Do you find dating to be expensive these days? The cost of dinner and a movie can be a large dent in a small budget. And if you want to impress someone by taking them to a pricey club, restaurant, resort, or weekend getaway, you may need to re-think this so that your romantic interest doesn't assume you can do this all the time. It's never a good idea to pose as someone you are not.

There are lots of fun and interesting places to go and things to do that cost very little money. In fact, some of the best dates are free. They simply take a little thought rather than a lot of cash. Can you afford the time and imagination for a cheap date?

Here are some of the rewards from a cheap date:

* Cheap dates can show your love interest that you have creativity, thoughtfulness, and a romantic heart.

* Cheap dates can allow you the opportunity to actually talk with the person you are with and can influence the level of communication. You won't do a lot of getting-to-know-each-other at a movie. You won't be able to have an intimate conversation at a loud club. A "mindless" date can bring about "mindless" communication.

* Cheap dates can give you the opportunity to be both truthful and responsible. If you know how to have fun, and if you have a sense of humor, your financial prudence makes you a very attractive person. Explain to your romantic interest that you live on a budget; that you are saving for a...(house, car, trip); or that you are paying off debts or loans. Any sensible person will only respect you for this behavior. By doing this you also have been upfront about your situation and are not posing as something you are not. (Another very attractive characteristic.) You are also letting that person know that even though you have limited funds, that doesn't stop you from creating some dream dates.

* If you do not whine, complain, or compare yourself negatively to others about how you don't have as much money as you want, but rather talk about what you are doing about it, you are very attractive. Instead, if you take responsibility for where you are, live below your means, and have a plan for your life that is realistic, you will be admired.

What are the qualities most admired in another? If you are searching for a relationship, and if you want to know what will attract others to you, the most appealing characteristics are: a sense of humor, honesty, intelligence, confidence, and a bright future. How much money you have is at the bottom of the list.

So don't be afraid. Create some cheap dates. Walking, picnicing, playing cards and board games, attending free lectures, tennis, basketball hoops, frisbee, bag lunches while sitting in the back of a city bus, or sharing a hot coffee on a park bench are all free and accessible. The only limit to your perfect date...which can lead to a great relationship... is your imagination.

Tonja Weimer

Tonja Evetts Weimer is a Master Certified singles relationship and life coach, speaker, syndicated columnist and author.

Tonja is a full time professional coach with a practice in Greenville, SC. She helps individuals, especially singles, re-craft their lives and find happiness and success in their career and relationships. Some of Tonja's professional activities include:

==> Syndicated singles relationship columnist, writing SAVVY DATING, a weekly column read by over a million readers in many U.S newspapers. Tonja's column addresses relationship and life issues of interest to all adults, but particularly to the over 110 million singles in the U.S. Tonja has also had articles published in New Woman, Hope, and House Beautiful magazines, and has won 3 Matrix Awards for her writing.

==> Motivational speaker, Tonja has been a keynote presenter at national and international conferences over the last 30 years.

==> Author of materials for educators and parents (7 books, six music albums and 2 videos), which have won 22 awards.

Some Speaking and Media Highlights:

==> Keynote speaker for 2004 Women’s Issues Network Conference, Sumter, SC.

==> Keynote speaker for 2002 Parents as Teachers International Conference, St. Louis, MO.

==> Keynote speaker for 1999 International Conference for Children & Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.

==> Keynote speaker for 1998 European Education Conference, in Mannheim, Germany.

==> Keynote speaker in 35 U.S. states at educational conferences.

==> Presenter at the International Special Olympics in Notre Dame, at the request of Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

==> Created Space Songs for Children, at the request of NASA (album taken into space by astronauts three times.)

==> Appeared on CNN’s Showbiz Today and many other TV shows.

Educational and Professional Qualifications:

==> National Fellow (U.S. Dept. of Education.) M.A. in Human Development and Education, with an emphasis on creativity.

==> Master Certified Singles Relationship Coach, Relationship Coaching Institute.

==> Personal Life Coach, Graduate, Institute for Life Coach Training.

==> Member, International Coaching Federation