my boyfriend is dealing w/ a lot of debt issues ... and we seem to fighting about money a little too often. it's hard b/c we've known each other forever, but just started dating about 3 months ago. so i still want to "date" and feel like we're "courting" ... know what i mean? but i also want him to work toward paying down his debt and becoming financially stable (he wants this too, of course)!

so....i need some cheap date ideas. we live in chicago, so going out to eat/drinks or going to concerts/movies is EXPENSIVE.
any ideas?? HELP!

Ouch...debt isn't at all fun. In fact, it was a big part of several reasons that my marriage ended in divorce.

If it were spring, I'd suggest walks on the beach or in the park. But since you are in Chicago, I'm assuming this wouldn't do.

How about fixing your sweetie a nice low-carb meal and give him the responsibility of picking up a video that you can watch together? And then the next week you can switch...he can cook and you can pick up the movie and go to his place?

Maybe one week you can pack a picnic lunch/dinner and eat it in the car while parked in some quiet, romantic place where you can see the scenery or night lights.

Dates can be as simple as sitting in a fast food restaurant sipping a soda and talking about the future...your likes/dislikes, hopes and dreams, etc.

Maybe even play a silly little game. Think of a question that would require a very personal answer...but not one that would cause jealousy or lead to an argument. Then on your next date come back with the written answer...and spend some time discussing it and, if it applies, ways that you can support each other on the subject.

If he can keep from spending unnecessary money, maybe you two can go Christmas shopping. Discuss who the gift will be for, what their interests are, etc. Then work togther to find the best gift at the best possible price. This will also give both of you a little more insight to the special people in each other's lives.

Can a date mean getting together with friends? Maybe you could have a game night that can include cards, a board game or some other sort of game that would provide secondary entertainment to the sharing of conversation and laughs.

Dating doesn't have to mean buying gifts or flowers or going out to do something. It can be as simple as spending time together, getting to know one another and nurturing that friendship into a solid foundation of trust, love and support.

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Melissa

renting movies and cooking dinner if it be him cooking or you.. is always a cheaper way to go.. I'm sure there are CHEAP places to eat.. they are everywhere .. you just have to look for them.. there are semi free things to do out there to. i do not know if either of you are religious or not.. but there are always seasonal things to do this time of year.. and .. whats to say you still cant go for a walk to gether .. hike in the park or something just beacuse its windy and dreary dont mean you gota stay in doors.. just bundle up.. and hey.. warming up together after wards is always fun. I'm not to sure of the weather you have there.. but once the snow falls.. if its not FREEZEING COLD out.. make snow man together.. do something seasonal.

also another thought is.. since the new year is comeing.. each state has an entertainment book.. w/ coupons for difrent places ... the one for my area has coupons for science musems.. tons of resturants.. ect..

if both of you have say a gym membership.. go together.. its something you can do together.

go to familys for dinner together.. its not realy a date but hey.. that is free! just beacuse your dateing dont mean you can't help money wise.. i rember when me and DH first started dateing.. neither of us had much money... and spent many nights just cuddleing watching tv.. or visiting friends together. I lived w/ my parents at the time and they would invite him for dinner ect. and just the ops. we would go to his familys sometimes.

there are lots of things to do.. i may also sugest actualy doing a search online maby even doing a loacl area search of things to do.. try typeing in a search.. " Cheap date ideas" then your area.

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01/02/04-248{ 4/29/04- 218} 6/30/04- 204
7-05-04 198 8/30/04 - 190 (got lost after that-)
4/03/08- 261 -
Goal-140-145

I'm not quite sure why I read this thread (probably wondering what I can suggest to my sons when they complain about lack of funds), but....oh, the benefits of google. I entered "Cheap Date Ideas", and this came up first. http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980121a.cfm

There are lots of other sites that you can explore on your own.

Hey...here's one we use all the time....me being a student and BF being a support system for me...hehe. We are "financialy challenged" to say the least. hehe.

BOWLING!!!

It is CHEAP! and ...a lot of fun!

Try it out...



-Krystyne

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Start - May 7th, 2004, 175/157/145



http://hockeygirl34.blogspot.com

Too funny, Hockeygirl... I was going to suggest bowling!

My dh and I were REALLY poor when we were dating and first married, so we had to be REALLY creative with the money. We were both in school full time and living on loans/grants/parents' generosity and what measly income I made waiting tables.

Some things we did:

Go to the zoo
Go bowling (even this can get expensive, but there are always specials and discount days/times)
local planetarium
check out entertainment at your local college
go online and check out any free activites/entertainment in your community

Hope this helps!

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Summer

one more idea.. your local news paper.. at least mine (its a small 6 page not alot of info paper lol) on fridays have these adds for difrent resturants/taverns in the area.. drink speical happy hour if you guys wana go for a drink look for happy hour times...and places have like cheap wings ect this time of year.. wing speicals.. (wings -as long as they are not breaded are LC! unless they are honey something and stay away from bbq) i know this isnt LC but there is a local place here that does 35 cent tacos okay.. there is also dinner speicals advertized.. look for 2 for set price speicals.. usualy you can get great deals there.. check out some of the older resturants in your town.. they have been there a long time for a reason! usualy cheaper.

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01/02/04-248{ 4/29/04- 218} 6/30/04- 204
7-05-04 198 8/30/04 - 190 (got lost after that-)
4/03/08- 261 -
Goal-140-145

Doesn't Chicago have some fabulous museums? Those would be daytime dates, but they'd still be dates.

You could go out for lattes to a nice espresso bar.

Depending on his interests, a day of art gallery hopping can be fun.

Do you have some other couple friends? If so, you could take turns hosting a monthly dinner party. Each couple hosts a dinner in turn, providing the entre. Everyone else brings a course (appetiser, salad, dessert) and some wine or beer, or beverage of choice.

Game parties and card parties are fun, if you know people who like to play games.

I know it's not for everyone, but folk dancing is lots of fun and really, really cheap. I like Scottish country dancing, but contra dancing is a bit looser. English country dance has great music, and it's not as hard as contra or Scottish country dance. Usually, 2-hour classes cost about $5 to $8, which often includes some potluck refreshments. Parties with live music may be a bit more, but they are still a really great budget entertainment.

Recreation departments sometimes have low cost entertainment offerings.

College campuses often have low cost concerts, plays, sporting events, and other recreational activities.

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~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

thanks guys! what great ideas!!
i knew i could count on my creative LCE friends!

Having recently moved away from Chicago I immediately thought of the Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoos for an afternoon. Personally I would stay away from anything in downtown Chicago because every time I went downtown I managed to drop a couple of hundred bucks easy.

If you don't already have one get an Entertainment book lots of stuff 2 for 1, restaurants, comedy clubs, museums, bowling. They have different ones for various areas of Chicagoland.

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Libby

2004 174/142/138

Begin Again 2007

164/159/142