Love in an Age of Recession means never having to say you’re cheap, according to dating and dining experts.
“It’s a great time to actually start learning how to be creative again when you’re dating, especially on a budget. And now, almost everyone is,” said Match.com relationship insider Whitney Casey, citing a spike in traffic to Match’s new “dating on a dime” Web page.
Casey urges altruism as a dating strategy.
“Maybe you want to take a date to a black-tie dinner but can’t afford a $150 ticket,” she said. “Get on a volunteer committee - after you put in a certain number of hours, sometimes you can get free tickets.”
Volunteering is a great way to find that special someone, too, Casey said.
“Get out there and help clean up or stuff envelopes at Habitat for Humanity-type things,” she said. “It makes you feel better, plus you could meet somebody there.”
Posh eateries are getting in on the cheap-date action. For example, just because you’re a po’boy doesn’t mean your date can’t eat one. The dish is one of five items on swanky Sel de la Terre’s weeknight French Quarter $5 menu, making it an ideal date spot for singles with just a few singles in their wallet, says Christine Liu, Boston editor of 3buckbites.com.
“The place is just ridiculous, fantastic, savvy, supermodern and new, and you can charm the pants off anyone there for like $5,” Liu said.
And some of Boston’s other high-end restaurants, including Rialto, 33 Restaurant & Lounge and 28 Degrees, are catering to those on a budget, offering the aphrodisiacal oyster for $1, in addition to other culinary delights that go way beyond the fast-food dollar menu.
“I think a lot of restaurants have altered their menus to accommodate for smaller budgets,” said Leigh Vincola of Bostonchefs.com. “The Bargain Bites piece of our Web site gets a lot of traffic and is certainly conducive to a date night out.”
Want a less-expensive variation on the standard candy and flowers? Get out and explore Somerville’s Taza Chocolate company on an interactive tour this Saturday.
“We are very excited about our upcoming open house and actually have been told by a few people how it’s a great meet-up place and ice-breaker for first dates,” said Taza co-founder Alex Whitmore. “Better yet, it’s unique and free.”
You don’t have to buy the flowers to stop and smell them at free guided tours at Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum. Geared toward adults, toures are held on the prime date days of Friday through Sunday (and the occasional Wednesday afternoon; check the schedule online).
Another of Casey’s favorite dating ideas is to bring suitors to book-signings, especially common in such college towns as Boston, where there often are university-sponsored events.
“There are readings and question-and-answer sessions and it’s completely free. Or you can grab a coffee there and sit and listen to the author talk and it’s like eight bucks,” Casey said. “Some of these authors are incredibly engaging.”
Casey said the best way of whittling a plethora of choices in metro markets is simple: “Pick up a newspaper,” then “study the other person’s (dating) profile” and narrow down your common interests. For instance, there are a number of free concerts as part of Boston Jazz Week, featured in The Edge section of the Herald this week. Or check out the Herald’s regular Cheap Thrills feature. Both can be found at at bostonherald.com/entertainment. With the onset of summer, there are also a number of free events around the Hub, listed soon at cityofboston.gov/parks.
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