It's no secret that the struggling economy has hit African Americans especially hard, with high unemployment and disproportionate job losses. So aiming to save a few pennies in any area of life is understandable and perhaps even admirable. Right?
Even when dating.
Right?
Of course, things tend to get a bit touchier in this realm. Terence Turner was invited by The Frugalista to discuss why he would use a coupon. The "Frugalisto" says he takes after his mother, who could "stretch a dollar like taffy," and will use a coupon to buy a woman dinner "without shame." The key to combining romance and cost cutting, he says, is to avoid making a spectacle. Turner's proposed game plan is as follows:
1. Know the terms of the coupon.
2. Don't force your date to eat according to that coupon. If you and her are "cool" like that, let her know you have the coupon in the first place. Might make your job a whole lot easier.
3. If you need to use the coupon, excuse yourself from the table after you order and say you have to go to the bathroom. Find the server and handle your transaction that way. That covert way would make James Bond real proud.
We're guessing that whether it's the first or the 50th date (along with about a zillion other factors) might affect the success of this approach. Let us know what you think in the comments, and take the "Is it ever OK to use a coupon on date?" survey over at The Root DC.
Read more at The Frugalista.
In other news: Saving Troy Davis' Life: NAACP Speaks Out.