Is It Okay to Be Frugal on a Date?

My husband and I have been trying to save money when we eat out, so the other week, I purchased a groupon (a coupon for a restaurant purchased by a large number of people). Before I buy groupons, I generally read the comments. One struck me as funny. A man was writing about this particular restaurant and using the groupon on a date. He added, “and yes, I have dated her long enough to be able to use a groupon.”

The innuendo here is that trying to save money while on a date is a bad thing, and one can only do it after there is a certain level of intimacy and general knowledge of the other person. True, if I think back to my dating years, I would probably think it was a little strange if a man pulled out a coupon on one of the first dates, but, think about it, is that all bad? Here the man would be trying to treat the woman to a nice meal without skimping on quality.

I had a guy friend in grad school who was ridiculously cheap. He would only eat at Applebee’s, and only then when he could get the half price appetizers. He would instruct his dates to only eat from the appetizer menu. If he took a date to the dance club and ladies got in free, he would make the woman split his cover charge with him since she didn’t have to pay anything. Yes, that kind of behavior would be off putting.

However, if a guy wants to take a girl out for a nice meal and save money buy using a groupon, why do most people in society find that problematic? Potentially anyone you date could turn out to be your future spouse. Isn’t it better to date a guy who still wants to treat the lady to a nice meal without wasting a lot of money? He is not skimping on quality (unlike my friend), just on the price he has to pay. It seems that would be an attribute. I would like to know early on that a date is responsible with money.