Decisions About Your First Date
So you are one of the fortunate people who have been chatting online with someone great while browsing internet dating sites. You have been talking and enjoying one another's conversations for a few weeks and you both feel that it is time to meet to take the relationship to the next level. When planning your first date, how do you decide whether to meet for coffee or a drink or whether to meet for dinner?
More to the point, how are you going to decide who pays? Money can be a sore point for some people. Some divorce because of it, others argue about it nonstop, and friendships have been known to end because of it. It's such a touchy subject that ignites so many emotions. Dating should be fun, so how do you decide?
The answer depends on your comfort level with each other. If you feel talking about money would present an issue, then proceed with caution. Having said that, tradition says that men pay, at least initially. This approach sure makes things easier for both parties and allows you to get to know each other without having to raise the issue of money.
If things continue to go well and you end up in a relationship, then things naturally progress and a fair exchange usually results. Women are just as willing to pay for things as the men they date. However, before getting to that point, these might be a few things to consider.
1. Talk about when and where
This is important because you might want to meet at a certain time and he might be thinking about something totally different. For instance, as a woman you may feel more safe meeting during the day for lunch while he might enjoy the night life.
2. Where are you going to go?
Once you have decided what time of day you would like to meet, determine what it is you both would like to do? Are you interested in dinner, lunch, going to a museum or perhaps a movie?
3. What will you wear?
Where you decide to go will usually dictate what you're going to wear. A hike is going to require something totally different from dinner at a swanky French restaurant. You want to have the most comfortable first date possible, so don't over or under dress for the occasion.
You've decided the when, where and what. Now it's time to let nature take its course. Have fun getting to know each other, that's what first dates are all about. It's not mandatory to discuss who pays for what and there will always to time to bring it up during the date itself. Now relax, and remember to smile!
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