Would you use a coupon on a first date?

John at Queercents wants to know.

It's an great question that I've never really thought of before. Dating is amazingly expensive in the beginning which makes me really uncomfortable. I'm not a fan of tradional dates, particularly not for first dates. I almost always have a first date at a coffee shop. There are a couple reasons for this:

1. It's quick and easy and low pressure. This means I'm not stuck having dinner for 2 hours with someone I don't like after the first 5 minutes.
   
2. It's cheap and easier to avoid that whole "who pays" question.
3. If things go well, there's always the option of extending the date to dinner or another activity.

If coffee isn't an option (for whatever reason) there are lots of other alternatives that are cheap/free so why not try to keep things on the cheap for both of your sakes? Try a museum, art exhibit, walk around town or a browse through a book store. Not only will you save money but you'll also have a built in conversation as you'll be able to talk about what you're seeing.

I recently had a first meeting in a book shop and we had a great time browsing and looking at all sorts of books before moving on and getting a drink. That's my idea of a great date.

Show me your creativity instead of your money and I'm much more likely to agree to date #2.