Making first dates pocket-friendly

New Delhi: In this economy, it's no wonder young Indian daters are all down for affordable dates! In 2021, Tinder revealed through its Future of Dating report that young singles around the globe prefer keeping dates simple and creative because going outside is expensive.

This year, the dating APP found that its members are turning to affordable dates as frugal flirting catches on. Young daters are following suit as 73 percent of them prefer simple dates to fancy ones according to Tinder's new ways of dating*.

Here are some pro tips to get you started and make you cool:

Long walks and nature talks- Beaches and parks are free for all! To make your first date a little more romantic, a simple picnic at the park with some yummy snacks or long evening strolls by the sea while you play 20 questions with your date could be exactly what you need. Tinder saw a 2X increase** in mentions of 'long walks' in bios and requests for date activities from cycling to taking a pottery class in bios. Maybe throwing in a 'Gola' binge could make you seem cool in all the right ways?

Explore Street Food- Use your chaat-tastic knowledge of street food and challenge your date to a Gol-Gappa competition, or maybe two? They say a way to a person's heart ?? is from their stomach, so hit up your local chaat-stores and go crazy with your taste buds. 42 percent Tinder members share that they love to check out new food joints, so take this opportunity to share some funny stories from your childhood and see the sparks fly!

The classic museum date- Make your first meeting as creative as your personality with an art-inspired date. If both of you are into visual art and marvel over the rich history of India, invite your match to a museum date or hit the art gallery to share your knowledge and creativity. Don't forget to take bomb pics for the 'gram!

Date Night with a Home-Cooked Meal- Take a tip or two from your Maa's recipe books and make your match a fancy meal right at home! You could also make your date a sous-chef and showcase your flirt game! So channel your inner Salt Bae and amaze your date with a fancy meal at home and some great music and conversation!

Hit the thrift shops?- If you've only got 200 rupees in your pocket, thrifting is freaking awesome. In fact, that's probably why mentions of "thrifting" in bios have grown by 56 percent ! Take your date to a popular street shopping market and show your quirk with your fashion! This might also be a nice time to get to know what they are into.

Try out a weekend day hike up a mountain- If getting dirty and sweaty is your vibe, you can never go wrong with adrenaline-inducing experiences! Maybe starting off small and being one with nature while exploring the great outdoors over the weekend could be your vibe! You can take your date for a mini-trek and watch the sunrise or sunset together. Explore new paths together by hiking up a mountain and don't forget to bring a snack for you two to share later!

Wholesome art day- If you both share a passion for art, or want to try something fun and aren't scared to get messy, invite your date over for an art day! You can showcase your talents and be goofy together. Maybe even turn it into a competition and bring out your competitive sides?