Dating For Free

Dating can be quite an expensive experience if care is not taken. To start with, it often costs you money just to put yourself in a situation where you can meet people. Joining a club or interest group, going to a bar, signing up to an online dating site, it all costs money. Then, once you have met someone, no matter what you do or where you take them, someone ends up paying. This can be an inhibitor to dating for many people, so we have written this article to give you ideas on how you can organising a "cheap date" that isn't necessarily a bad date.

Where to meet people for freeOne of the best pieces of advice you can take on board if you want to meet people, is to make it a part of your life. Yes we know, its often hard to say "Hi" to someone you don't know, when there is no natural impetus to communication. That's why its called an ice breaker, it is difficult. But this is also why making meeting people a part of your life is such a great piece of advice. Its difficult at the start, but once you get going it gets easier and easier to do.

So when you get out of bed tomorrow, make a point of chatting to people you usually wouldn't have. Become a conversationalist. Just make it up as you go along. Talk to everyone though, don't be picky. If you talk to everyone, you'll have so much practise ice breaking and being a conversationalist, that when you see someone you are interested in dating, it will be very easy to start up a conversation with them, that is natural and free flowing, which hopefully will lead into a follow up conversation at a future place in time.

Meeting people in this way is totally free. The following bullet points are a few examples of the types of opportunities we are talking about.

- On the bus or train

- As you walk your dog

- In the supermarket

- The person having a coffee at the next table in a cafe

- When you are in a queue for anything

Where to take your date

Once you have met someone and have agreed to see them again, your options on where to take someone are virually limitless. Most of the dates which cost money are "old hat" anyway, so often a cheaper alternative stands out and is much more successful. A great example of this was in the movie Josh Hartnett stared in called 40 days and 40 nights. In this movie, he simply took a girl (the girl whose heart he ended up winning (played by Shannyn Sossamon)) on a bus ride. That was his idea of the perfect first date. If you haven't seen the movie, get a copy if for no other reason than to see how successful this date was.

So the simple idea with organising a cheap, successful date is to use your imagination. Here are some starters to whet your appetite.

- A DVD movie marathon - you both bring a DVD or two over and cuddle up on a couch all night watching them.

- Go window shopping; pet shops, antique shops, luxury cars and boats can be great opportunities for interesting days out. Just leave your credit card at home.

- Go back to your childhood and do something you loved to, like play on the swings in a park.

- Exercise options; go for a walk at the beach, a ride in the hills, a rollerblade anywhere

- Make the journey the date - the bus idea above is a great example of this. But you can plan a whole day based on the travel experience, incorporating public transport, bikes, walking, anything, and the destination isn't really important...(or could lead into the next date)

- Combine some of the above ideas

All a free date requires is some imagination, and some planning. We hope we have given you a few ideas to play with or develop. Good luck, and remember to have fun, and be yourself, no matter where you take your date.