Attention Singles The True Price of Love

Nothing says love like a romantic dinner for two. The candles. The elegantly presented meal. Spotless white tablecloths and dishes you won't have to wash. But then there's the bill, tax and a 20 percent tip.

We checked the menu at Delmonico's, which opened in New York in 1837 as America's first fine dining restaurant. Here's the damage:

You start with the market salad for $10, but your date opts for the shellfish chateau for $26. Next, your date orders the double porterhouse for $90. You gulp and order the chicken a la Keene for a relatively inexpensive $28.

Add in a side dish, desserts (baked Alaska!) and wine, and you're running up a serious bill before the cheese tray wheels by.

Estimated cost: Just under $300, including tax and tip. You'll pay less -- or more -- depending on your locale, restaurant and the choices you make once inside.

Valentine's Day. Birthdays. Cards to say "I love you." Cards to say "I'm sorry." Eventually, cards for his or her family members on their birthdays and anniversaries.

You could save by buying cheaper cards from a dollar store or by sending a free e-card. But pinching pennies can backfire. One budget-conscious suitor tells of buying two Valentine's Day cards for the price of one and saving the second one for the next year.

The girlfriend wasn't so impressed when she found out. But now she is his wife. And she still has both cards. (Awwww.)

Personalized cards from Hallmark.com range from about $3.49 to $5.99. Pay for the stamp and Hallmark will mail the card for you.

Estimated cost: $20 to $35 per year.

Often, a card isn't enough. A gift shows you really care, but sometimes the desire to show you care overwhelms financial common sense.

"I remember when my husband and I were going out, he gave me a bunch of stuff for Valentine's Day and I gave him something, too," Nolan says. "He was surprised. If you're a liberated woman, Valentine's Day isn't just for women to get gifts."

Many people buy gifts for significant others when they travel -- or just because. "I remember buying my husband this 100-year-old malt, which set me back something like $200, just because he wondered what it was like," Nolan says. "It was a lot of money for a bottle of whisky."

Estimated cost: The sky is the limit.

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