Now, dating can be a mite bit expensive like buying a tux for the second grade prom or renting a limo for a night at the drive-in. Yes, I long for the good old days when I was a kid earning ten cents a day for heavy grunt labor like planting the corn or picking the beans. Do my grandkids need weekly allowances that easily exceed the monthly paychecks I got once I found useful work? Do dates have to be painfully expensive? Not really. Consider these suggestions on how to get by. As a senior, there's no real need for blowing your retirement check on one single date.
* Go for a stroll in the park. In the Fall, the flowers are still blooming, the birds are still chirping and the weather's just right. As a bonus, good walks will help you check on the health of your dates. If they start huffing and puffing after meandering less than ten yards, they might be coming down with walking anemia or galloping consumption.
* Watch TV together. That way you can evaluate whether your date can tolerate sports. Don't let down your guard, though. On the first three or four dates it's ungentlemanly to take off your shoes before she takes off hers. That rule even applies in front of the tube.
* Attend exciting sports events. Little League games being played by our grandkids are normally free -- especially if you can pass off as parents. If there isn't enough excitement on the field, there is bound to be in the stands. Some parent wanting his kid to get more playing time is sure to create a bloodletting riot.
* When you start getting serious, consider museums. There, you start getting into big money. Some cost over a buck. Still, you can kill a full day at a museum or zoo as long as you bring your own popcorn along. If walking causes too much fatigue, borrow a walker or wheelchair. They're normally free. Just ask.
* Going for little short rides won't bust your budget. Long rides should be avoided, however, unless you have an inheritance. As you probably already know, gasoline is starting to cost more than shoe leather and cell phones often fail you when you are out in the sticks. Besides, why spend money on cell phones. It's cheaper to stay in the area. Then, in an emergency, you can always walk home.
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