Meeting each other for the first time... I need ADVICE!!!

[americanman123]

I’ve been in a long distance relationship with Anastasia for 5 months now… we met through

an online matchmaking site. Things have been going well and in the span of 5 months,


we pretty much know what we need to know about each other, to be honest,


I think we already know too much. So, we agreed that it would be great to finally meet...


Now that it’s settled that we would meet, Anastasia will be coming to Arizona and spend


the valentine’s weeks with me. 2 whole weeks, I wonder if it’ll be enough.


I am really excited and I’ve been counting the days! But I need advice!!!


I want Anastasia to have fun and like this place… especially since, if things go well between us,


I plan to marry her and I want her to move and live here with me.


Any advice or tips to make her enjoy the 2 weeks with me in Arizona?


I really want things to go for the best. Help!

[Nicolas]

Dating doesn't have to cost a lot or cost anything. A date is just creating an opportunity to spend time with someone and get to know them. Try one of these dating ideas.


Museum or Art Gallery


A good date idea is a local Museum. Many often have free days. You can go to your big city museum webpage and check on that or find local city museums that you would never think to try. Be creative!
A great date idea is an Art Opening. I have been to some wonderful art exhibits. The best part is most offer wine or drinks and appetizers! You can snack, walk around, see some beautiful art or have something to make fun of later. Some openings even have live music. It can be an amazing date night for free.

You can find an event like this by searching your local paper, free papers at restaurants are great, Google galleries and libraries in your area and call and ask, check CraigsList.org in their events section and ask friends!

Enjoy the Park

A good date idea could be meeting at the park. You could enjoy a breeze on a bench and spend some time together. Don't forget to hit the swings.

A great date idea is to play some tennis or basketball. I realize not everyone is athletic, but even if you are terrible at it this could be fun. Just let go and laugh at yourself. If your partner knows more than you, let them teach you. You don't even have to play full blown basketball you can play the shooting game Horse or Pig. That's a game where one person stands still and shoots the ball, if they make it you have to try to shoot the ball from the same spot. If you miss you get a letter of the word HORSE or the word PIG (You pick a word depending on if you want a short game or longer one, choose PIG for the short game). It's like a live action game of hangman.

Go for a Walk

A good date idea is a walk. Meet at a local park, a great walking path or even one of your neighborhoods. It's great exercise and gives you lots of time to just talk with no pressure. If it doesn't go well at least you stretched your legs. You could even meet at an animal shelter and walk one of the dogs. Just call the shelter and ask if they allow that.

A great date idea is to go GeoCashing. GeoCashing is like high tech hide and seek using a gos to discover hidden boxes that are hidden along trails, in parks, in the woods, all over really. It gives you a goal, a destination and some fun.


Watch a Movie

A good date idea has always been to watch a movie. You can pick a movie you haven't seen yet, but I actually like to pick favorites that we both have seen a million times. I do the classics because then we don't miss parts and get lost when we end up talking or kissing through some of it. You can even do a theme movie. If it's a Christmas Story, then get out the little Christmas tree and grab those Santa hats for you both. Just get creative.

A great date idea is an outdoor movie. Grab or borrow a friend's portable DVD player or your laptop, get a blanket and find a spot in the yard or park and snuggle up. You can star gaze, get some fresh air and make it a date to remember.

Go For a Swim or Sledding

A good date idea is going for a swim or going sledding. Depending on the season both can be a lot of fun. For Swimming, find a friends pool or a great little beach to swim around, splash and dunk each other. For sledding ask any kid where the local hills are, bundle up and go have fun.

A great date idea. Find a quiet spot to take your date for swimming and go skinny dipping! Be brave.
Hit the Mall

A good date idea for a cool date would be to go to the mall. Sit on a bench, window shop, people watch and grab some free samples. You can see what their tastes are in clothing and jewelry. Get gift ideas if the relationship grows.

A great date idea for a free date would be to play text tag. We used to do this with pagers and voice mail when I was young. You find a spot in the mall and text them a hint to where you are. If you are sitting at the donut shop, text something like, "Your first hint is that Homer Simpson would love this place." If they don't find you with that hint your next clue could be, "Stereotypically police officers spend a lot of time here."

[Victoria]

Try one of these cheap date ideas, and if she pitches a fit, lose her.


Why do I feel so strongly about this?

Because it's not natural nor is it logical to demand constant gifts, money, dinners, etc. from someone you genuinely care about.

Deep down, even the most ruthless, gold-digging women know this. In fact, showering someone with too much attention and gifts will cause them to lose respect for you. Think: Spoiled Children.

You can give someone everything in the world, and they may still not come around.

I know that sounds harsh, but it's definitely true, so PLEASE internalize this, otherwise you'll lose a lot of money and time.

So if you're in the habit of spending tons of money to build a relationship, take some notes on some cheap date ideas:

Cheap Date Ideas - #1 - Hangout At Home

The cheapest and best cheap date idea is to hangout at home.

You should already have some food there, and if you have the internet at home, you have some recipes available. If you don't have either, learn how to cook a couple of things and stock up on some food.

You already have some type of entertainment there, too. If you're a younger, chances are you have at least one of the following items: stereo, TV, video game system, computer, board games.

I'm sure you can see that, with confidence, you could easily invite anyone over, break into conversation about something, and say that you know of something interesting or fun regarding any of the items above.

An interesting CD by a group or from a genre that you both enjoy or that neither of you have heard before. An interesting show on TV (though I'm not a great fan of sitting down and watching something, it usually limits conversation). An interesting or fun video game (if you're both into that thing or if they've never played it before). An interesting or funny video clip from online or a video clip that you made and put on your computer. An interesting or fun board game you ordered from online.

Simply tell them that you've been busy lately, invite them over to hangout for a while (whether you're alone or with friends) and tell them you've got some fun stuff to do/show them/etc.

Cheap Date Ideas - #2 - Local Events

Most cities have newspapers that describe the local events that will be going on the following week. Some cities may even have websites that do. Be observant for the next week or so, and try to find a paper that details some local events.

Some movie rental stores, Wal-Marts, Malls, etc have stands where you can get free periodicals, so keep an eye out.

When you find something that looks interesting, mention it to your friend, and then go there. Often they're free or cheap.

Cheap Date Ideas - #3 - The Park

Another cheap date idea is going to the park.

This is especially useful if you have a dog that you can take and walk while you're there, or if you go to the park often to jog or play sports.

Just tell them you're going and get them to meet you there or at your place.

Also, parks are a great cheap date idea because of the events and activities that often take place there. The one that I frequent has a swimming pool, jogging area, and lots of secluded areas. I'm sure you could take advantage of all of these things.

Cheap Date Ideas - #4 - Inexpensive Movie Options

I'm not really a fan of watching movies, especially at theatres, because this type of activity can be so passive (staring at a screen, being absolutely silent for 2 hours on end, and then trying to get back into the "vibe" of things).

However, if there's a movie that's interesting that neither of you have seen (or at least that they haven't seen), it can be a good idea at home.

So, after you know some things they're interested in, and you've exhausted other options, consider finding some reviews about some movies that your partner might be interested in and renting them.

Also, if you really know each other well, and you two have a good bond already, consider going to a small, local theatre. Often, they will offer cheaper movies in the day, and some cities even have theatres that offer shows for a couple bucks each.

Cheap Date Ideas - #5 - Coffee Dates

Coffee dates can be a fairly good cheap date idea as long as you set it up right.

The problem with them is that getting coffee is so casual but the idea of meeting up for coffee specifically as a date is a bit too formal (not because of price, but because of the environment).

The environment is actually a lot like a restaurant's. It's fine if you know the person well enough and you both have good enough conversation skills to engage each other for the entire time. If not, the environment could turn into one a lot like a dinner date, where two people sit across from each other staring blankly, grasping for things to say.


One way to get around this is to have a cool coffee maker or cappuccino machine at home. Ask them if they want some Starbucks, if they do, then get them to come over and you two can make some.

It's a lot easier just to begin from a comfortable place. Unfortunately, sometimes the other person will feel uneasy going to a more comfortable setting (like one of your houses) on a first date.

For this reason, a first date (more like meeting up) at a coffee shop with a couple friends involved will make breaking the ice a bit easier. From there, go to a different spot where you two can get a bit closer, or reschedule.

Hopefully these cheap date ideas were insightful for you. They are not just great to use because they're easier on the wallet, they are also great to use because they really allow you to get closer to your date because they're not draped in formality and awkwardness.


You'll learn much more about the person, and become closer to the person by using one of the cheap date ideas above over the more expensive options that average people choose.