Whether it’s inviting our new crush to a movie premiere, taking them out to party or going out to eat at a new restaurant, a date can represent a huge burden on our personal expenses! We might feel some pressure to impress our new partner, this is why having a budget while dating comes in handy for our future money goals, here are five dating tips to get started!
1. How about a romantic home cooked meal?
If you analyze what expenses make your wallet suffer most for on weekends, or why your credit card bill surprises you at the end of the month, you will probably conclude that eating out is quite expensive. Of course, the simple fact of taking a break from the typical Monday to Friday routine might sound attractive to you, but is it really necessary to do it so often?
How do we control this without having to eliminate it (eating out) completely? Instead of inviting your special someone to an extremely expensive Thai restaurant, how about cooking for them? It’s personal, romantic, and most importantly, it’s very cheap.
You can easily replace going out to eat on a Saturday night every weekend with a nice home cooked late night dinner. The secret is to adjust!
2. Create a Budget for Date Nights
Going to the movies constantly, bowling, dancing, or any activity that makes you spend more than needed should have a budget. There are many times we feel the urge to have fun activities that can be limited. For example, if we love going to the movies, we can limit ourselves assisting only to movie premieres. This way we can have fun when a movie just comes out, and cuddle with our partner in the comfort of our home.
For many people it’s a HUGE must to go out dancing on a weekend while having a few drinks. This is fine for several weekends, but if we go clubbing or pay for expensive parties, we are spending too much money. A great strategy is to create a budget for date night. With a small budget in mind you can organize your expenses and decide what you want to spend in during these fun and social activities.
Read also: 8 Valentine’s gift ideas under a budget
3. Learn how to save when you go out
Are you the kind of person that always chooses the most expensive dish? Do you prefer to eat at new or fashionable restaurant rather than the good old cheap burger place down the block? Do you ignore discount prices or coupons at the local grocery store?
If you have responded yes to all these questions, then you’re a splurger! One of the most important dating tips is to learn and prioritize savings.
When we want to treat our loved one with a special dinner, do you really have to go to the fanciest restaurant? Or can we give the highly recommended but old burger place a shot? Having a budget is also as simple as keeping in mind there are quality places with cheaper prices.
4. Communicate your future goals and actual expenses
Good communication is the key to a healthy and stable relationship. If you feel you are splurging too much with your partner, saving up can be as easy as starting up a conversation about your concerns. There even might be a possibility they were thinking about managing a budget as well!
Most couples have financial goals together; therefore, saving up is necessary. Whether it’s for vacation, studying a future degree, or saving up for your retirement, financial goals give you stability.
If you have just started dating and talking about this feels awkward, you can try telling them how much keeping a budget matters to you or how much you would like to save up for a special surprise for them in the future. Who knows, maybe they are thinking the same?
5. Think about budget friendly activities
Most of us consider dating the typical activities we see in movies such as dancing, going out for dinner, bowling, and pretty much everything we named before. Have you ever thought about planning a picnic in the park, going to a new art exhibition, or taking your date to watch the sunset with a beautiful view?
There are plenty dating ideas that don’t cost as much as the ones we’re used to, and if we have just started dating, they are much more memorable and unique.
So next time you think of asking that special someone out, remember these dating tips. Keep in mind that the best dates and gifts are not the most expensive ones, but the most thoughtful ones!
