Member-only story
Inexpensive Dating Ideas
Even if money is no object, why not enjoy some cheap thrills?
Some of the best dates I’ve ever had cost nothing or very little. Because what makes a great date is not the quality of the wine or the cost of the tickets. It’s the connection that you form with another human being.
Sometimes going on a traditional date can facilitate that. More often than not, it’s a hindrance. A layer of artificiality. A barrier.
Which is fine if you barely know the other person.
Thanks to dating apps and other artificial ways to meet potential mates, it makes sense to keep some distance at first. You don’t know anything about the person, after all, except what they put on their profile.
Once upon a time things were a different.
Prospective suitors would meet the parents. Circles of relatives and friends would make discreet inquiries. Often people in small towns grew up together and knew a person’s reputation.
Even when I was dating in college, people talked and friends warned friends about “octopii” and certain frat parties to avoid.
Now? For at least the first date, keep it public, make sure a friend knows where you’re at, and trust your gut.
