Romance doesn't need to be pricey | Wairarapa Opinion | Local Voices from Wairarapa, New Zealand

Happy Valentine's Day. I know it's Valentine's Day because my email has been flooded over the past few days with dating and love-related research - some dubious, others relatively interesting.

Among the dating facts I've learned is that more than a third of over 50s have tried dating online, and that a quarter are willing to lie in their dating profile.

Other research has told me about how the very thing that attracts us to people - their opposite thinking patterns - can drive us to distraction.

And I've been sent a warning about how the pressure of meeting expectations on Valentine's Day can actually put relationships under stress.

Real romance, says Relationship Services, is making your partner a cup of tea in bed in the morning, not spending your savings on jewellery or flowers.

And Budgeting Services are also cautioning against breaking the bank for the sake of romance.

Their romance-on-a-shoestring suggestions sounded rather nice: doing the chores for your partner, setting the dinner table up like a fancy restaurant, or just setting aside time to spend together.

So congratulations to those who received their Times-Age this morning on a breakfast tray with a cup of tea.

As Tessa Johnstone found out in her story on page 5, there are still plenty of people willing to open their wallets for the special person in their life.

If you know of someone who went the extra mile to do something special today, let us know.