Although it is fun to go on dates, whether that be with a significant other or a new person, going out with someone during this economy can be pricey.

The website “The Globe and Mail” states that majority of dating centers around a meal, which is one of the things in this economy that has raised its prices the most.

The cost of dating can be especially hard in this economy for a teenager working a minimum wage job. As prices are rising, minimum wage remains the same. It is difficult to afford expensive dates with a significant other or new interest when everything seems to have raised its prices.

Sometimes my boyfriend and I cannot always afford to go to restaurants and cook meals at home for dates. Some ways we keep dating fun and inexpensive is writing each other cute notes, hanging out with him while he skateboards, listening to music, getting coffee, going on walks, and going thrifting together.

Dating doesn’t have to always be expensive; sometimes it can even be free. One of the most romantic dates you can have with another person can involve writing love letters.

Writing love letters is timeless. It was a romantic gesture years ago, and it still remains romantic — maybe even more romantic now as most people today would rather send a sweet text rather than composing a handwritten romantic love letter.

While being in a long-term relationship, dating starts to become less of a priority. This is because the longer you spend with someone, the more you start to become appreciative of the individual as a person rather than the fancy and expensive dates often found during a relationship’s early stages.

Dating or going out doesn’t have to be a priority when you are with someone who would rather spend quality time with you as a person rather than taking you to a fancy dinner every weekend.

It is important that when finding a significant other, you find someone who appreciates you as a person while being able to take you on dates once in a while without idealizing expensive restaurants and materialistic items to please you.

According to Cleveland.com, the average cost of one date night in America is around $159. To some people, this number seems small and almost nothing, but for others, this number seems almost impossible to spend all at once.

Considering those who cannot afford $159 dates every weekend, there are much cheaper alternatives that are still fun to do on a date.

Some of these ideas include trying a new food truck, writing each other love letters, visiting an animal shelter, having a picnic, visiting a museum, going thrifting together, going stargazing, and baking cookies together.

With prices rising, there are much cheaper and some free alternatives that are much more inexpensive than going to a fancy restaurant that can be just as fun.

The cost of dating has immensely gone up, but with the right person, dating doesn’t have to be expensive.