Merry, Matched, and Maxed Out: The Holiday Dating Spend Index

The holiday season can bring magic, mistletoe…and money stress. Tawkify surveyed 1,000 Americans to understand how much people really spend on their partners (or themselves) this time of year, and how those price tags affect everything from emotional pressure to red flag radar. Whether you’re newly coupled or long-term committed, navigating love and gift-giving can be a surprisingly expensive affair.

Key Takeaways

On average, people in relationships plan to spend $359 on their partner this holiday season, with 1 in 5 planning to spend $500 or more.
More than 1 in 4 people (26%) feel obligated to buy a gift for their partner after just one month of dating.
More Americans view an “overly expensive early gift” as a bigger red flag than not receiving a gift at all (54% vs. 46%).
36% have felt pressure to spend beyond their means for their partner during the holidays, and 9% have gone into credit card debt to do so.

Holiday Dating Spend Index

On average, people in relationships plan to spend $359 on their partner this year, with men expecting to spend more than women ($424 vs. $315).
Gen X is the most generous group, budgeting an average of $478. Millennials fall near the overall average at $360, while Gen Z plans to spend $282, and baby boomers are keeping their spending modest at $179.
1 in 5 respondents plan to spend $500 or more on their significant other.
Singles are leaning into solo self-care, budgeting $213 on themselves this holiday. Single women are outspending single men ($225 vs. $210), and millennial singles are the biggest self-gifters of all, averaging $248.

‘Tis the Season to Splurge, or Save?

More than 1 in 4 people (26%) feel pressured to buy a holiday gift for their partner after just one month of dating. And that pressure hits men harder: 31% said they feel obligated, compared to 22% of women.
Gen Z appears to extend the “getting serious” window slightly, with 36% saying they feel gift-giving pressure by the three-month mark.

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When Gifting Gets Financially Risky

Over a third of respondents (36%) said they’ve felt pressure to overspend on a partner during the holidays. That financial strain has pushed 9% into credit card debt.
Despite all this spending, only 36% said they regularly receive gifts they truly want from their partner.
Preferences are split: 23% of people said they’d rather receive experiences, while 22% want something they can unwrap. Another 47% would be happy with either.

Methodology

Tawkify surveyed 1,000 Americans to explore gift-giving expectations during the holiday season; 55% were women, 44% were men, and 1% identified as non-binary. Of the respondents, 18% were Gen Z, 50% were millennials, 23% were Gen X, and 9% were baby boomers. Thirty percent were single, 48% were engaged or married, 20% were in a relationship, and 2% were in a “situationship.”

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Tawkify is a modern matchmaking service that takes the stress and guesswork out of dating. Unlike dating apps, Tawkify offers a curated, human-led experience because finding love shouldn’t feel like swiping through a catalog. Whether you’re ready to meet someone serious or just tired of navigating dating alone, our matchmakers are here to help.

Fair Use Statement

If you’d like to share these findings for noncommercial purposes, we welcome it! Just be sure to include proper attribution and a link back to Tawkify.