Steven C. Smith - Cheap Dates: Fun, Creative, and Romantic Dates That Wont Break Your Budget

D ating. We love it. We hate it. No matter what our feelings about it, at some time in our lives we all must go through it. Dating can be difficult, and it can be a particular challenge to come up with a terrific date idea that is also affordable. Cheap Dates: Fun, Creative, and Romantic Dates That Wont Break Your Budget is designed to help you become a more confident dater, to eliminate the stress that dating sometimes causes, and to encourage you to get out of the usual dinner-and-a-movie rut. It is filled with hundreds of creative and timeless date ideas, each of which costs less than $50. The dates range from the wildly outrageous to the more subdued, so theres bound to be some perfect date ideas for you.

No matter what stage of life youre currently inwhether youre a teen just beginning to date, a single adult in pursuit of meaningful dating relationships, or a married couple committed to the long haulyoure never too young or too old for creative dating.

This insightful and humorous book will become your number one reference guide for memorable dates, and it will be a lifesaver for anyone who wants to rekindle an old flame or ignite a new romance. The various categories make it an easy-to-use quick reference guide for last-minute planning.

And because not every date is destined to be a discount date, this book also offers Splurge Dates, an entire chapter dedicated to those times when its appropriate to spend your money. As a bonus, throughout this book you will find tips to help spice up your date: charming ideas that you can incorporate into any date to make it memorable. After all, the thoughtful things you say or do on a date often stand out the most: the rose you spontaneously purchase for your date or your spur-of-the-moment moonlight serenade.

Use this book for your next dating adventure. Keep it in your backpack, in the glove compartment of your car, or anywhere within reach. One quick glance, and youll be on your way to bringing excitement and vitality to your dating relationships without having to invest extensive time or money.

I first had the idea for this book when I was in college at Oregon State University. I was a dedicated student-athlete and spent most of my time either on the baseball field, in the library, or in the classroom. There seemed to be very little time for dating. Coming up with a good date plan was difficult, and having to get by on a student budget didnt help.

It wasnt until I attended a discussion on dating relationships at a campus life fellowship meeting that I learned the importance of the friends first approach to datingan important step that is often left out of todays relationships. That evening I walked away with the understanding that a great way to make sure you get to know your dating partner is to spend quality time together doing creative activities that promote communication, fun, and laughter.

I adopted this concept in my next dating relationship and created many fond memories, all the while participating in numerous zany and delightful activities with a special person. We had so much fun together that our friends began to take notice. Soon the creative dating bug began to rub off on them as well. In no time at all, we were all coming up with creative ideas for dates that were easy, fun, and always something to anticipate.

After college, I spent several years as a minor league professional baseball player. During my travels, I spent much of my free time interviewing people, both young and old, about their most memorable and creative dating experiences. I was surprised by how many people struggled to come up with just one creative date idea to share. Immediately, I saw the need for a dating-idea book designed to help couples avoid the snare of routine and repetitive dating. This book was written to fulfill that need.

Over the years, I have enjoyed assisting others with planning creative ideas for dates and other special occasions. I recall a friend who consulted with me on several occasions for date ideas to share with someone in whom he was interested. For the first month, I would receive one or two calls per week from him. It wasnt long before he began to come up with many great ideas on his own. The calls for advice began to taper off. I didnt hear from him for about six months, until one day he called to ask for my opinion on a creative idea for the date on which he planned to propose marriage. Today he and his wife are happily married and still dating in Oregon.