I’m not sure about you guys but I love to spend money on other people so when I started dating my boyfriend, I began draining my bank account. Once we got into college it started to become more important for us to save money with all of our school expenses, so we came up with a plan to save money. If you are in a similar situation and are looking for ways to save money while also having fun then continue reading.
1. Share the Spending
When you begin dating, every girl hopes for the boy to offer to pay for dinner. It is a nice gesture and can be a good sign that he is respectful and caring. But, if this continues to occur then he is the only one racking up the bill. In order to avoid this, come up with a system to share the expenses. My boyfriend is old-fashioned and loves to be the one collecting the check so it took some convincing to get him on board with sharing but we compromised and created a plan. Our plan does not split the cost 50/50 but it works for us. Our plan to share dating expenses is, after every 3 dates that he pays for, I get to pay for the next two. Another great way to save money is to split the dates that you go on. For example, when we go to dinner and a movie, one of us covers the dinner bill and the other buys the movie tickets. Compromise on a plan that you each consider fair and try your best to stick to it.
2. Get Creative with Your Dates
While adventurous and elaborate gifts are fun, it is unrealistic to expect this for each and every date. Even going to dinner and a movie every weekend can start to add up. So, get creative with your dates and do some things that are free. It can be hard when the weather is bad because you cannot go outside, but there are so many things you can do indoors. For example, build a fort and watch movies, or grab food from your fridge and cook dinner together. Whenever it is nice outside, go for a hike or grab your hammock and your favorite book and cuddle up and spend the afternoon reading.
3. Set a Budget for Your Gifts
While it can be nice to spoil each other with gifts during the holidays, and we all know it is much easier to spend money on others. I find myself ignoring price tags and filling up my shopping cart. In order to avoid this, set a budget for each other. Each holiday can have a different budget and you can always adjust based on your financial circumstances at the time, but set a budget and stick to it. For example, our anniversary is close to Christmas so we keep our Christmas budget low to allow for more expensive anniversary gifts. And always remember, it is okay to skip a holiday. No one is going to come and arrest you and your significant other for not celebrating Valentine’s Day, do what works for you.
Whether you are trying to save money in college or just want to stop spending $50 or more each date night, try some of these tips. The only people who matter in your relationship are you and your partner so do not worry about what other people think about your celebrations. Create a system that works for you and try to stick with it for at least a month, and I promise you will be surprised by the results. Do what works for you and your significant other.