I know we have already touched on dating on the cheap. We’ve come to terms with the fact that if someone expects you to spend a sh*t load on some fancy dinner, then they probably are not worth your time.

But alas, I happen to be a single lady in the big city and I’ve come to realize that it is not that we gals’ want you to spend a whole lot of money on a date, we just merely want you to be creative and put some thought into it.

In other words, did you actually plan something for us to do, in hopes that I would be impressed? Did you consider what you knew so far about my tastes, my hobbies, or our common interests? Are you trying to find an experience that would stand out or make us both laugh or at least interested? Am I WAY to high maintenance? haha..

If you answered yes to any of these questions (except for the high maintenance one) I can almost guarantee you that you will receive the “casual-yet-cool” makeout by the end of the night!

Keeping in mind I said “ALMOST” guarantee =)

Here are some random ideas that don’t require a lot of money and are more unique than the standard (and sometimes slightly awkward) dinner and a movie:

Picnic: Put wine in a thermos, pick up some brie cheese (mmmmMm) and a baguette and hit up a park. Do some people watching or play a board game (Pictionary: it’s always fun to laugh at eachothers drawing skills..or lack thereof). Note: Lying on a blanket together is always a nice addition to any date.

Animal Shelter: This might sound completely weird but is actually a really fun thing to do. Who doesn’t like checking out cute little puppies and kittens? It’s great company for the animals and a great chance to see the ’softer side’ of your date! If your date doesn’t like animals, ditch them. Nuff said. Who doesn’t like animals?

Public Transit Adventure: Especially in a city like Toronto, there are so many different areas that should be explored. Pick up a day-pass for you and your date and spend the afternoon navigating the city and checking out all the areas that you have always heard about but have never visited! Bonus: You are bound to find weirdo’s on the subway and in-turn will end up with some cutesy little inside jokes…which is always great in the courting game.

Volunteer: Why not be productive together and go volunteer at a soup kitchen, a benefit concert or a marathon? I know it sounds like a lot to commit to, but people are always looking for volunteers even if its only for 1 day. This way you get to see another side to eachother and get to work together to accomplish something. It will give you an amazing bonding experience that is unique to the two of you. And no matter what, you will leave the date feeling like you did something good.

Botanical Gardens: I have recently discovered that I am not the cold-hearted city chick that I previously thought I was at risk of becoming. Although I’m the exact opposite of a green-thumb and literally know nothing about plants and flowers, I have still managed to gain a new found appreciation for the beautiful serenity of green houses and gardens. Most cities have some sort of tropical sanctuary just waiting to be part of your romantic date. You won’t know if it was the beautiful visuals, the warm atmosphere, or the smell of fresh flowers but there is just something sexy and sweet about being surrounded by nature while still in the middle of the city.

Here’s a tiny vid of my new favourite date place in Toronto: Allen Gardens… Now, Let’s makeout! Oops I mean…Let’s check it out!

Makes Cents (7)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm and is filed under Going Out, Living, Money. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Tags: Andrea Guernsey, Cheap Dating, Dating, garden, picnic, Recessionista, Screw You Recession, Virgin Mobile