Raised to be considerate of the feelings of others no matter how I feel about my date, I am always at the least cordial. Even in extreme scenarios such as aesthetic deception in a profile, addressed here. Unfortunately, cordiality has the potential to be mistaken for interest. Giving zero indication that a second date is necessary or desired does not necessarily reduce the threat of post date persistence. I firmly suggest that polite people everywhere prepare now for this inevitable outcome. Get inspired by the failing economy and take your method of rejection cues from the tone of your would be employers: Dear Applicant, thank you for your interest but we have decided to go in a different direction.

After a long day at work, I came home, poured myself a glass of wine, and turned on the television. Somehow I managed to become immersed in a breaking news story concerning lipstick and the economy. The reporter stated that lipstick sales have increased exponentially during this downward trend in the economy. She went on to say that when money is tight; women tend to spend more on lipstick than any other beauty product. Her best guess was that women feel better when they look brighter. This got me thinking, “How does one date to impress in this economy? Does dating have to be expensive? Have we become so accustom to fine dining, valet parking, and upscale lounges that we have forgotten what dating is really about?
 
I know that for myself, the economy has definitely made an impact on my spending habits. I’m going to venture to guess that the economy has affected other people’s dating habits as well. After the breaking news story concerning lipstick, I called one of my girlfriends, who happens to be single, and asked her if she thought that the economy was hindering her dating life. She replied with a great big “YES!” We began to brainstorm less expensive ways to date. Here’s what we came up with:
 
• Picnics
• Visiting local museums
• Hiking, bike-riding, skating
• Sight-seeing at local spots
• Coffee houses
• Community theater performances
• Farmers markets
• Check your city’s website for free or low cost         events

Become creative. Think outside of the box and communicate with your date. There are no rules about what is right or wrong when it comes to what should or should not be part of a date.  Use this downward trend in the economy to get back to basics. Keep in mind that dating isn’t about where you go; it’s about who you go with.