Valentine’s Day keeps getting more and more expensive for no damn reason. It’s like when you book a space for a party, but the minute you drop the word 'wedding' every fork suddenly costs $100 to rent. Last year, consumers spent 18.7 billion on Valentine’s Day. We are over it.

Valentine’s Day should be another excuse to treat yourself (and others if you feel like it.) That does not mean that it has to be exorbitantly priced though. So why not use coconut oil, that you may already have in your cupboard or can get for under $10, and keep it sexy for you and your partner? Here are four ways, you and your partner can keep it sensual and sexy, on a budget.

1. Pre- Valentine's Day body and foot scrub
   The day before you and your partner are to meet up, take a bit of time for self care. Mix with brown sugar and lightly scrub your body, feet, and heels. Take your time. Your partner will love how your skin feels and you will love how their sensual touch.
    
2. After a nice soothing shower, oil up for your partner.
   This is a show for you and them to benefit from. While your pores are open, slowly oil up, making sure not to miss a spot. Enjoy watching your skin glisten and let your partner enjoy how super soft your skin becomes. To bump it up a notch, do all of this in front of the mirror, give you and your partner a show.
    
3. Cook up a quick, healthy, thoughtful meal. A great substitute for other butter and other cooking oils, coconut oil can be used to get the fire started.
   Coconut oil start out solid in cold temperatures, but very quickly liquefies. Have fun cooking a homemade meal with and/or for you and your partner. A good start, sautéed green beans with light garlic and wine. If you are a chicken lover, use it to base your chicken before popping it in the oven, to keep in more of the moisture. It’s healthy, filling, and looks good on a plate.
    
4. Massage oil.
   With Valentine’s falling on a Wednesday, you may need a bit of help relaxing. A massage can go a long way. Since it warms to the touch, coconut oil is a great, mess free oil for your partner to use on you to help ease away the day’s and week’s stress. Let them.

The FUQs

• Valentine’s Day is should be a day to celebrate and love on you. You do not need a partner to do that. If you have a partner, though, enjoy each other’s energy and have a few hours where nothing else matters but the two of you.

• Money does not have to be everything. It is nice do not get me wrong, but do not feel the only way to impress is with a black card.

• Valentine’s Day pressures us all to “prove” how we feel. This Valentine’s Day say no the the BS and do things that you know will make you and your partner happy without breaking the bank.