The Dating Dollar

Romantic Fondue Meal

Dating is expensive if you don’t believe me. Ask someone who invested in finding The One. You can usually recognize the newly divorced because they sport trendy clothes, a new haircut, and possibly a tan courtesy of a tanning salon. The list goes on as far as physical enhancements both men and women can make to their appearance. None of this is free.

You can gussy yourself up all you want and nothing may come of it, except an outflow of cash. How do you get the most value out of your dating dollar?

·         A fancy car won’t do it. Women seldom date a man for his car despite what the car salesman tells you. A clean ride in good repair should do the trick. If it doesn’t, then she’s not interested in you.

·         Know your online dating services. Scandal-ridden smaller firms are guilty of faking profiles to fool potential clients.

·         In this case, you often get what you pay for. Free dating sites appeal to people wanting to hook up or those already in a relationship testing the waters.

·         It isn’t feasible to hang out every weekend at your local watering hole either. Are you seriously hoping to spend money on expensive cocktails and snacks in hope, Mr. or Miss. Right will sashay by. Even if they did, you couldn’t hear them over the live music.

·         It is good to avoid the meat market and pursue an interest such as hiking, bicycling, or even volunteering at the animal shelter. Suddenly, every encounter isn’t a big deal and it is a more organic way of meeting people.

·         Take a part-time job that appeals to you. This helps create a nest egg and give you more opportunity to encounter people. Consider the clientele before applying. Working in women’s fashion will not introduce you to many single men.

·         As a man, you have to spend money to prove you’re serious.  Most women don’t take a man seriously, if he doesn’t pay for the first date. It doesn’t have to be an expensive date either. The reasoning behind this indicates interest. Some men complain they aren't that interested; it shows.

·         After about three dates, a woman should offer to defray costs by fixing a meal or offering to buy refreshments at the movie. You could alternate paying for dates too.

·         Don’t be taken in by online ads that offer to give you dating secrets. Often the advice is common sense and sometimes it is downright stupid. The only thing it is good for is separating people from their money.

·         The best bet for your dating dollar is restraint. If you want to try online dating, then go with one reputable site. Sign up for a limited time between 3-6 months. Every site will hint it will take a least a year. It won’t take a year to find out the company isn’t flush with folks you want to meet.

·         Don’t buy a new wardrobe. Two or three outfits will work for a while, and then you can gradually add to it.

·         Don’t overwhelm your newfound sweetie with gifts. Not only is this expensive, but it will come off as needy. How will you feel when he or she takes off? You’ll feel a great deal worse if you spend a bundle on celebrating a month of dating.

·         Don’t get in the habit of paying your date’s bills or letting him move in until he gets on his feet. This doesn’t create a balanced relationship. Instead, it stirs up resentment on both sides. In the end, you have an adult who can’t take care of him or herself and the person who enables it.

·         Everyone wants to impress their date, but don’t pull out all the stops on date one, two, three, or four. One gentleman ordered a limo for his first date. They arrived at an exclusive restaurant. His actions charmed his date, but she expected similar behavior all the time. When she didn’t get it, she called him cheap.

·         Dating works out better if it is low stress. It is hard to be stress free, when you realized your date’s selection of  an overpriced bottle of wine means the heating bill payment will be late.

·         If you’re on a date, choose meals, movies, activities with consideration. It shows good manners and you’ll be glad you did, especially if your date specifies separate bills.

The dating dollar should have a budget just like all the other fixed expenses in your life. It will keep you from blowing everything in an attempt to capture love. It will also make dating less all consuming and more fun.