HOW TO DATE A HIGH-MAINTENANCE GIRL WITHOUT GOING BROKE

Who says high-maintenance women are superficial? Sure, they’re like sports cars—they’re fun, they look good, and they’re nice to show off while out on the town. Despite their good looks and high-quality standards, they also need a lot of work. Still, high-maintenance women aren’t all about fancy cars, designer clothes, jewelry, makeup, and everything high-end.

Before we start thinking about stereotypes and take out the “gold digger” card, think of high-maintenance women as women who merely have high standards, have lived those high standards, and expect those standards to be maintained.

There really is nothing wrong with women who spend a little more time to look good, are motivated by their own standards, who know what they want, and are driven to succeed. They may be challenging, but with the right approach, you can snag yourself a high-maintenance woman for keeps and have her take care of you just as well as she takes care of herself.

How to date a high-maintenance woman

If you want to date a high-maintenance woman without breaking the bank and being broke, pull off these budget-friendly tricks:

#1 Fine dining at home. You know she likes good food, but it doesn’t have to be pricey. Instead of taking her out to a fine-dining restaurant, why not make that Michelin-starred five-course dinner right in your own home?

Look up recipes on the internet, learn how to plate your food, and start grocery shopping *or make do with what’s already in your pantry*. Dress up in your finest suit, turn on her favorite love songs, light some candles to set the mood, and be her very own personal chef.

#2 Blockbuster movie night. You may not be able to give her the red carpet treatment to attend a star-studded premiere, but you can make stars—and the moon—be your audience as you take her on an outdoor movie night or even head to a drive-in. Pop out some popcorn or champagne, and she’ll definitely have a great time. It’s cheaper and way more romantic.

#3 Whisk her off to an island getaway. Online couponing sites have a plethora of deals to suit every occasion and location, so take advantage of this to save on your travel and accommodation costs. Plan a romantic trip months ahead, and you’ll be sure to save 50% to 75% on your costs. Ride off into the sunset with her on a private island, and she won’t know how much you’ve saved using your coupons.

#4 Take advantage of deals and coupons. Take a cue from #3, and subscribe to online coupon and deals sites to always be updated with the latest from merchants you both love, whether it is for out-of-town or out-of-the-country vacations, hotel staycations, wellness and facial treatments, or even short lessons you can do together. You can even go a step further and add in a gift you snagged via an online bargain.

#5 Do some research. Instead of whisking her off here and there, and to places you know she probably has gone to already, anyway, why not dig a little deeper and ask her friends about the things your high-maintenance lady love really likes? Although you might be afraid of trying something new, even if the new place has a lot of character, she isn’t going to mind if she truly loves the flavors.

Take her to a hole-in-the-wall Thai place, a newly-opened gourmet pizza joint, a modern gastropub, or an eclectic coffee shop, and see her eyes beam not because you took her somewhere expensive, but because you took the time to know what she likes.

#6 Go local. Check your community events for plays and other things that may interest her. You may not have enough to buy her tickets to concerts and theater plays, but you can take her out on a community theater’s take on Les Miserables or maybe even dance together while attending a concert of an up-and-coming local band.

#7 Stay home. Staying home is also a great option. Cook together, watch a movie, play board games, work out, or even teach each other a new hobby as an affordable way to go on a date; it can bring the two of you closer together.

She may be high-maintenance, but you can always try to stay out of the traditional date bandwagon, and give the two of you a great time in a comfortable place where you can both be yourselves and avoid the hassle of waiting in lines.

#8 Rein in some reinforcements. Do you have a friend who can give you a free pass to VIP seats at the hippest clubs? Do you have a cousin who can give you discount rates at her favorite shops, restaurants, hotels, and resorts? Do you have a bartender or waiter friend who can give you good tables and freebies? It’s time to take advantage of your connections and ring in some favors to your advantage—you may even impress your girl.

#9 Go historic. Whether you take her to a museum, an exhibit, an historical landmark, or even just show her something from your own family history, she will appreciate it if you share something that you hold dear. Even if it’s not all glitz and glamour, and the ancestral house you showed her is a tad too dusty, you can spend the rest of the day telling her your amazing family history, or just laugh your heads off at the funny-looking trinkets and the even-goofier tour guide.

#10 Give her a breath of fresh air. You may not have everything that she’s used to, but you can always keep her excited and delighted by giving things a fresh perspective with your own budget-friendly, yet thoughtful twist. Take her outdoors even if she’s not used to living only with the bare necessities. Who knows? She might end up enjoying it, after all.

Many people are intimidated by the idea of dating a high-maintenance woman. Perhaps it is because of the many misconceptions and stereotypes associated with the term. Marilyn Monroe, a self-professed high-maintenance woman, defines it perfectly: “I am feisty, impatient, I make mistakes, and I am cranky when I don’t sleep. I am out of control and, at times, hard to handle. If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you probably don’t deserve me at my best.”

Love isn’t cheap—whether or not you are dating a high-maintenance woman. The secret to pulling off a date within your budget is to plan it carefully, be sincere about it, and–more importantly–be creative. There’s nothing like creativity to stretch your dollar—and there’s nothing like sincerity to make your woman feel special and loved.