There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing two people fall hopelessly in love with one another. From when they initially lock eyes from across the room, to the wonderful moment where they finally say their “I dos,” finding relationship bliss is oftentimes the goal of many people. It’s hard to put a price on love, but the unfortunate truth is, dating does come at a price.

While many people can and do develop lasting relationships without spending a single penny, it seems all but impossible in today’s expensive world. Nevertheless, if you’re looking to find your soulmate — but you’re not interested in breaking the bank in doing so — then you may need to look at alternatives. Here are five essential money-saving tips to help you court your crush, without getting crushed with debt.

Visit Your Local Farmer’s Market

When most people think of a farmer’s market, they tend to think of rows after rows of fresh produce, stacked high on a cart, while the proud farmer stands in front of it. What they don’t realize is that a farmer’s market is so much more than an affordable way to stretch your produce budget. It’s also a great way to check out local vendors and sneak in a little bit of people watching, too.

Not only are farmer’s markets oh-so-much more affordable than shopping at your grocery store, but many farmers also offer free samples of their fresh produce or baked goods. Near the end of the day, they’re all but giving away their leftovers, meaning you can walk out with pounds of delicious, organic food for an impressively low price. Helping your local economy and having a great time is just another perk of it.

Spend a Day at the Library

If there’s one underappreciated resource in your community, it would have to be your library. Your city’s library is an incredible resource for not only books, but a myriad of other things you can check out, too. Did you know that some libraries let you check out recently released movies (hello free date night!) and even tools (if you got bitten by a crafting bug)?

Plus, there’s something remarkably intimate about spending a day with your partner at your library. Sitting side by side, your shoulders touching as you turn the pages of a riveting book, is a fantastic way to destress and unwind. Even better, when you get home, you can discuss the book you were reading. And you guessed it… great conversation is always free.

Take Your Date On a Picnic

Many of your town’s parks are free to get into, making this an incredibly affordable date. If you’re strapped for cash, you can always check out your local food banks, as they are often giving away household staples such as bread, fresh produce, and protein. Simply load up a basket (or reusable canvas bag) with some of your favorite seasonal produce and finger foods, then head to the park.

Once there, all you need to do is find yourself the perfect spot, spread out your blanket, and unpack your lunch. When you finish eating, please be sure to pack up your waste and properly recycle or dispose of it. If the park has a duck pond, you can head on over and feed the ducks. But don’t feed them bread, as that can be harmful to them. Instead, throw some oats, rice, or even corn (all affordable and waterfowl safe!).

Give Back With Volunteering

Sometimes, the best way you can connect with your partner is not by doing something for yourself, but rather, for someone else. Giving back to your community is not only free, but it’s also surprisingly rewarding, too. Many communities are in great need of an extra set of helping hands, and bonding with your date over volunteering can both strengthen your relationship and your bond with your neighborhood.

There are a number of ways you can give back, too. For instance, you can spend a day at your local food bank (a wonderful way to thank them for feeding you when you were down on your luck) or working with a homeless outreach program. If you’re an animal lover, you can reach out to your local animal shelter and offer to walk dogs, or you can assist your local senior services. No matter what you do, you’ll be sure to feel incredible while doing so.

Enjoy a Nature Hike

You don’t have to be a fitness buff to take part in a nature hike. Many of your community’s trails are open to all levels of fitness, ranging from the beginner to the more intermediate and advanced. All you need is a pair of good walking shoes, some water (in a reusable bottle, of course), and enough snacks to keep your energy up. Rather than spending the time chatting, instead, focus on the beauty surrounding you.

Most local parks and trails are free to enter, as well. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, why not pack a recyclable bag and some heavy-duty gloves, and do a little bit of clean-up while there? That way, you can make sure you’re preserving the splendor of nature for any other travelers who decide to go that route in the future. You’ll make good memories and do good at the same time.

Final Thoughts

Establishing healthy spending habits, and setting a budget, can help set you up for both relationship and financial happiness in the future. If you find you need an affordable accountant to help you do so, the small initial investment can be more than worth it. Finding a budget accountant can be a breeze, as well, as a quick search through your city’s local marketing for accounting firms can readily put you in touch with a low-cost financial expert.

Like the old adage goes, the couple that saves together stays together. By demonstrating early on that you don’t need to spend an exorbitant amount of money early on in your relationship, you can quickly learn that money doesn’t always equal happiness. And by following these five fun, easy, and affordable dating tips, you can help ensure you and your partner enjoy many long, blissful years together!

By the time you realize you need a lawyer, it is often too late. It might be difficult to find a good lawyer at the last minute. That is why people with means often have a family lawyer on retainer at all times. No one calls an attorney without good reason, they are much like first responders. They are the people you hope you will never have to work with. When you do end up encountering them, it is often a desperate situation where you feel hopeless and afraid. You are definitely not coming at it from a position of strength.

The better way to deal with life’s stickier issues is in advance. Like insurance, you never want to use it. But you also never want to be without it. When the worst happens, you just want to know that you are covered. Even so, there are some situations that aren’t amenable to prior preparation. You just have to hang on tight and hope for the best. Here are a few situations where you can do a little better:

Foreclosure

You do not buy a house or rent an apartment expecting foreclosure in your future. But you are also not setting yourself up for success if you don’t have a plan for what happens if you lose your job and find that you can’t make your payment. You need to know answers to questions like, how does foreclosure work. No one saw the pandemic coming. People who thought they were rent stable found themselves on the wrong end of foreclosure notices.

You can start by educating yourself on the options you have if you one day find yourself in arrears. The first thing you should know is that you actually have options. The second thing you should know is that for best results, those options should go through a law firm with experience in such matters. This is not the moment to play Yellow Pages roulette. You need to know who to call before the first notices start arriving. If you have the kind of health insurance that supplements your income when you suffer injury, that can get you by with most of your bills. When those supplemental checks come, don’t breathe a sigh of relief. Move to the next phase and speak to an attorney about what happens next.

A Living Will

There are good reasons why you need a will even if you’re broke. One of those reasons is that there is more than one kind of will. It is not just a way to legally arrange for who gets your goldfish after you pass. It is also a way of letting people know what your wishes are in the event you find yourself in the need of hard medical choices that you are not able to make at the time.

All hospitals ask you if you have a living will. Unfortunately, this usually comes less than an hour before they give you the gas. If something goes wrong on the operating table, you need to be clear about DNR directives, organ donation, and the like. You do not want your distraught family to have to make a snap judgement in the moment when they are at their emotional worst. That is why you should have a living will or advanced directive made while you are at your emotional best.

Prenuptial Agreement

A prenuptial agreement, commonly known as a prenup, is a legal contract created by two individuals before marriage. It outlines the division of assets, debts, and financial responsibilities in the event of divorce or separation. Prenups can address issues such as property rights, spousal support, and inheritance, helping to clarify expectations and protect both parties’ interests.

Everyone knows that money problems can ruin a marriage. What you might not know is that money can also ruin a divorce. If you have a lot of money or are planning to have a lot of money, you might want to have a serious, adult conversation about what happens to that money, taxes, and assets if something happens to the marriage. It is not a strictly negative thing. You don’t want to leave important matters like the care of your children to the vagaries of a judge who is operating on little sleep and a bad burrito for lunch. Make amicable arrangements while both parties are still amicable.

Big investors are not always big spenders. They tend to cultivate more careful and measured spending habits. No one ever got rich by wildly spending money. One of the secrets to remaining wealthy is not to blow your wealth on things that don’t increase your wealth. Some of the wealthiest people in the world are also some of the cheapest cheapskates. But don’t judge them too harshly. There is a method to their madness that often whizzes right over the head of people who have been broke all their lives. It is a lot easier to go from rich to broke than it is from broke to rich. The rich are all too aware of that.

One of the reasons the poor stay poor is in many cases, they cannot differentiate between spending and investing. This is more than mere semantics. The poor work for money. The rich have their money work for them. It is not a magic trick. One of the reasons the rich get richer is because they put their money to work the moment it comes into their possession. Everyone can invest. Here is how to know when you are spending rather than investing:

Nothing You Have Appreciates in Value

It is a well established fact that Macs hold their resale value a lot better than Windows PCs. However, they will almost never increase in value unless they were signed by Steve Jobs. You might consider a computer an investment if used to make money. But typically, computers are not investments. They don’t appreciate in value.

You know you are spending if your home is cluttered with things that depreciate rather than appreciate. Instead of looking to pour thousands into more gadgets you don’t need, why not seek out original art for sale? Not only will you be able to add timeless beauty to your home, you will have an asset that traditionally increases in value over time.

As a collector of art, you might have some pieces that have middling value right now. Perhaps you spent a little at a yard sale and got lucky. Here is where you need to be careful not to think like a spender. If you have something of value right now, hang onto it while it gains real value for later. Try to maintain at least one thing that tends to increase in value.

You Buy Expensive Things on Impulse

If you really want to go broke, continue making expensive purchases on impulse rather than taking the time to do some proper research and soul-searching. Good investments aren’t made lightly or quickly. Bad spending happens in the blink of an eye.

Emotional spending is the death of a good budget. You are cold sober when making your budget. But spending can be like a drunken high. At the moment of decision, you can come up with all kinds of reasons why your budget was overly conservative and why you really can afford that thing you suddenly want so much. Investors keep a level head when forking over large amounts of cash.

You Don’t Know Where All Your Money Is Going

Everyone has had that moment near the end of the month when they could have sworn they had more money in the bank than their balance suggests. This happens to some people every month. They blame the spouse, the bank, and even the dog. They are spenders not investors.

An investor knows where every penny is going at all times. They know, or can quickly determine how every investment is doing, which are performing as expected, and which are underperforming. They are not confused about their money even when an investment fails to pay off. And they never blame their spouse for decisions they made in the heat of the moment.

Which type of person are you? Do you have items that tend to increase or decrease in value? Do you make quick decisions on big-ticket items or take the time to get some perspective? Finally, are you confused about where your money is going or do you have a clear picture of your finances? It is never too late to transform yourself from a spender into an investor. Start taking on that investor mindset today.