Roses Are Red. Budgets Are Tight. Keep Your Love Local

Bookkeeping Influencer: Heather Russell

February has a way of putting pressure on all of us. Valentine’s Day rolls in with its hearts, roses, prix-fixe menus, and gentle reminders that love should apparently come with a receipt. Add inflation to the mix and suddenly romance feels… expensive.

The good news is that love doesn’t need to be flashy, shipped overnight, or wrapped in a big brand logo. Some of the best ways to celebrate are right here at home.

In Jupiter, loving local might mean dinner at your go-to spot like Guanabanas or Food Shack, followed by dessert from Charlie & Joe’s or something sweet picked up close to home. It could be coffee from the place that already knows your order, an early morning lighthouse walk, or a quiet Juno Pier morning before the crowds roll in. Maybe it’s an unhurried afternoon wandering Harbourside Place or Downtown Abacoa, booking a charter out of Jupiter Inlet for the fishing lover in your life, or

simply watching the boats go by as the sun sets. None

of it has to be extravagant to be meaningful.

And love isn’t limited to romance. February can also be a good excuse to call a longtime friend, reach out to a sibling you haven’t spoken to in a while, or spend extra time with parents or grandparents. Love shows up in a lot of ways. Sometimes the simplest ones mean the most.

So yes, budgets may be tight. That’s real life. But love doesn’t have to be.

Keep it simple. Keep it thoughtful. Keep it local.

Because when you support the people around you, everybody feels the love.