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Winning Date Ideas Without Shelling Out Tons of Green

By Sara Jamison

Is Billy starting to find his girlfriend too expensive? One of things that can break up a relationship is financial difficulties--dating can be expensive, but it depends on what you do. You can make a relationship fun without going broke, and still share time and interests with your "Honey!" Here are some great ideas on how to get together without diminishing your bank account!

Like the great outdoors? Weather beautiful? Take advantage of the awesome sunshine and spend a day outside! Grab some bikes or roller blades and speed around town all day, being sure to stop for a picnic lunch or to buy some ice cream at the local DQ.
Try something new. Always had this strange interest in putting together a model car? Stop at the local hobby shop and pick up some supplies (the sets run around $10, even cheaper) and you're guaranteed hours of entertainment glueing parts together and creating an automobile to call your own!
Take a walk around your neighborhood. Bring your dogs and share some great conversation. Communication is a big part in a relationship, and this is a great way to get to know your girlfriend/boyfriend even more than you think you knew them!
If you're holding onto a long distance relationship, a great way to keep communication costs down is through the Internet. Download AOL's Instant Messenger (www.aol.com) and keep in touch that way instead of through phone calls. Trust me, it's free, and supposedly (I haven't tried it yet) the newer version of AOL IM has voice chat. So...think about that.... =)
Spend an afternoon on the Playstation or Nintendo 64. Share some laughs as you whoop his butt in Super Mario Kart or put your heads together to solve those thought-provoking games!
Assemble a puzzle. You know, one of those detailed landscapes that it would take years to put together if you did it yourself! Shell out a couple bucks for about a week's worth of entertainment!
Go test drive a new car. Act like you're a newly married couple and play it up, and have fun driving the cars around town and dreaming that you owned one! This is one date that is sure to bring up laughs in the car on the way back home!
If you have younger kids in your family, either siblings or nieces or nephews, a fun thing to do is take them to the park. If there's one with sand, bring some toys and have them play in the sand while you and your date get a chance to talk. Swing on the swings, slide down the slide, and most of all, feel like a kid again!

These are just a few ideas for inexpensive dates. Go ahead and add YOUR great ideas in the discussion board, and share your creativity with other teens! And remember, dating doesn't have to be a burden!