Valentine’s Day is around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning your gifts. Flowers are a classic choice. Whether you are gifting your significant other, a close friend or family member, beautiful fresh flowers are a great way to show your appreciation and love. Roses are the most iconic flower to give on Valentine’s Day, but can get pricey due to demand. There are an impressive variety of rose alternatives for Valentine’s Day including mixed floral bouquets and potted flowers/plants that will make lovely gifts.
Retailers (both in-store and online) often up their prices on Valentine’s Day, but there are plenty of hacks and tips out there to avoid excessive costs. The best flower delivery services can save you loads of time but with a little advance planning, creativity and maybe a little elbow grease you can gift fresh flowers for Valentine’s Day without breaking the bank.
1. Avoid Feb. 14 As Your Flower Delivery Date
It’s no surprise that Feb. 14 is a very popular day for flower deliveries. So popular, in fact, that many florists charge an extra fee because of how high the demand is. A great hack to save cash is to schedule your Valentine’s Day flower delivery on an alternate day. Early is better than late, although you should take into account the schedule of the receiver.
For example, when you are setting up a flower delivery with 1800Flowers.com, you can see the calendar of possible deliveries as well as whether you can expect a standard or expedited charge. Feb. 14 will have an expedited charge of $9.99, while Feb. 13 will have a lower delivery fee of $2.99. You can avoid fees entirely by scheduling your blooms to arrive early on Feb. 12.
2. Order Other Options Besides Roses
While roses are a classic choice, prices can get high for Valentine’s Day. These days there are so many gorgeous floral options, so if prices are too steep, think beyond roses. Or, if you are making your own bouquet, buy a few roses as well as other mixed flowers to combine for a statement bouquet. If your recipient has a green thumb, you can also get a potted flowering plant. My mother-in-law can keep potted floral gifts alive for years, which is a pretty good investment on a Valentine’s Day gift.
3. Get Flowers From Your Local Supermarket
Probably the most convenient and least expensive trick for giving flowers on Valentine’s Day is heading to your local supermarket. For example, Trader Joe’s will order extra flowers for Valentine’s Day with really appealing prices. Last Valentine’s Day, the mixed bouquets (with roses included) were well under $20.
While prices may vary according to location, you can find a dozen roses at Trader Joe’s for $9.99.
4. Order from the Grocery Store or Warehouse Store via Instacart
If you want to deliver a Valentine’s Day bouquet, a great cost-savings hack is to use Instacart. You will get a wide selection of local options, including tons of bouquets from local grocery stores and warehouse clubs. While there are ways to save while shopping with Instacart, your flower delivery will be subject to Instacart’s fees which can include delivery fees, service fees and taxes. Despite these fees, your flower delivery will likely be less than a delivery from a premium florist. When you can’t pick up or drop off the bouquet yourself, Instacart is a good way to save on Valentine’s Day.
5. Get Inspired from High-End Florists and Retailers
High-end floral shops and retailers employ talented designers to create unique bouquets and charge a lot for it. If you have the chance to pop in and browse offerings, you can often recreate the look for way less. Granted this takes a little legwork but if you enjoy scoring a deal, this is a clever way to give impressively for less.
This tip is one I have personally used successfully on various occasions. For example, I once recreated an arrangement I saw at a high-end grocery store. with my own inexpensive vase, shells and more affordable Trader Joe’s floral bouquets.
6. Use An Affordable Vase
If you’re picking up grocery store flowers, or going the DIY bouquet route, don’t overspend on the vase. Mass-market flower delivery companies don’t use expensive vases. In fact I’m often deciding on whether to even order because I don’t particularly like the vase. You can consider reusing vases in your own home to regift, try your local thrift or secondhand shop, or scout vases at online resellers like ebay. Amazon also has some affordable vase options.
If you are planning a particularly special Valentine’s Day floral gift, you might even consider an antique or specialty dealer. Choosing your own secondhand vase can save money and add character to your Valentine’s Day gift.
7. Make a DIY Bouquet
Take your floral gift to the next level by thinking outside the premade bouquet. Do-it-yourself bouquets aren’t as hard as you might think, and no courses in Ikebana are prerequisites. Fresh flowers are traditional for Valentine’s Day, but you might be surprised how much you can find beyond the faux flowers in your local craft shop. Consider out-of-the-box designs, with dried floral accents, moss or creative containers.
- Head to your local craft store, like Michaels, which has plenty of flower arrangement essentials and embellishments. The sky’s the limit with their professional floral supplies, vases, containers and dried floral selection.
- Find inspiration online at retailers like Oriental Trading Company. You can find unique items like personalized ribbon and metallic tropical leaves.
8. Add Filler Flowers to the Bouquet
To make your Valentine’s Day bouquet larger and more impressive (but not more expensive), follow the lead of floral designers and add filler flowers or greens to your bouquet. Not only will it increase the bulk of your bouquet, but these elements add visual interest, fill in gaps or blank spaces and allow your eye to rest in a colorful group.
Check out this comprehensive list for filler flower inspiration. Some great fillers to consider are:
- Baby’s Breath is a popular common white filler flower that is even found for sale in local grocery stores.
- Lavender is a popular purple filler flower that also will smell great.
- Ivy is a popular green filler in bouquets.
9. Wait for the Whole Foods and Costco Roses Deals
Valentine’s Day promotions can be found on roses at Whole Foods and Costco, letting you snag flowers well below their usual price.
- For example, last year from Feb. 8 to 14, Whole Foods Market was offering Prime members two dozen Whole Trade Guarantee roses for $24.99, regularly $29.99. Keep an eye out for this year’s rose sale at your local Whole Foods Market.
- Annually Costco offers members a great deal on Valentine’s Day roses. Last year, you could pre-order 50 stem roses for $59.99. This year, the price is $64.99 (that’s rose-flation for you!), but that’s still a good deal compared to the cost of ordering from a flower delivery company — most flower delivery companies we checked charge $200 or more for 50 roses. The last day to order this Costco deal is Feb. 12, 2024.
10. Buy Flowers at your Wholesale Club
If you are a member of Costco or Sam’s Club, you can take advantage of their low prices on flowers.
- Take advantage of Costco’s annual rose sale, or visit the store for everyday low prices on flowers. In stores, you can typically find roses for 2 dozen for $18.99, or premium mixed bouquets for $16.99.
- Sam’s club members can get Valentine’s Day floral deliveries starting at $54.98, or shop flowers in the store.
11. Deliver Your Own Bouquet
If it’s possible to hand deliver your bouquet, this is a simple way to save. Delivery costs are especially high on in-demand delivery dates like Valentine’s Day. Flower delivery companies might charge 15% of the total order price toward delivery to cover the cost of labor and driving. While this service is certainly convenient, you can expect large fees to cover the delivery cost.
So, consider buying from a local florist, picking up your order yourself and bringing it to your lucky recipient.
12. Use Online Promo Codes and Cash Back Offers for Fower Delivery
The best online flower delivery companies offer some great promo codes to entice you to shop with them on Valentine’s Day.
- Your first stop for deal finding should be with us. Install our free browser extension to automatically check for promo codes at checkout, whichever flower delivery service you are ordering from.
- Visit your favorite floral delivery companies’ websites or sign up for their promotional newsletters to find out current promo codes. For example, 1800Flowers.com is offering 20% off orders to RetailMeNot shoppers.
- Be sure to check out RetailMeNot’s cash back offers at flower delivery companies. These offers give you a cash rebate (which you can redeem via Venmo or PayPal) that’s a percentage of what you spend. For example, FTD is offering 6% cash back all of February.
13. Join a Floral Delivery Loyalty or Membership Program
If you find yourself frequently sending flowers, it may be cost effective to join a loyalty or membership program. These programs often will allow you to earn points and help you save on delivery and handling fees.
- For example, 1-800-Flowers.com offers a membership program called Passport. For the first year, this program costs $19.99, and will be automatically renewed for $29.99 the following year. Joining Celebrations Passport will allow you to get the following perks:
- Free standard shipping.
- No service charge when order is placed two business days in advance.
- Reduced fees for expedited shipping/service fees.
- Ability to earn points and deals with no minimums or promo codes.
14. Give a Florist Your Budget – And Be Flexible
Consider stating your budget to a local florist and allow them to use seasonal blooms and their skills to get you a bouquet at an affordable rate. Just don’t be afraid to give directions on your preferences. For example, years ago, my husband surprised me with a flower bouquet from a local florist in Brooklyn, New York. We snicker today still about how over the top it was. Artificially dyed blue flowers covered in sparkles, and long wavy branches. One florist’s idea of beauty is certainly not for everyone.
Teleflora also has an online name-your-price feature called the Deal of the Day. Input the occasion, select your price, and a local florist will design something for you at your price point.
15. Avoid Last-Minute Shopping
The good news is you are reading this guide, which means you probably won’t make the expensive mistake of procrastinating on Valentine’s Day floral shopping. Last-minute shopping, especially for rush flower delivery will cost you extra. Most flower delivery companies will charge a surcharge for next-day delivery. When you can (especially for delivery) avoid last minute shopping. Try and aim for a week in advance, or more. You’ll not only have more options to choose from, but you’re more likely to find promo codes and sales.
16. Earn Cash Back on Your Flower Order
Plenty of online flower delivery companies have cash back offers, which allow you to get a certain percentage of what you spent back. Cash back offers stack with promo codes, so you can combine them with deals to save AND earn. Hit the offers blow and activate the cash back deals:
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