Love is... not having to spend money
Money can’t buy you love and you don’t need to spend much on romance once you’ve found the love of your life, says.
Valentine’s Day might have been and gone, but romance goes on forever. But the art of romance may be slowly dying because people can’t afford it.
So this year I’m on a mission to reinvigorate my love life with something that many people would consider a bit cheap: Free Dating.
Sound a bit counter intuitive? Bear with me. Free Dating takes a big helping of romance and mixes in a dollop of creativity and a splash of good ol’ fashioned Kiwi ingenuity to create a fun and memorable dating experience. Not only does it keep your love life exciting and fresh, it also keeps your bank balance smiling.
This one’s for the outdoorsy types among us. While the weather’s still warm, get outside. Go on a hike and become one with Mother Nature, or head to the park with a picnic and a good book. Make your visit to the beach a bit more invigorating than simply venturing into the water up to your knees, by packing buckets and spades and having a sandcastle competition with your better half.
If your dating experience normally revolves around food, swap out an expensive dinner date with some classic DIY in your own kitchen. Play Masterchef with whatever’s in your fridge; the winner gets to eat the leftovers tomorrow. Cook a progressive meal (consider roping the neighbours in!) where you each prepare a course, or invent your own dessert and forego mains completely.
Movies are a classic go-to date idea, but at roughly $20 a pop (not including popcorn) they can be hard on your wallet. Hark back to your childhood and build a blanket fort, then while you’re curled up snug as a bug under a rug embark on a movie marathon.
If you’re more of a competitive soul, organise a games night and actually finish a whole game of Monopoly, or invent your own like Nonsense Scrabble where you make up words and have to create definitions for them. Construct a water slide in your backyard and race down it, or make kites and see who can get theirs higher.
Free dating isn’t limited to the indoors. Dress in your Sunday best and visit expensive open homes in neighbourhoods you’d love to live in (there’s nothing wrong with dreaming, right?). Many communities offer a range of free events like concerts, movies and markets too; keep an eye out on Neighbourly for any free things happening near your place.
The best thing about Free Dating? It’s not limited to romantic relationships. In fact, anyone with friends is welcome to take the Free Dating concept and turn it into Free Friendship, because even if you’re trying to be financially-savvy this year, you don’t have to miss out on having fun.