At this time of year, love is in the air. Many couples are focused on pushing out all the stops to make their Valentine's Day offerings the best that they can be, and personal finance can often fall by the wayside.
In fact, figures from the National Retail Federation indicate that consumers will spend an average of $126.03 on Valentine's Day this year – a rise from last year's $116. Pricey dinners, lavish jewelry or other grand expenses may be appreciated on the day itself, but down the line, they'll likely prove to be more trouble than they're worth if you can't actually afford them.
Couples can use Valentine's Day as the perfect excuse to talk about their financial future together, including merging bank accounts, paying off debts, setting aside money in a rainy day fund and budgeting for large purchases such as a house.
If you're looking to open an account together, use the trip to the bank to get financial tips. You can even sit down with an adviser to establish a financial plan that will help ensure you share many more Valentine's Days together in the future.