Mr. Online Dating Matches gives you some cheap dates in the face of the economic crisis. He also wants you to know that his site has plenty of eharmony promotional codes as well as reviews for all online dating services. Click here for previous installments of Man Made.
I met this chick at a bar a couple of weeks ago and she gave me her number. We talked back and forth over the phone and through text message and we really seemed to hit it off. Last week we decided to go to a local sushi bar for our first date. It was the date from hell. She looked nothing like I (drunkenly) remembered. There was no chemistry. Conversation sucked. To add insult to injury, the entire dinner date wound up costing me just under $250. That’s $250 that could have been better spent at Amazon on a new BluRay for my living room.
That got me thinking….
For guys, there is an unwritten rule that we have to pay for the first couple of dates. That can add up very quickly if you are dating more than one girl every few months. Throw in the economic crisis and you can find your bank account being depleted very quickly…..with nothing to show for it.
I would like to petition the National “Man Council” (not to be confused with the Council on Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians) to amend our charter with a new rule:
“When dating a new girl, thou shalt not pay more than $50 per date, for the first 5 dates.”
Unless you are dating some Paris Hilton type, chances are the girl you are with cares more about the quality of the date, rather than the price. It is a win-win situation as you don’t come off looking like you are trying too hard and you get to save a few bucks that are better spent on yourself. Here are 5 date ideas for under $50. (These ideas go beyond the traditional “dinner and a movie” date. While it is a tried and true classic, girls nowadays are looking for something they haven’t already done a million times).
1. Starbucks and a walk around a busy shopping area.
My personal M.O. On average, I go out on 5-10 dates per month. This can add up very quickly. Going the Starbucks route will only cost you ~$10 for the entire date and will be a light and breezy way of getting to know the girl you are with. It will leave her wanting more…and wondering what you have in store for the next date.
2. Save the whales!!
Nothing says “I really and truly care about others” than doing charity work. It won’t cost you a cent and you’ll come off as a super-charmer. If slimy fish creatures or picking up used hypodermic needles on the beach isn’t exactly your cup of tea, then try contacting a local church to see if they have any activities you can participate in.
3. Hiking and/or Bike ride.
Show off your stamina by taking a bike ride in a local park or outdoors area. Just be sure that you (and your date) are physically fit enough to do so. Lest you spend the second half of your date in the backseat of an ambulance, or worst yet, have to tell your date to “hold up” because you can’t physically go on any further. I wonder what she would be relating your “lowered stamina” to when that happens….
Headsmacking tip #4. How many women have been taken to an amusement park on their first or second date? Chances are not many….Since most women love (perceived) danger, she can get her fill on the rollercoaster and have a great time. It could turn into the rollercoaster of love, get it?
There is one drawback though…..if for some reason you suddenly decide that you just aren’t into her, you could have a very awkward date while waiting 1 hour in line for a rollercoaster.
5. Cooking date
Invite her over for dinner with one catch: Both of you have to shop and prepare the food. You can get to know a lot about a girl by spending just a few minutes in the supermarket with her, as well as showing off your home economic skills in the kitchen. The great thing about this date is that once dinner is over, and she is full, you don’t have to worry about how to get her back to your place and on your couch….
Before you take a girl out, try to get to know a little bit about her likes and dislikes, without making it too obvious. Chances are she will give you her idea of the perfect “under $50 date” without even realizing it.
This is excellent! I’ve been happily taken for 2 years, but I met my special boy online, and our first date, though traditional and pricey, was “alright.” It was saved by the two hour post-dinner walk we took viewing the NY skyline and sitting on a bench to talk. Chicks dig the simple and unrehearsed crap. Nicely done!