You started out the New Year with a bang: You re-upped your 100hookup membership, sent countless messages, and said, “Yes!” to every blind date imaginable. Yet still, here you are — single with just a few days left before Valentine’s Day. In my unmarried days, I remember the agony of sitting at home on that fateful day of the year, opening the door for my roommate’s date, only to find him with a dozen red roses and a romantic twinkle in his eye — then returning to my bowl of lukewarm ramen noodles.

If you’ve given the online dating game your all, but haven’t made a connection worthy of cupid’s quiver, don’t fret. Your dedication will pay off, just not always on the schedule that the greeting card companies dictate. However, there are many positive factors about singlehood on February 14^th that often get overlooked. Below are my top 5 benefits of being single on Valentine’s Day. So pop the cork, celebrate, and keep on dating.

1. A Penny Saved is a Date Earned

We all know that most restaurants crank up the prices on V-Day under the assumption that all of us poor romantic schlubs will be so eager to impress our dates that we’ll plunk down a wad of cash for the privilege to sit amongst the other schlubs. Rejoice in the fact that the money you’ll save on February 14th could be enough for two dates down the road.

2. Avoiding Present Panic

Every year around February 12^th, my husband begins having heart palpitations because he realizes that he hasn’t gotten me anything, and that any gift he buys at this point will be a harried afterthought. If you get her flowers, they’ll be dead by the end of the week. Jewelry? She’ll be disappointed if it’s too simple, and she’ll think it’s a precursor for one particular diamond jewel in a little square box if it’s too expensive. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

3. Baby, It’s Cold Outside

No matter where you are in the country, on February 14^th the weather is likely to be less attractive than any date you could drum up. Avoid the cold temperatures, wind, snow, and freezing rain by enjoying the warmth and comfort of your own abode.

4. Keep Your New Year’s Resolution Diet

The #1 New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. However, by this time of the year, it’s also one of the most broken resolutions. Without the pressure to eat the Valentine’s Day candies and chocolates from your date, you can stick to your plan and stay on track to be beach-ready in a couple months.

5. It’s Sweeps Time

Starting out as a TV casting director, and then producer, I am keenly aware of the effect on TV on our social lives. Throughout the month of February, networks clamor to capture as many viewers as possible due to an archaic system for collecting ratings that began in the 1950s. The good news for you is that during this month, millions of dollars will be spent on celebrity casting, stunning graphics, and shocking storylines for your favorite shows — making February 14^th the perfect time to spend the night with the boob tube. If you’re curious about the intricate details of February sweeps click here.

So if the holiday, often regarded as “Singles Awareness Day,” has left you feeling S.A.D. for yourself, take a moment to relish all the benefits of flying solo. There are still 320 days left this year to meet your soul mate. Tonight, give yourself a break.

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