Kryptonite is to Superman :: Women are to our Wallets

I chased. She cashed. I withdrew. Then I finally, mustard up the courage to approach and ask her out on a date. She accidently said, "Yes." Now what?

Many people are so divided about who should pay for what when dating. Some of my friends and I have these rules of thumb:

1. First date (aka Free Meal for her) the man pays.
2. Second date (she should make an half-hearted attempt to pay).
3. Third date if you've made it that far begin splitting the bill.
4. Whoever asks pays either way.

Note: Some just do whatever feels natural when the check comes. Funny, how we don't consider what the total of the bill will be until after the bill finally does arrive in that fancy black book. Dine and dash anyone?

Top 10: (Dating Ideas)
1. Grab a drink (coffee, espresso, alcholic).
Cheap. Emphasize is on conversation in order to get to know one another, without breaking the bank on Date 1.

2. the Beach.
Perfect way to enjoy the sun, show off your new swimsuit, and the closest way to see her almost naked. And if all else fails, there is still enough eye candy to keep you busy.

3. Amusement Parks (like Great America or Six Flags).
Even if amusement parks are generally aimed at the younger crowd, who says that grown adults can't engage in some childish fun? Win her a big ol' teddy bear that you'll have to lug around, and have chucked in the trash when she gets home.

4. Fancy Resturant like In-N-Out (that will surely impress her).

5. Catch a Movie.
No longer considered a cheap date like when our parents were dating.

6. Go-Kart Racing.
Why not test her driving skills? F1 karting is an exciting and fairly cheap way to test her road abilities and take her for a ride. You can pretend that you're Dale Heart Jr (just don't crash into a wall)!

7. Attend a Sports Game (baseball, football, hockey, etc).

8. Stroll through an Art Museum.
Who doesn't like white paint on white canvas or paint by numbers?

9. Concert.
Loud music and screaming people might be an alternative.

9.5. Putt, Putt (aka Golfland or Boomers!).
If you can't tell the difference between a wedge and an iron, maybe miniature golf is the way to go. A cheap and fairly easy "sport," it allows for some physical contact when you have to give her a crash course on how to hold the putter. I tend to yell out "Go in the hole" each time I putt.

10. Billiards.
Object of this game is to get the balls in the hole. I like putting things in holes. You can raise the stakes by saying, "Whoever loses the game must cook supper for the other." And just like that, you've scored yourself a second date.

Bottom Line: Dating should be fun. A meaningful pursuit and be yourself. Although, these dating suggestions are simply a result of my own meandering experience in the dating field, there are many more possibilities that I haven't mentioned.

First dates. Love them or hate them? Ring in.