Discount Dating Does a College Student Good
by Feona Sharhran Huff

Just because your pockets are practically empty doesn't mean you can't paint the college town red with your sweetie. And, to ensure you have a blast with limited funds, Steve C. Smith has written Cheap Dates: Fun, Creative, and Romantic Dates That Won't Break Your Budget (Prima Publishing, 2001), with you in mind. Check out some of the cool and dollar-doable date tips, then test 'em out with your hottie of choice:

$1 Will Do the Trick

No, this isn't a joke... you really can have an enjoyable evening with your honey on just a buck per activity. What can you do, you ask? Smith says your options include renting a $1 movie; buying a slice of pizza for dinner; sharing a scoop of ice cream for dessert; and going to the arcade to spend four quarters on video games. Of course, there are lots more to consider. So, get your brain into gear and come up with some affordable dollar deals.

Edgar Allan Poe-It

If you and your cutie are good with expressing yourselves on paper, a poetry date will serve you well, says Smith. Here's what he says you've got to do to set the lyrics off right: "Give each other a few minutes of solitude to write a poem. Once you've completed your poems, read them to one another with sincere devotion or romantic cheer." In the end, you'll have captured your mate's heart with words of L-O-V-E!

B-Ball With Your Beau on the Court

Wanna' get close and personal with each other without dishing out unnecessary dollars -- and get a great workout? Lace up your sneakers, grab a basketball, and hit the college gym or neighborhood park for a game of one-on-one, encourages Smith. And if you want to heighten the hoop mood even more? "Play a special-effects tape that includes a recording of a boisterous crowd cheering in the background."

Two Candles, Soda, and a Burger

"Call it crazy, a little esoteric, and maybe borderline offbeat, but when was the last time you went to a fast-food restaurant and shared a romantic candlelight dinner over a couple of kiddie meals?" Smith asks. If you've never done it, what are you waiting for... it's time to get busy! If anything, it's cost effective, definitely different, and your other half can never accuse you of being fresh out of creative dating ideas.

Shhhhhhhh.... It's a Secret!

Are the two of you into mystery games where you have to put your brain to the test and solve problems or find clues? If "yes," a mystery date may be just what'll spice up your evening out and satisfy your penny-pinching pockets, says Smith. But the kicker to your time together will be to "use [the] clues or puzzles [so] that when solved, [they] reveal the next stage of your date." Smith offers a clue of Yogi Bear to prove his point. What is Yogi's downfall? Picnic baskets! So the next stage of your date would be a picnic.

There are plenty more cool and money-friendly date ideas for college students like you -- the key is to brainstorm how you can have a super time without spending too much cash. Good luck.