“For who being loved, is poor?”

You don’t have to be down with the person behind this quote, Oscar Wilde. However, you still might be able to relate about not being born with a silver spoon in your mouth or having an inheritance to afford what you want when Valentine’s Day in NYC rolls around.

V-Day.

Cringe inducing. Stressful. Too many questions about whether you have a date, why you haven’t gotten married, or whether or not you need to come out of the closet tend to be something you don’t want to think about.

So, being the equal opportunity people that we are on this blog… Let’s get one thing out in the open.

It doesn’t matter if you’re single.

It doesn’t matter if you’re in a relationship.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been married for one year or over 10 years.

You. Can. Celebrate. Valentine’s Day this year.

Don’t believe us?

First question…

Do you have job?

Second question…

Do you have a way to get some money?

Third question…

Do you have EBT?

One memory that I love bringing up was when I worked at a shop and this tech guy claimed he was “too broke to buy his girlfriend anything for Valentine’s Day.”

This ****** couldn’t find a way to do anything or get anything to show his girl a token of affection and appreciation when she was putting him up in her apartment, supporting his lifestyle and habits, and making excuses for him all the time for not doing enough for her and the relationship…

Yeah. Some people.

Look. It’s one of the reasons some people don’t even want to deal with the stress, heartache, and other ugly, akward, and undesirable parts of being in a relationship with anyone. Let alone dating.

Learning how to demonstrate love, affection, admiration, fondness, or finding appropriate tokens of appreciation, etc. aren’t something that a lot of people learn from their families, friends, school, or other places.

Unfortunately, too many people focus on what celebrities are doing. Or they focus too much on unrealistic television relationships, local gossip, or imagined fantasies about the perfect relationship, marriage, dating, or otherwise.

Facts is this. We have to figure out our “love style” how to “communicate with our significant other in a way that they can understand” and it’s not always going to be smooth, perfect, glamorous, or “just like on T.V. or those ‘it’ celebrity couples.

• Some people thrive off of drama and toxic relationships.
• Some people hate the idea of being with anyone else other than themselves.
• Some people don’t want to commit and love to play the field until they are old, grey, and in the grave.
• Some people hate anything “traditional” and see it as a form of oppression.

We get it.

The point is. You can find a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, whether it’s an act of self-love (cause you single), something for your significant other (because you a giver), or something for you as a couple (dating or married) can both appreciate.

Don’t let all the annoying ads for flowers, candies, romance, candles, and romantic getaways some where far far away get to you. Don’t. It’s not worth it.

You do you.

Now.

Attention NYC! 

There is no f*****g excuse for you not to get you, or someone you love or like-like something for Valentine’s Day.

• The MTA has ads running on the trains showing recipes you can make for your sweetheart.
• There are florist shacks around with workers waiting for you to buy a single flower or a bouquet if you can and want to show off.
• There are dollar stores with a fantastic assortment of AFFORDABLE and CUTE cards, stuffed animals, and other weird, strange, funny, things that you can get for your lady or man on a BUDGET without going BROKE. 

Trust me, they don’t look that cheap and you can get creative with presentation.

And sorry, if you with someone bougie, you knew what you were getting with and should pay out accordingly and mix a bit of creativity to pull off a memorable Valentine’s Day. And hell, you know you an American hero for supporting the economy after these trying times for businesses trying to stay afloat. It’s worth it.

Now. 

The piece de resistance.

You can go to your local grocery store or deli and scoop up a fuzzy red box of assorted chocolates for you or your special someone for Valentine’s Day.

For the reasonable price of $14.99. Under $20. NYC you have no excuse not to go out and do something for you or your special friend for the big V-Day.

Everybody already knows that my significant other and I are not rolling in the money. However, we don’t let our lack of ideal funds stop us from taking moments to find ways to laugh, enjoy life, and show affection or appreciation for being in one another’s life.

Don’t be jealous or bitter of the “perfect relationship” you might believe someone has. No one has it perfect. And most of us are “works in progress” dealing with different family life, traditions, ideas on how to show love, etc.

• It’s not easy. It’s not TV magic pretty. And life will always throw you some -ish.
• So please. Enough with the hate. At least for one day. A day of love. Valentine’s Day.
• Put aside some money. Do a side hustle. Or use your EBT to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
• It might make you cringe. It might make you pissed off. You might think it doesn’t apply to you.

But I bet it would make you or someone you care about smile from receiving or gifting a flower, a stuffed plushie, some chocolates, or getting the ingredients to chef it up in the kitchen with a simple or complicated dinner and dessert.

Hell, if you want to make it simple. Make a small date and have some coffee or tea with pastries.

Keep it low-key. But damn it. Do something this year, Whether it’s for yourself or someone else.

Make the time and schedule it, because no one else is going to do it for you….

Happy Valentine’s Day!