In life, there are many situations where appearance and reality are different. For example, even though funerals are officially about the departed, they are really meant to help those who are left behind.

In a similar vein, where Valentine’s Day is nominally for couples, even the most casual observation reveals it to be an occasion for honoring women. After all, who is getting most of the flowers, candies, and cards? And with all that our mothers, daughters, wives, and girlfriends bring us, it’s the least we can do!

In the interest of making this time more significant for our significant other, this article highlights some last-minute ideas to give your better half 100% on Valentine’s Day and pay less than 100%:

• Gift card discounts: Although this strategy should be used any time, a great way to get more Valentine’s value for less is to buy gift cards at a discount from their face value. In case you aren’t aware, you can save as much as 10% at restaurants, stores, and movies by doing this. When you consider how fast costs can add up, it doesn’t take long to start saving! A reputable website for discounted gift cards is www.cardcookie.com/.

• Movies out: For information about a wide variety of possible savings at Cinemark Theaters, including student and senior discounts, go to www.cinemark.com/discounts. On top of that, be sure to get on Cinemark’s email list as they regularly email special offers. If you go to Premiere Cinemas, sign up for their rewards card (www.pccmovies.com/page/3381/Gift-Cards---Rewards). The payoffs are slow, but good things come to those who wait!

• Movies in: Sign up for Redbox Perks (www.redbox.com/loyaltysignup) and get a FREE one-night DVD rental, plus a FREE one-night DVD rental during your birthday month and more. In addition, you can also earn points for renting or streaming movies and games from Redbox.com. Once you’ve reached 1,500 points, you can start cashing them in on perks like FREE rentals, FREE Blu-ray upgrades, promos for additional savings and much more.

• Gifts: When buying gifts, an extra layer of savings is possible with online rewards programs. By doing so, you can save up to 15% on your purchases. Specifically, programs like Top Cashback (www.topcashback.com), Rakuten (previously known as Ebates) (www.rakuten.com/), and Mr. Rebates (www.mrrebates.com) serve as a portal to online retailers. When you access these retailers using a program like Mr. Rebates, you earn money. To help select an online program, there is a website called Ev’Reward (evreward.com/store) that summarizes saving possibilities for a variety of stores.

• Flowers: Since it wouldn't be Valentine's Day without flowers, here are some ways to get a bundle of savings:

– Stem length: Since the flower's bloom is what we really look at, I've never understood the fuss over long stem roses. Unless the lengthy variety is really important to that special someone, stick with the standard length and save the money.

– Breed: Although roses are the tradition during this occasion, many women like other breeds more. For example, my wife's favorite flowers are daisies. By thinking outside of the rose-colored box, you can achieve a more personal touch at a lower price. If the old standby remains nonnegotiable, consider adding other breeds or even mixing up the kind of roses you use. Historically, the ivory vendela rose is not only less expensive but keeps longer as well.

– Delivery: Aside from being less expensive, delivering a bouquet yourself adds a personal touch and gives you the pleasure of seeing her face when she gets them. Barring that, having your flowers delivered the day before Valentine's Day can get you a better price.

– Vase: Pick up your flowers without the vase. If you must have a vase, buying it yourself can save as much as 50%.

At the end of the day, if your loved one is thrilled with what you've done, you achieved a bargain. If it comes at a lower cost, that makes a great thing even better. Hopefully, you can use some of these tips and have your best Valentine’s ever.

Since there are always overlooked possibilities, we would love to hear your ideas. Please visit and "Like" our Facebook site (Click www.facebook.com/LubbockSavvyShopper or log on to Facebook and enter “Lubbock Savvy Shopper” in the search tool) or write us at SavvyShopperLubbock@gmail.com and let us know your triumphs, ideas, and tips. Also, to stay abreast of savvy developments, you can follow us on Twitter to get updates: twitter.com/LbbSavvyShopper.

We get a lot of good feedback. However, we are greedy and always want more. In advance, Happy Valentine’s Day!

SEAN FIELDS is the A-J’s Savvy Shopper. Read his columns Sundays and Wednesdays. Email him at SavvyShopperLubbock@gmail.com, like his Facebook page at Facebook.com/LubbockSavvyShopper, or see previous columns and deals at lubbockonline.com/savvy-shopper.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Savvy Shopper: Save a little cash while still making your Valentine feel special