My first official cheap date

Cheap date #1

    Our official first cheap date came about by mere chance. My wife Corie siad "Our lives were becoming extremely boring and that I needed to do something about it immediately." As with most small towns in Nevada, your choices of entertainment are very limited. Local events are few and far between or cost too much money to attend. Casinos and bars seem to be the only readily available form of entertainment, both of which can cost you an arm and a leg. So you can imagine the dilemma that was facing me as the clock was ticking and Corie was becoming more impatient by the minute.  In sheer frustration I pulled into the local Walmart and began wandering around with Corie in hopes of buying time and that something would spark an idea.
    Now imagine if you will, a large screen TV displayed in front of a couple of comfortable benches like this. That the TV at that very moment begins to play a newly released movie that both of you wanted to see, and that the only thing that is missing is a bag of popcorn and a cold drink. Needless to say I took it as a sign from the gods and seized upon it immediately. We sat there and watched the entire movie. Corie was not only happy we had found something new to do, but that it was very creative. We enjoyed ourselves so much so I don't even remember what the movie was.
     Now you will note that in the photo there is no TV and the benches have only recently been returned to this location. It seems that Walmart somehow became aware that Corie and I were sitting and watching entire movies and possibly the fact we were not the only one's taking advantage of their comfortable benches. 
    From then on it has been a competition between the two of us, as to who can be the most creative at coming up with a cheap date. The rules are pretty loose as we do not keep track the number of dates or how creative. Basically we try to keep it under $20, but the cheaper the better. The whole premise of the cheap date is as follows. 

1. It has to be as cheap as possible and a date that doesn't cost anything is considered to be an ace.
2. It has to be creative, fun and unique so that you keep the interest of both parties.
3. But most importantly it must help both of you to connect with one another. 

    So if you've had any cheap dates we would be very interested in hearing about them, the good and the bad.

Cheap dates, what keeps a relationship going.

    My Mom and Dad shopping at Walmart and I guess you could say that it was one of many cheap dates. And I say that because I think cheap dates is what keeps a relationship going. The little get-togethers that are formal or informal, planned or unplanned that help the couple connect with each other. It is a date or rendezvous that typically involves very little money or extravagant settings. It's not about how cheap you can be, but it is about how creative you can be. It really doesn't involve money, because if you spend a lot of money on flowers or dinner it becomes a date where you're expecting something in return. And to me that always seemed a little bit like trying to find a cheap hooker and not about romance.

    Now initially cheap dates started for my wife and I because we had very little money. We would save up pennies and nickels in a jar, so that we could sit in the coffee shop, drink coffee, and talk about the day's events or coming events. Over the years it has actually ended up turning into a competition of sorts. Who can find or create the cheapest date. The focal point is still not the money and more about spending time together and connecting with one another. Although the coupons, the free outdoor events, the 5K run/walks events and even the strange and off-the-wall get-togethers still play a big part. The funny thing about cheap dates is that I remember them more vividly than any other time. And when things were tough, and we were just getting by they still bring happy memories to me.

    So if you want your relationship to the last, you need to work at it and you need to have cheap dates.

    In the coming posts I hope to share with you some of those cheap dates and to inspire you to have a few cheap dates of your own. Blessings be.