How To Look Expensive On A Cheap Date

My friend Ken was recently introduced to a beautiful lady whom he hoped to impress on their first date. He thought the best way to impress her was to take her to a fancy restaurant strategically located on a pent house with a fantastic view of the ocean. His colleague had recommended there to him after visiting with her fiancé. On getting the menu, Ken’s suddenly felt sick in his stomach, a discomfort that had more to do with the price list. He quickly told the on looking waiter that all he wanted was a glass of water to the astonishment of his date. He explained that he was on a medication that didn’t allow him to eat late at night. Though unconvinced with his explanations, she went on to order her three course meal while he mentally did the math hoping that he had just about enough to pay.

Most people find themselves in such situations all in the bid to impress on the first date. But should spending so much money on a date determine how impressive a guy is on a lady? Aren’t there other ways of achieving that without spending so much? Take the case of Jite, who after several attempts finally got a nod for a date. Rather than take her to a fancy restaurant, he invited her over to his house for dinner. He says, he wanted her to see a side of him she didn’t expect. He had his dining beautifully laid out with candlelight’s and romantic dinner sets with soft music playing on the background. With his apron on, he went into the kitchen and made her a beautiful meal served with a tasty bottle of wine. All of this he says cost him less than N5,000. He opines by inviting her over and seeing him cook she felt a lot more relaxed and impressed. She in between gist looked through his pictures, books, games and array of CD collections which endeared her more towards him.

Chike, who isn’t so much of a good cook always had an eye for a good deal and so he snapped up an offer online for a dinner for two at a four star hotel of his choice in Lagos. The offer came with a 40% discount for a buffet, which ordinarily cost N5000 per person without drinks. With the coupon secured weeks before, he took his long sought after date to a posh restaurant. To ensure he enjoyed every bit of it, he made sure they both skipped lunch. They had intimate laughers as he wooed her to try out several dishes and deserts. With a buffet he is assured she had a variety of what to eat giving him room to display the right personal touch and make the right jokes that more than left a good impression on her.

Being expensive on a date has much to do with striking a good rapport and even less to do with how much money you spend. Rita, a customer service agent opines one of her best dates was a picnic at one of the private beaches in Lagos. She and her partner enjoy the unique blend of nature and romance and always looked forward to picnics by the beach or at any of the reserved parks in town. They cook their own food, buy their own drinks and only have to pay for private accommodation should they need one. She recalls each time they make that trip they got to resolve any emotional dispute that maybe weighing down on their relationship. It’s an experience that money can buy she claims.

Sola an undergraduate never has to worry much about going on an expensive date. With N3,000 he says, he gets a unique opportunity to spend 2 hours with his date at a cinema or arcade  amidst a relaxing, cheerful and entertaining environment. It’s paying less for more he claims as students don’t get to pay as much as others, yet he gets to enjoy a classy ambience filled with working class people who earn more than him. In a country with limited dating experiences, the cinema’s is popular destination for students and lower middle class earners. Another dating tip is to find out what your lady really likes to see. A lady who loves to sing will surely adore a date at a open mic session or a karaoke in one of the regular bars in Lagos. Most of the bars offer free sessions leaving only food and drink bills to worry about.

At the end of his much anticipated date, ken luckily escaped with the help of his ATM card as his bill was just about N2,000 more than the N10,000 cash he had with him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t escape with a boring night out as the uncertainty of what he was set to pay weighed down heavily on his mind and eventually on his ability to impress the lady. She enjoyed her dinner and thanked him for a night that didn’t just go as planned.