No or low cost date ideas,

[chaska]

Yes, DU gets another glimpse into my personal life. As if anyone cared, or even recognizes my name, for that matter (not that I love you guys any less :^). I haven't exactly been a fixture around here, especially lately.

Anyhoo....

So despite my best efforts, I met this girl while doing my regular evening walk on the popular moutain trail near my house. We've spent a couple of evenings on the moutain talking (till midnight Friday night!). So we're becoming friends, and I think the interest is there for more than that. Problem is - and I've been very upfront about this - I'm unemployed (so is she). I'm at a complete loss as to what to do date-wise. I normally would go the dinner and movie route, but I just can't afford that. And to make matters worse I'm new here in California and I don't really know much about what happens here. So I throw it out to you guys. You've never failed me before.

I considered a picnic in the park (don't women usually suggest those though?), and a bike date so far. And there's first Thursdays at the art museums. What else? Help me!!!

[GOPisEvil]

1. You could cook dinner for her.

Nothing fancy. Most women will appreciate the effort. Then you could pop in a DVD or VHS. There ya go - dinner and a movie. :-)

[billybob537]

2. PIC NIC by the river/lake

Or maybe a Kerry rally.

[Kolesar]

3. Kerry / Edwards phone bank for the evening?

[chaska]

7. LOL, that sounds like fun ... or not. We are both Dems though.

No smokers, no drugs, no pugs. Check, check and check.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

4. Do you have free summer concerts in the park?

I would pack a gourmet picnic basket with a bottle of wine if she drinks beer take beer that way you don't look cheap or underfunded.

You can make a decent picnic basket up on your own.

Brie cheese, apple slices, grapes, nuts, small dinner rolls or gourmet crackers and a decent wine or beer.

End the date with a stop at an Ice Cream shop for a dish of ice cream with two spoons.

Old fashioned memorable kind of date.

[flamingyouth]

13. I vote for this option

That would really appeal to me.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

14. I am a romantic at heart

Sounds like you are one as well.

[chaska]

5. Oh that's another thing.... (I'm so pathetic).

Neither of us has a house to ourselves. I live with a house full of roomates. She actually lives in another town an hour away (with a roomate). But her mom lives here. She's thinking of moving back here.

We're supposed to get together at her mom's, so I can show her how to do ebay listings. It would be nice to have some ideas to follow up from there.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

9. What do you sell on eBay?

What does she like to do and what do you like to do?

[yardwork]

6. Dinner and a movie is highly overrated, anyway.

When you want to get to know somebody, sitting next to them in the dark in the middle of a theater full of dozens of other people watching huge moving pictures with a loud soundtrack is not ideal.

Dinners can feel overly formal and make people nervous.

So you're in luck! The things you can afford to do are actually the best things to do on early dates. Walking, talking, museums, home-cooked meals (doesn't have to be dinner, either - can be dessert, midnight snack, brunch, high tea, whatever), window shopping, visiting used bookstores, biking, hiking, going to the beach, etc. are all ideal ways to get to know somebody.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to show somebody that you care, either. A single flower stem, a paperback book you think she would enjoy, a single chocolate truffle, homemade lasagna - these are all nice ways to show that you care.

[wtmusic]

8. Wild sex n/t

[chaska]

10. (points to nose) LOL

[mdmc]

11. walk on the mountain trail

you guys go there anyway!

Poor people hang out.

[Kali]

12. museums, art galleries, zoo...

picnics anywhere, afternoon drive if you can afford gas/have a vehicle, you can often do really weird tours for cheap at strange places - think grade school field trips - bakery, brewery, water treatmant plant, airport, weird local tourist attraction that no local would be caught dead at,...these things are strange but kinda fun, educational and .... memorable

If you in a rural area sometimes there are farmers or ranchers that love to show urban folks around...might take a little work to find but that's another possibility...

As for little gifts - books, already mentioned - do you cook or bake? any sort of thing you like to do personally? a craft or some such - you said something to do with e-bay - so computer related? make a special greeting or something whe can find...

[AlCzervik]

15. What part of CA, that would help.

[chaska]

16. Thanks ya'll, ya got my brain juices flowing now. But keep 'em coming.

I'm going to head up the mountain now, and think on it a bit. Maybe I'll run into her again tonight. Who knows.

[Ivan Sputnik]

17. You must have a car

if you live in California. How about a scenic drive?

[Mara Steele]

18. I think the picnic sounds great!

Hi chaska, m-jean03 here.

When I dated guys, the ones I "fell for" were the sensitive naturist types... Well actually there was only one I really thought I "fell for", because he was as gentle as a woman... but that's another story altogether...

Anyway... Most women, not just lesbians, love picnics... And biking, yes. Go for it!

Try cooking dinner for her at your house... I'm sure she'd swoon... Have a little wine, a favorite CD or record...

These are all things I would love to do or have proposed to me...

Good luck with the girl! May it truly be a "summer of love". :hi:

[Nay]

19. How about an art date on the mountain?

I'd love it if a guy would bike with me, find a beautiful place with something really scenic, and we stayed for the afternoon and sketched the scenery. Even if you aren't an artist, this is fun! and you can sign your drawing/painting and give it to her, and she can give hers to you, as a memento of the day.

Swoon, swoon. That would work for me.