simplest ways to earn bonus points or miles on purchases. Here’s how to use them for purchases you were already planning to make for Valentine’s Day — from flowers and chocolates to jewelry and gifts.
What are shopping portals, and how do they work?
Shopping portals are an excellent way to casually earn points while you shop. These third-party sites partner with various retailers to give you points, miles or cash back when you click through their links. When you click through to a retailer via the portal, it tracks your purchase and credits bonus points or miles to your account. You’ll earn these portal bonuses in addition to the points or miles you earn from your credit card, making it an easy way to double-dip on rewards.
To take advantage of portals, simply register your loyalty account (frequent flyer, hotel or credit card program) with the online shopping portal and then shop as usual, making sure to activate the offer at checkout.
For example, let’s say purchasing flowers through the AAdvantage eShopping portal at FTD Flowers, a global flower network, could earn you 30 AAdvantage miles per dollar spent. A $100 flower arrangement would net you 3,000 bonus miles just for clicking through the portal first — and that’s not even including the additional points or miles you could earn on your credit card.
Portal bonuses often increase around holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, especially for popular gift categories. Common Valentine’s Day portal partners include:
- Flower delivery services like FTD, ProFlowers and Teleflora
- Chocolate and gift brands such as Shari’s Berries and Personal Creations
- Department stores and beauty retailers like Nordstrom, Saks and Sephora
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Because portal rates change frequently, it’s best to compare offers before you buy. Websites like EVReward make it easy to see which portal is offering the best return.
Before checking out, remember a few portal best practices:
- Only use coupon codes listed on the portal — outside codes may disqualify rewards.
- Clear cookies or use an incognito window to help ensure proper tracking.
- Save confirmation emails in case points don’t post correctly.
Related: How to maximize online shopping portals for your purchases
Use credit card statement credits for dining, delivery and transportation
Credit card statement credits are one of the most effective ways to lower your out-of-pocket Valentine’s Day costs. Many popular cards offer recurring credits for dining, food delivery and ride-hailing services, which are expenses that line up perfectly with date-night spending.
Dining and restaurant reservations
Several premium cards offer credits that you can use for restaurant reservations or dining-related purchases, including bookings made through platforms like Resy and OpenTable. These credits are especially useful for Valentine’s Day, when prix fixe menus and special tasting menus can quickly add up.
Cards with dining credits include:
Related: How to maximize dining experiences and save money with Resy
Food delivery for at-home dates
If you’re planning a cozy date night in, statement credits tied to food delivery services such as DoorDash or Uber Eats can help cover dinner, dessert or even breakfast the next morning. Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to enjoy these credits before they reset.
Cards with food delivery credits include:
- American Express Gold Card: Receive up to $120 in annual Uber Cash per calendar year (earn up to $10 in Uber Cash monthly for Uber Eats and Uber rides in the U.S.).* Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
- American Express Platinum Card: Receive up to $200 in Uber Cash per calendar year (split into monthly up to $15 credits plus an up to $20 bonus in December), valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S.* Note: Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
Related: How dining out and DoorDash can help fund your next trip
Transportation to and from your date
Whether you’re using Uber, Lyft or another eligible ride-hailing service, ride credits and annual travel credits can offset the cost of getting to and from dinner. This can be especially valuable in cities where parking or surge pricing would otherwise add to the total cost of the evening.
Cards with transportation credits include:
- American Express Platinum Card: Receive up to a $120 Uber One statement credit that fully covers an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 monthly membership.*^
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: Receive $120 per year with Lyft (up to $10 each month; through Sept. 30, 2027; does not apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides).
Related: The best credit cards for ride-hailing apps
Entertainment and at‑home date credits
If you’re planning a low‑key Valentine’s Day, certain cards also offer credits for streaming and digital entertainment services. These can offset the cost of movie rentals, subscriptions or other at‑home, date‑night essentials. The American Express Platinum Card, for example, offers up to $300 each calendar year (earned as up to $25 each month) in digital entertainment statement credits.* You can use these credits as long as you pay one of the eligible merchants, including Disney+ and Hulu, directly and on a monthly basis.
*Enrollment is required for select benefits.
^Denotes a new or enhanced benefit.
Related: How to use the Amex Platinum digital entertainment credit
Important reminders
Before using statement credits, keep these tips in mind:
- Many statement credits require enrollment, so be sure to check your card’s benefits page.
- Some credits reset monthly, while others are annual or semiannual.
- Credits usually don’t stack with other promotions unless explicitly stated.
- Set calendar reminders so credits don’t expire unused.
Related: Forgettable statement credits checklist: Maximize your cards
Bottom line
Valentine’s Day spending doesn’t have to derail your budget. By earning bonus points through shopping portals and using credit card statement credits for dining and transportation, you can meaningfully reduce costs while still enjoying the holiday.
A little advance planning — like checking portal rates, enrolling in card benefits and using the right card for each purchase — can help you celebrate with your special someone without overspending.
Related: The most romantic Valentine’s Day hotel packages around the world
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