Just because your wallet is hurting these days doesn't mean your romantic life should be. Try out one of these five bargain dates that will not only entertain her, but keep her in the dark about your monetary woes.

By Jesse Bouche

It's Friday (or any other night from Monday through Sunday) and it's date night. You've been hacking away at that credit card balance and student loan for the last four years and somehow all of your well-laid financial plans are being destroyed by a 130-pound demon.

It's not her fault. She doesn't mean to do it. She just wants to have fun, meet up for dinner after work, maybe see a movie, see some friends for drinks, check out a show. That's all. That's all until you log into your online banking and realize that yet again, you'll be dipping into your savings or worse, your credit line.

Here's the hard truth - you have to stop . Say goodbye to dinners out, movies, and after-work drinks. A dinner with drinks followed by a night out can easily run you upwards of $200. And even when you're pulling in that seemingly incredible Junior Merchandiser salary of $42,000 a year, that's not going to fly. Why? Because after taxes, $200 a week spent on dinner, drinks, movies and shows equates to about 30% of your income. That's what you should be spending on housing.

I know, I sound as fun as eating wet bread. But, there is a way. You can still have a good time, impress your lady and save your bank balance. Here's how:

1. Become a Patron of the Art (Opening)

When I was an undergrad, I had a lot of friends who attended the nearby art college and I learned a thing or two from my chronically broke art friends. Most importantly, that drinks and food are usually free at art openings.

This Thursday, get your hands on your city's free alternative weekly and if your town has an arts mag, that's even better. Now, flip to the arts section and look for openings this weekend. Look for one that seems like a good match, maybe check out the gallery online first, and then set a date with your girl.

You've simultaneously eliminated the pre-date drink meetup while impressing her with your interest in the visual arts (and boosted your indie art cred to boot). Cha-ching.

2. Take Her to a Concert

But...but...but concert tickets are more than $100?! Yeah, if you're trying to score tickets to see Britney Spears or Elton John. But, if you're taking her to see someone like Sharon Jones, Feist or Fleet Foxes (all pretty safe "lady" bets in my opinion), tickets may only run you $20 or so a pop.

And if you're taking her to see Cupid's Machete, the shitty local band that plays every other week, you're likely looking at ticket prices ranging from just $5-$10 on the high end.

And when you're watching a show, guess what you're not doing a lot of? Drinking and eating. Sure, people drink at shows, but not as much as when they're just sitting around doing nothing else. Besides, you're there to "take in the music," right?

3. Set...

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