Michigan was near the high end at $112 for two people: Dinner, bottle of wine and a movie.
I adore cheap dates.
Breakfast and then going to a flea market and seeing how far $20 can go.
Taking picnic basket with a bottle of inexpensive white wine, cheese, crackers and grapes to outdoor theater.
A hour-long walk followed by croissants, sliced pears and coffee.
Many organizations run festivals as fund raisers. Good, cheap fun and often a place to get superb food.
If I were single, I would consider volunteer work dates. Few things will help you sort through another person's values quicker than watching them bus dirty dishes at a soup kitchen, picking up trash in the park or giving a dirty dog a bath at a dog rescue.
Dates are job interviews. Both parties are interviewing the other with an eye toward filling a long-term position. If the other party refuses to go on a "cheap date", then you are being used as a fashion accessory or a status-marker to impress friends on social media.
Good points, and some of the best dates were just sitting and talking over a cup of coffee and a pastry...
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this story: my husband's uncle who was 80 at the time, called to tell us he was getting remarried. He was a widower on a limited budget. His plan (which worked beautifully) was to ask the minister of their church to marry them after the service without anyone knowing what was going on, on a potluck Sunday! No invitations, no food to provide, no gifts to worry about. They provided a store bought cake and brought their camera and they were good to go. We lived out of state so he called us ahead of time in case we wanted to come.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of the story of the nonagenarian who got married on very short notice.
DeleteWhen asked why any man his age would want to get married, the old man gave the questioner an evil look and tartly responded "I never said I WANTED to get married."
You failed to mention sitting in a duck blind or drowning worms down at the creek.
ReplyDeleteThat only works if the man is willing to clean the ducks or fish.
DeleteI know how to clean-n-cook birds, fish and venison.
DeleteWhen you are sorting through potential suitors, what is the relative value of a guy who tosses the work over the fence vs. the guy who negotiates a collaborative effort?
DeleteYou are an awesome human being. I am not down-talking what you can do. In my mind a healthy relationship has some built-in give-and-take. Only the mediocre are always at their best. It is about relationships, not rules.