Cheap first and second date ideas?

lostinrates

kobracai wrote: »

finally someone who understands my predicament :cool:

Well, I'd just switch your way of thinking a bit to it being purely about money saving and about enjoying the culture London ( or wherever one happens to live) has to offer most! Time out really is a great resource.

Poetry readings in book shops, short run art showings, long standing exhibitions, the cheap seats midweek to increase access to things like opera.things with free or low entry. These are what make living in a city like London really incredible. Tbh, you could go for coffee or a drink anywhere. Make the most of living in London, and get the best of living where you are.

Tbh, I've never done so much so cheaply as when living in London. :). (First 'date' with husband was when we met via mutual acquaintance at a music thing which DH had asked acquaintance to bring me to, second was at an art gallery. )

Lily-Rose_3

Bargain_Bette wrote: »

If you want to go out for food, best place is franco manca, good pizza nice wine that is cheap. If you bet a bottle of wine and a pizza each you probaly wont spend more that £30-40 for the two of you.

But that is an amount that the OP said he finds unacceptable.

And if he wants to go dutch, at what point does he say this?

Right or wrong, this will put a lot of women off, if a man asks her to pay half, because it screams 'tight-fisted.'

If it's a first 'date,' what is wrong with a Costa? Less than a tenner for 2 drinks and a cake or something, and you could easily escape after an hour if need be. If it's a full meal in a restaurant, you could be there ages.

lostinrates

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

We have rarely just been out for a drink, meals for special occasions but had a great time doing things we both loved (especially sport) and as we are from the country there was a lot of exploring to be done!

I'm country / city both. I feel like I have damned meals and drinks. I do like them, its just, if you do that every time you meet with some one in a busy social it IS expensive and extremely hard on the waistline.

Nothing is 'wrong' with just having coffee, sometimes its perfect but its not terribly interesting when you could be catching an exhibition that's in the city for just some weeks. Someone who made the most of what was on would be a lot more attractive to me than some one who treated Where they live like somewhere else to mainly frequent chain places and do things they could do anywhere.

HPoirot

For a first date to test the waters though, I would not do more than a coffee shop... Mainly because you can get away at any time! WRT exhibitions etc, I guess at this stage the OP may not know if the other person is into the stuff he would be interested in himself (personally some things would bore me rigid) plus it is not as conducive to a one-on-one conversation as sitting across from each other on that all important first date. There can easily be awkward moments when you are wandering around, plus there is the possibility that either of you may bump into someone you know, which would lead to even more awkwardness...

HPoirot

Lily-Rose wrote: »

But that is an amount that the OP said he finds unacceptable.

And if he wants to go dutch, at what point does he say this?

Right or wrong, this will put a lot of women off, if a man asks her to pay half, because it screams 'tight-fisted.'

If it's a first 'date,' what is wrong with a Costa? Less than a tenner for 2 drinks and a cake or something, and you could easily escape after an hour if need be. If it's a full meal in a restaurant, you could be there ages.

To be fair though, a coffee shop might scream tightfisted to some as I think a wine bar / pub is usually expected by some.

lostinrates

HPoirot wrote: »

For a first date to test the waters though, I would not do more than a coffee shop... Mainly because you can get away at any time! WRT exhibitions etc, I guess at this stage the OP may not know if the other person is into the stuff he would be interested in himself (personally some things would bore me rigid) plus it is not as conducive to a one-on-one conversation as sitting across from each other on that all important first date. There can easily be awkward moments when you are wandering around, plus there is the possibility that either of you may bump into someone you know, which would lead to even more awkwardness...

I don't mind bumping into people, ( hi, how are you,must catch up soon, this is ( if appropriate friend ship subtle wink) dates name, Lets call later in the week!) who cares if you are on a date? , presumably there is some discussion about where to meet, what interests people have? I used to quite like going to things I wouldn't have gone to without being invited too, even if it was to confirm I wouldn't go again....easy enough to miss it when you don't have access any more, lol!

Horses for courses, I think its less awkward to have something to chat about to chat about , and able to walk about a bit instead of feeling fidgety and wanting to get away from a table, and there is no reason you cannot have a drink, afterwards if things have gone well, but no need to if they have not.

purpleshoes_2

Lily-Rose wrote: »

McDonalds.

Cheap as chips.

Seriously, I would be really put off a man who was scouring the internet to save money on our first date.

Doesn't bode well for the future IMO.

A man that sounds like a bit of a tight-ar $e

Dont think its that, quite the opposite. Id never expect someone to shell out £40-50 on me on a first date. Hes fed up spending sums like that on first dates and tbh I wouldnt blame him.

purpleshoes_2

Lily-Rose wrote: »

But that is an amount that the OP said he finds unacceptable.

And if he wants to go dutch, at what point does he say this?

Right or wrong, this will put a lot of women off, if a man asks her to pay half, because it screams 'tight-fisted.'

If it's a first 'date,' what is wrong with a Costa? Less than a tenner for 2 drinks and a cake or something, and you could easily escape after an hour if need be. If it's a full meal in a restaurant, you could be there ages.

I dont think its so much unacceptable as meeting someone, finding out you dont click and then going home £50 lighter in the pocket, I may be wrong but from the first post it sounds to me like hes paying the biggest share of the expenses on the date.