Spending Too Much On Dates (Your Advice)
When it comes to the ritual of dating, it can mean a lot of money spent if you are not careful. It’s not always easy to break out of a pattern where a lot of money is spent on dates as this reader has found out:
I have been dating my girlfriend for a few months now and everything is going really well except for the costs of our dates. I know that I am mainly to blame for the situation. When we first started going out, I really wanted to impress her, so I spent quite a bit of money on our dates. Once this started, it became difficult to reduce the amount I was spending to better reflect my income level. The problem is that I can’t afford to take us out on expensive dates like I have been, but I’m afraid that if I suggest less expensive things to do she will think that I am going cheap on her.
I guess what I’m really looking for our dating ideas that are not expensive, but appear to be expensive. Do these even exist?
If something like this is not possible, what is the best way to approach her to tell her that I can’t afford to spend so much on our dates. Is there a correct way to talk about the subject so it doesn’t make me look like I’m cheap or I’m not willing to spend money on her? Things are going so well right now that I really don’t want to disturb or rock the boat in any way, but I know that this issue needs to be resolved before I go bankrupt.
Do you know of some inexpensive dates that you could recommend to this reader? If you were in a similar situation, how would you bring up the subject of the cost of the dates?
First does she ever offer to pay? When going out I would typically pick up the tab for the more expensive dates but she would pay for lunch dates or other dinner dates. Also instead of going out to dinner make dinner at your place or her place, even if neither of you know how to cook. In the checkout line at the supermarket there are books with recipes in them pick one up and instantly you’ll both have a guide “how to”.
If you find that cheap date that looks expense please let me know but really after a few months you shouldn’t need to go out to dinner to impress her and she shouldn’t expect you have to go broke to keep her around.