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From flowers to chocolates, the National Retail Federation reports the amount of money Americans spend on Valentine’s Day ranks second only to the winter holiday season.

But this year, retail experts say consumers will try to stretch their dollar as they search for the perfect holiday gift.

Area florists, like Cindy Koch at Gallery of Flowers, are in overdrive working to get their orders ready.

“We want them to have their flowers as much as they want to have their flowers," Koch said.

Nationwide, it’s one of the most popular Valentine’s gifts.

"When you can't buy the big things any longer, maybe diamonds or a big vacation or a getaway, you can always have flowers," Koch said.

But the price tag can vary significantly – from $30 to $150 plus shipping costs. To keep the gesture beautiful on a budget, Koch recommends keeping an open mind, working with the florist and placing the order ahead of time.

"We're very accommodating here and we try to make flowers affordable for everybody's pocketbook," Koch said.

While gifts like flowers and chocolates are nice, research by the NRF shows more people prefer practical gifts like clothing and other winter accessories.

"I hopefully think it's a mix between personal and practical,” Holly Roberson, director of Mall Marketing, said. “But I think there's a great way you can come to Concord Mills and get anything you need on any type of budget."

Another way to save big is to celebrate late. Holiday candy, cards and other items can often be found close to half off at discount stores the day after any holiday.

And people who push Valentine’s dinner back a weekend are likely to get a better reservation and avoid inflated holiday menu pricing.