A friend of mine recently started dating several different women. Most every weekend he had a date lined up, but realized it was cutting into his wallet severely. When dating, it’s common to impress with nice dinners, concerts or other activities that can get expensive. Is this really necessary?

In my opinion, it’s important to give a good impression when dating, but a good impression doesn’t have to include money. To me a good impression is about hygiene, personality, manners, respect and character. Why not be yourself and impress with what really counts?

Instead of spending money you don’t really have on dates, why not show your dates the real you, your real lifestyle? Take them to a park for a picnic. Enjoy a day at the park on the scenic hiking trails. If you’ve been dating a while, you could invite them to your home for a good movie and popcorn. These activities are fun. They allow you to get to know each other and are low-budget.

Why try to impress someone with money you can’t really afford to spend? Impress in a way that expresses the real you! This prevents disappointment later on from both sides.