One of the best things about going to college is the amount of people that you meet when you get there. And when you meet a large number of people, you’re bound to meet many of the opposite sex . . . which, of course, inevitably leads to dating. Unfortunately, many of the traditional options, such as dinner and a movie, can be quite expensive. When you get a date, follow this guide to dating on a student’s budget.

The first way to make dating more financially feasible is to go on dates on weeknights instead of weekends. Activities are cheaper, and many restaurants and bars have weeknight specials. Because your date is (most likely) also a college student, they’ll understand and appreciate your reasoning for going out during the week. There are many websites that can assist you in your search for affordable weeknight dating: Minneapolis’s Thrifty Hipster is a good example. Look around your city and you’re bound to find a number of places that offer deals on weeknights.

Living in a college town has benefits for college daters: because the local businesses know that a lot of their business will come from students, you can often get special deals with your student ID. By showing your ID at your local pool hall or bowling alley, you may be able to get reduced prices. Many college towns also have second-run movie theatres that sell tickets for three or four dollars, and many bars have student nights, when cover charges are waived or drinks are cheaper. Your school’s website may have information on deals like these; if not, you can usually find them in local newspapers.

One of the more fun ways to be financially efficient when dating is to get creative. There are plenty of activities that aren’t very expensive that you can do with your date. Many cities have free concerts during the summer; heading down to a park to see one of these followed by stopping by a local bar is a lot cheaper than going out to dinner and then going to a concert. Winter can be a great time to get outside with your date; you can usually go ice skating for under $10, and sledding is free. Even if you have to go buy a sled, you’ll still probably spend less than $5. These provide great alternatives to things like skiing, which can be quite expensive. Local events websites are great sources for finding free and cheap dates.

When all else fails, look to the internet. Go to sites like Cheap Dating Ideas or just Google “cheap dates” and the name of your city or university. It’s more than likely that you’ll find a plethora of ideas. You’re certainly not the first person that’s dating on a student’s budget; take advantage of the wealth of information that others share on this topic. And if you come across a good free or cheap dating opportunity, post it online and share it with others!

As always, if you have any questions, comments or funny stories you'd like me to share about college or the blog, email me at stu@stuvu.com