 |
Think big-budget dates are the best way to impress? Not true! Try these low-cost, high-fun options and see how cheap some thrills can be.
| | |
By Margot Carmichael Lester
 ots of guys think that if they’re not rolling in dough, they can’t turn a girl’s head. True? Not so much. Sure, who doesn’t like luxurious presents or a lobster dinner? But the truth is, fellas, you don’t need to break the bank to plan a fun, thoughtful date. Try these alternatives to a big-ticket night out.
Book it
Whitney Lehman of Naperville, IL, was impressed when her now-husband |  | | “Shopping for books together is a great way to learn each other’s tastes.” |
 |
suggested that the two of them hit the books. “In order to get to know each other better, he took me to a bookstore one afternoon,” she explains. “In each section, we both chose a book of interest and shared why we picked it, what was fascinating about that topic, etc. It was a great way to get to know each other’s tastes.”
Go local
“Go on a sightseeing tour of your own city,” says Emily K. Murray of Philadelphia. “Many times, people never take the time to see the historical or quirky landmarks in the city they live in unless an out-of-town guest is visiting, etc. So go to the library, grab a tourism book for your own city — whether it focuses on the arts, history or something else entirely — and put together a walking tour. It’s an easy conversation starter and a good way to get some exercise.”
Game the system
Board-game bars are popping up in cities and towns all over the country, and who doesn’t like to play? “These bars are becoming quite popular, and this is a fun date that will give you insight into your date’s personality,” says Ian | | | An ice cream date after dinner is cheap but very charming! | |
Coburn, author of God Is A Woman. “Like, does she cheat? Is she a stickler for rules? Is she a poor winner or a good loser?”
Hit the streets
“One of the best first dates I went on, I was taken downtown, where we walked around and got food from the carts set up along the street for about $6,” recalls Laura Mills of Portland, OR. "Then he took me to an arcade that had a bar inside, and he bought me $1.25 beers and handed me five dollars’ worth of quarters. We battled each other and actually got to talk and have fun.”
Plan carefully
“Here’s how to keep it inexpensive, without looking like a total cheapskate,” says Hal Elrod, an empowerment coach and the author of Taking Life Head On! “Say, ‘I’m having an early dinner with some friends, so why don’t I pick you up after that and I’ll take you to get some ice cream?’” Then you can stroll together and chat. Cheap, yes, and very charming!
If you invest more in thinking about activities that will interest your date and give you time to get to know each other, you’ll get a better return on your investment than if you go all out on an expensive evening.
Margot Carmichael Lester is a freelance writer in North Carolina. Her work also appears in Go magazine and the Los Angeles Business Journal.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
What sort of date have you taken to a wedding? |
|
|
|
79% |
|
A friend who you wanted to get 'closer' to |
|
|
|
5% |
|
A blind date, set up by one of your friends |
|
|
|
16% |
|
A hired escort |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|