Lifestyle

Alright, so many young professionals out there are so busy working they still haven't found that Mr. or Ms. Right. So, here are some date ideas for when you escape the office that won't break the bank (or leave your date wanting to break your kneecap). I've tried to throw in a few less traditional ones to spice things up:

1. Exercise together - We all can usually benefit from a workout partner, and what better way to spend time with someone you like than doing something that makes you both feel really good about yourselves?


2. Buy some Yellow Tail or Sangria and have a great conversation - If you like wine and don't want to spend too much money for something worth drinking, try the Yellow Tail. Otherwise, if you or your date prefers something sweeter, a little Sangria works just as well. And who knows, perhaps you can combine this with the next idea...


3. Make dinner (or breakfast!) together - I've done both and had a great time. It's funny how something so simple (or not) as food preparation can lead to good bonding and fun times.


4. Paint with watercolors - I had the chance to do this a couple weeks ago and had a blast making my first painting since elementary school. The water color kit was only about $8 from the local art store.


5. Take a walk - Relax a little, talk a little, get some exercise, and explore the city or country.


6. Visit a park - Like the last tip, this is a good place to relax and just spend time together.


7. Listen to each other's favorite songs - A big part of my life is music and I love sharing that with other people. Much of the music I love now was shown to me by friends, family, and the people I've been involved with. Give this one a try. You'll quickly findout if you were meant to be together!


8. Play a game - There are numerous video games and board games that can be played by two people and are a lot of fun.


9. Discover the library - The couple that learns together, stays together... that's how the saying goes, right?


10. Explore Youtube - I've enjoyed exploring the many humor videos, music videos, and more with that other person who shares my musical and comedic tastes.


11. Rent a movie - This one is always recommended by everyone, but it really is a great way to save money with the way movie tickets are priced these days. Besides, you can always snuggle up a lot better in front of your own TV.

So, there you have it-- 11 ideas for how you can do your next date on the cheap, but perhaps yet make it more interesting than just a normal night out to dinner, the movies, or a bar. Do you have any that I didn't recommend? Leave a comment and share it with everyone!

One of my blogs two weeks ago mentioned an article about renting vs buying and many of you showed interest in it. This week, I'm asking for those of you who have owned a house, own a house now, or are thinking about buying a house what advice do you have? Are you glad you went down the ownership road? Do you regret it? What say you!?

I liked my apartment, but they weren't fixing things they said they'd fix. How could I get what I wanted? I realized this wasn't a zero-sum game, we both could win-- I could get my apartment fixed, and they could retain a good renter who always pays on-time and doesn't cause them unneeded stress. I decided to try and achieve this by being nice...

A couple weeks ago I received notice from my apartment manager it was time to renew my lease for the 2nd year. I had decided not to buy a house yet and had been going along with the assumption I would stay where I was for at least another year. However, I realized there were some maintenance items I had been waiting for and began to wonder if they would ever be fixed. In the past, my initial reaction would have been to repeatedly call and bitch and moan to get results, but I hadn't the time nor desire to get bent out of shape and do so. I thought about what to do for a day and remembered a section I had read in Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends And Influence People about getting what you want by being nice: A drop of honey-- Begin in a friendly Way...

Read an interesting article by Jack Hough last month entitled Renting Makes More Financial Sense Than Homeownership...

"I HAVE SOMETHING un-American to confess: I rent an apartment, despite having enough money to buy a house. I plan to keep renting for as long as I can. I'm not just holding out for better prices. Renting will make me richer."

Hough goes on to list some reasons why investing in stocks makes more sense than buying a house. He also comments on some arguments against this idea:

• "You can't live in your stocks" or "Renters throw money down the drain."


• "House buyers get tax breaks."


• "What about the pride of home ownership?"


• "You seem to knock government housing subsidies, but they've helped many Americans afford homes."


• "Houses are bigger than apartments."


• "Are you saying I should sell my big house and rent an apartment instead?"


• "Renting is for poor people."


• "You say houses return zero. But I've made a fortune on my house in recent years."


• "So you're never going to buy a house? What about raising a family?"

I found his article intriguing and have to admit I'm currently holding off on buying anything myself, if only just because no one knows what's happening in Michigan right now.

Happened upon a good article by Ben Stein on Yahoo! Finance, Simple Pleasures Include Financial Security, that talks about keeping life simple. Whenever I catch myself or even some of my friends working hard to determine which brand of product to buy, I realize the objects we own really can tend to own us. Cars break, computers fail, bike tires pop, cell phones malfunction-- these all take time to deal with and adjust to, precious time that can add up and really effect our lives. In his article Stein, who makes a humorous quote from "his student" Ferris Bueller, talks about evaluating which of your possessions are freeing you to live a better lifestyle and which of them are enslaving you.