Cheap Dates by Rebecca Jamison

I am so excited to have Rebecca Jamison do a guest blog post today at WV Stitcher.With so many of us on a tight budget and Valentine's Day right around the corner she is going to give us some ideas for cheap but meaningful dates.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Back in the days before the recession, a cheap date was a very, very bad thing.  Funny how things change, isn’t it?  Now I hear people tell me that they can’t afford to date at all.  So many people have the expectation that a date has to be elaborate and expensive.  That’s one of the myths of dating that I try to dispel in my book, Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                A cheap date can be a good thing, especially if you’re on a tight budget.  Here are some of my favorite cheap dates:                                  Go for a walk—I like to walk in historic neighborhoods, neighborhoods I haven’t visited before, beautiful gardens, beaches, woods, and parks.  But I’m okay going to an indoor track if the weather’s bad.  The best part of going on a walk with your date is that it gives you a chance to talk.

Teach your date a new skill—If your date has a skill you’d like to learn or vice versa, plan a lesson.  How about learning or teaching how to cook a special meal, do a home repair, or play a new sport?

Photo Session—Photography is one of the only things that’s gotten less expensive in this decade.  Take a camera along with you to some beautiful settings and see if you can get some good pictures of each other.  Better yet, take along a tripod to snap pictures of the two of you together.  The best times for outdoor photography are in the morning right after the sun rises and in the evening right before the sun sets.

Free concert—If you live near a city, chances are you can find a few free concerts to attend every year.  Most of these take place in public parks during the summer months, but there are usually a few in the winter too.  Just do a google search for “free concerts” along with the name of your city and the current month and year.

Potluck Party—It’s fun to get together with friends for a meal when everyone brings something to share.  This can be the traditional barbeque where everyone brings their own meat and a side dish.  Or you can plan something different like a chili cook-off or a pasta party.

Volunteer—If your date is game for it, volunteering together can be fun and rewarding.  Some options are to visit the residents in a nursing home, walk dogs for an animal shelter, or serve food at a soup kitchen.

Watch a movie—Sometimes it’s fun to just sit around and be entertained.  I like to check out dvds for free from my local library.  If you prefer a theater experience, do a google search for discount or dollar theaters in your area.

Play a game—Chances are you have a few board games, cards, or puzzles lying around at home that you haven’t used in a while.

What’s your favorite cheap date?

About Ms. Jamison:


Rebecca Jamison met her husband on a blind date. His first words to her were, "Do you want to get together and play spin the bottle?"(He was trying to avoid another bad blind date, but she went out with him anyway.) Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca and her husband have six children. She enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com

Book Summary for Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale

When Anne broke off her engagement seven years ago, she thought she’d never see Neil Wentworth again. But when Neil’s brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store. Anne is unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that come when Neil returns and starts dating her younger friend.

Convinced that Neil could no longer have strong feelings for her, Anne pushes away all thoughts of the past. But when the handsome man she’s been dating decides he can’t live without her, Anne must come to terms with her past.

Fans of Jane Austen’s Persuasion will enjoy this modern version of her most romantic story.

Price: $15.99

Number of pages: 240 pages

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Bonneville Books (Cedar Fort)

Release Date: Feb 7, 2012

To purchase a copy of this book click here.

Blog: www.rebeccahjamison.com

To follow Ms. Jamison on Facebook click here.

To follow along on the Cedar Fort Blog Tour click here.