Let the Cheap Dating Begin!

Thanks again to Jules for the great button!

I am so excited about this post, and really it couldn't come at a better time. I was telling Mr. Right all about it and his first words were, "Well, what are we going to do for Valentine's Day?"

I just glared at him and told him to tune into this post on the 6th...

Seriously, I'm NOT planning Valentine's Day. Which means you guys have got to post some good ones to keep us out of Barnes and Nobles... again. I sure do love that bookstore, but after spending 3 years of my life in that store (that includes 3 Christmases, mind you - UGH!), I just want to find other places rekindle the romance...

So here's my ideas.

First, find someone who will trade babysitting with you or who likes to be around your kids. We've several families with whom we trade the sitting task and we have at least 4 non-kid people who will babysit for us out of the kindness of their hearts. I have to say that if it weren't for these people's generosity, we wouldn't be going out because seriously, we can't afford the $20 babysitting fees on top of having a date. So find others who will sit for you or trade sitting services.

If you live in or around a big city, you need to pick up one of these sweet Entertainment books made just for your area.

The book, when it comes out in November, costs around $27, but if you wait until late December, the price will drop drastically. I got mine for $17. If you get one now, you can get it for $17 PLUS get a $25 restaurant certificate. Man, I knew I should have waited...

The wonderful thing about this book is that although it seems like a lot to pay for a discount book, it's not. The book really pays for itself in the first use or two.

For example: Mr. Right and I love to go to the Japanese teppan restaurants. You know, where they cook the food in front of you, dinner takes at least an hour and it is highly entertaining with the knives twirling, the flaming volcano singes your brows and shrimp is flying towards your mouth so that you can do a famous impression of a seal. But these places are always out of our price range for a date because we can't afford to spend $50 for a date, even a special one.

However, with the buy one meal, get one free deal in the book, we can usually get out under $25 for the both of us. $25 is a lot for us, but it makes those special nights - like Valentine's dates or birthday dates possible.

They have tons of coupons for the "cheap" dates too.

• Cold Stone Creamery - buy one cone, get one free
• Baskin Robbins - buy one sundae, get one free
• Subway - buy one sandwich, get one free
• Coffee Roaster Cafe - buy one menu item, get one free
• Donut King - 50% off donut purchase
• IHOP - Buy one dinner, get one free
• Korma Sutra - buy one entree, get one free
• China King - 2-for-1 lunch or dinner
• Mezzaluna - 2-for-1 dinner up to $16
• ShoGun Japanese Cuisine - 2-for-1 dinner up to $21
• The Melting Pot - 20% off the bill up to $25 off

And the best part about this book? Many of the coupons are reprintable online, so you can go back to a place you like time and time again with the discounts.

And the book is not limited to just food. They have coupons for bowling, arcades, skating, museums, symphonies, area sporting events and fun places like lazer tag and putt putt golf courses. You can even send in for discounted movie tickets. It really is a book that gives you a variety of choices in which to partake.

Our problem will be in trying to narrow down to a single place...

So this is how Mr. Right and I are going to stay out of the bookstore for a while... I bought the book as his gift for Valentine's Day, but of course I gave it to him the moment it arrived. We used it on our last date. And a good time was had by all.

So now it's your turn. Sign in and please link the actual post to Mr. Linky, not your blog site.

And thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for saving us from the bookstore humdrum we seem to have fallen into of late. Both myself and my wallet thank you immensely!