Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and whether you'd like to get a gift for that special someone in your life, celebrate the love of friendship or treat yourself, that means you're opening your wallet. According to Bing, last year people spent a record $19.7 billion on Valentine's Day, with each person celebrating spending about $146. This year, if you play it smart, you might be spending for someone else, but you can snag yourself a little bit of a deal when you use your credit card for your Valentine's Day shopping.
Many credit card companies and issuers have shopping and deal portals where you can get extra savings, cash back or points for shopping online through them. When you want to give a gift, you can save a little cash or get a bonus for yourself as well.
American Express, Discover and Chase are three companies that have shopping portals. Amex has Amex Offers, Discover has Discover Deals, and Chase has Chase Ultimate Rewards, all of which have special rewards or instant savings with their online partners.
"Discover offers timely deals for our customers year-round, but many of the deals being offered right now were designed specifically for cardmembers looking to buy gifts for Valentines’ Day. For example, Discover cardmembers can save up to 20% at select online floral retailers or with select edible gift basket companies," said Maureen Powers, vice president of rewards at Discover, in an e-mail interview. To get the deals, login to the Discover Deals website.
American Express lists its offers on its Facebook page and Twitter feed. Add the offers directly to your card, and you'll get statement credits on your bill. Chase's program lets you earn points for every dollar spent, which you can use to redeem for cash back, travel, merchandise and more. Login to the shopping portal to get these deals.
Here's a look at some of the specials at these shopping portals. Some of them are good past Valentine's Day, so be sure to look at the terms of the offer.
Smelling a sweet deal: Flowers are one of the top Valentine's gifts, so check out these offers: American Express: Get a one-time $15 statement credit when you spend $50 at 1800 Flowers.com. Chase: Earn 15 points per dollar spent at ProFlowers. Discover: Save 20% off your purchase at 1800Flowers.com.
Give the gift of taste: Whether your sweetheart likes chocolates or fruit, there's a deal for you: American Express: Spend $50 at Ghirardelli.com and get a $10, one-time credit. Chase: Get 12 points per dollar spent at Shari's Berries, home of decadent chocolate-dipped strawberries. Discover: Save 20% off your purchase at Fruitbouquets.com or The Popcorn Factor, and save 15% at the Sweet Factory.
When you need to sparkle: Jewelry is another popular Valentine's gift, but with these deals, it doesn't have to be a big-ticket purchase: American Express: Spend $150 in one transaction at Swarovski and get a one-time $30 statement credit. Chase: Earn three points per dollar spent at online jeweler Blue Nile. Discover: Get a five percent cashback bonus at luxury retailers like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Wine and dine them: Nothing says love like a romantic dinner, whether you eat out or cook at home. American Express: If you go out to Legal Sea Foods and spend $150, you'll get a one-time $30 statement credit. If you'd rather sip some wine at home, spend $50 at Wine.com and receive a $10 credit. Discover: Eating out just got a little tastier, with 15-25% off your meal at select restaurants. Plus, if you have a Discover it Chrome card, you'll get two percent cashback for dining out.
Be sure to check your favorite portal site for other deals that may make for the perfect Valentine's gift for your favorite person.
