Is It Tacky Using Coupons On A First Date?

[Broken Arrow]

Wow. That's a cheap date. Around here, you couldn't do a casual dinner and a movie for much under $50, and forget a nicer dinner, unless you mean $30/person.

I was shooting low.

[MonkeyMama]

Actually I disagree on the young people thing. I wouldn't be surprised if dh and I used coupons on our very first date - we were very poor in college. In that case maybe a little more understandable and acceptable.

I am not sure I would want to date anyone who found coupons tacky, though granted, if you hold off, maybe you can sell them eventually. Just depends on the person I guess...

[JBinKC]

I don't see any wrong answer because it really depends upon how you view life. What do you want to convey to the other party in the date? Since most people believe in Machievellian deception it probably would be viewed as a "tacky" maneuver.

The way I look at a first date it is nothing but a test (similar to a job interview) to see if you are a potential match. If the other party uses a coupon perhaps they are using it a test to screen out a potential "golddigger."

I think the best long term relationships start out as a mutual friendships that splits tabs equally in the beginning and you can use that as part of the screening process. If someone pays solely for a date they will want something in return. .

[fairy74]

The way I look at a first date it is nothing but a test (similar to a job interview) to see if you are a potential match. If the other party uses a coupon perhaps they are using it a test to screen out a potential "golddigger."

[/QUOTE]

Well said

[Aleta]

I agree that it isn't probably the best thing to do on a first date because everyone wants to make a good impression. But, like Fairy74 says it is one way of screening out golddiggers. People just need to be themselves and not worry about what everyone thinks unless you're just too overboard about something.

[baking23]

Frugalite that I am, I still think using coupons on the first date is dicey at best. I don't think I'd write a guy off for it if that were the only questionable thing he did, but I would raise a flag for me.

I don't date much even though I'm still in my 20's. It's pretty pitiful but I haven't been on a true date in over five years!! Something that is in my New Year's resolution to fix.

I don't think using a coupon would bother me, either way, since it would lead me to conclude that we might share some common values.

[pearlieq]

The way I look at a first date it is nothing but a test (similar to a job interview) to see if you are a potential match. If the other party uses a coupon perhaps they are using it a test to screen out a potential "golddigger."

Unfortunately at the same time I'm trying to screen out a "cheapskate".

Using a coupon can be a sign of sensible frugality or stingy miserliness. I don't know someone well enough on the first date to know which. Wanting to put my best foot forward, I wouldn't even want to invite the question.

[DebbieL]

I couldn't have said it better myself Pearlieq. I know if I asked someone out on a first date, I wouldn't use one. I don't think it's necessary to spend a fortune or anything. Go somewhere nice, but not outrageous. I am quite frugal (and certainly not a golddigger, lol), but I would not want someone to "coupon" a first date with me.

Someone also said if someone pays on a date they are expecting something in return. I haven't found that to be the case. Most don't think paying for dinner constitutes an agreement for sex that night. There are NICE guys out there who'll wait until the 2nd date, lol. I've never had anyone try to pressure me for sex by mentioning who paid for the date. There might be the odd jerk out there like that, but I don't think it's the norm.

[Broken Arrow]

Most don't think paying for dinner constitutes an agreement for sex that night. There are NICE guys out there who'll wait until the 2nd date, lol.

Eeeeexactly!

(Someone somewhere will probably read me wrong, so I just want to add that I was only joking. I don't really expect sex on the first or second date... although I wouldn't be opposed to it!)

[tinapbeana]

There are NICE guys out there who'll wait until the 2nd date, lol. I've never had anyone try to pressure me for sex by mentioning who paid for the date. There might be the odd jerk out there like that, but I don't think it's the norm.

i agree that most guys don't think of paying for the first date as getting sex in return that night.

with that said, i have gone out with someone who looked at me when the check came, grinned, and said "if i let you pay, that means i have to have sex with you right?" uuuuuugh..... not a good come-on line!

personally, i always went 'dutch' early on.

[Broken Arrow]

with that said, i have gone out with someone who looked at me when the check came, grinned, and said "if i let you pay, that means i have to have sex with you right?" uuuuuugh..... not a good come-on line!

Haha, I can't believe somebody actually said that....

*scratches that one-liner from his list*

[DebbieL]

That's kind of a cute one! I'd get a laugh over it anyways.

[pearlieq]

with that said, i have gone out with someone who looked at me when the check came, grinned, and said "if i let you pay, that means i have to have sex with you right?" uuuuuugh..... not a good come-on line!

Delivered by the right person and with a certain degree of charm, that would actually be funny and endearing.

Delivered by a creep that you were so desperate to get rid of that you skipped dessert, not so much...

[motherof1child]

Thats a funny question! Yes It would be very much a turn off to have him use a coupon on the first date. To me I would think I wasn't worth the money

[LivingAlmostLarge]

You know before DH I don't think I ever used a coupon with a date. Our first date was at a coffee shop. Second date we used a BOGO coupon from the entertainment book. For the rest of our lives (even now) we use the BOGO coupon whenever possible.

We love exploring new places to eat and a BOGO coupon makes it easier to go and not like it or love the place.

Now I was only 21 when I meet DH, but maybe it would have turned him off if I were older and said "let's use a coupon." I don't know, but now if a man did that on the first date, I'd be leery.

I'd actually prefer to just meet for coffee again and figure out if it's worth a second date instead of being stuck for a whole meal. I think the dinner thing is a lot of pressure.

And if a man used a coupon on the second date, I'd know he's a keeper. Definitely my style of man. Probably why I kept DH, moved in after 1 month, CC after 2 months, just all flowed. However if my kid does that...well hope for the best.