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Thinking Of Tying The Knot? 5 Tips To Make Sure You Stay Together

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Did you know that love does NOT conquer all?

You see, often people get married with the idea that their “chemistry” or undying love for each other will keep them together forever.

However, with almost 50% of marriages ending in divorce these days, it’s obvious that this isn’t the case. Therefore, it pays to know a few little secrets before getting married.

Here are 5 tips that help keep couples together long after tying the knot:

Tip #1 – Continue dating

Over the years, people often drift apart or relationships and marriages become stale because couples fail to do new and special things together. That’s why going on new and refreshing dates is so important. In fact, there is something about “dating” that creates a sense of magic in a relationship and can even bring relationships out of a rut.

While on a date, you also put more effort into your appearance, have more uninterrupted time to communicate on a deeper level and are naturally drawn closer together. Stuck for date ideas? Spend the day at the aquarium, zoo, museum, carnival, bookstore, beach or park.

Tip #2 – Delay is often better

It’s a well-documented statistic that couples who have dated for a year or longer before marriage have a significantly lower rate of divorce than those who married after a short dating period.

A year of dating gives time for many emotions to surface and many character traits to be discovered. You may adore someone in the spring, but despise him or her in the winter. Asking someone for his or her hand in marriage on the third date isn’t romantic. It’s gambling.

Tip #3 – Always express your love

Oftentimes, as a relationship matures, partners tend to stop praising each other because they ‘assume’ their partner already knows what they’re thinking. When in reality, a day should never go by without you praising your partner.

Compliment them on their cooking, reaffirm that they’re the greatest person in the world or tell them they’re a wonderful role model. If you want to be loved and romanced by your sweetheart, love and romance them first.

When they’re feeling loved, it is much easier to love in return. Are you a super supporter of what your mate does and says? So do you cheer them on and praise them constantly? Or do they constantly hear boos or silence?

Tip #4 – Take time to understand your partner

Couples with the most problems are often the ones that say, “I just don’t understand him/her.” So let me ask you: How knowledgeable are you about your mate’s profession or the degree they are pursuing? Do you know anything about his or her family heritage? Are you able to have a meaningful conversation about her cross-stitch hobby or his interest in rugby?

If you are a man, do you fully understand what women experience during PMS or menopause? You don’t need to be identical, but make an effort to learn about the things that interest your partner in life and you’ll grow closer as a result.

Tip #5 – Answer the BIG questions

Does your partner want kids? Do you both want careers? Do they have a history of spending their way into debt? Do they go to church?

In my opinion, the biggest reason almost half of marriages end in divorce is because couples fail to ask each other the right questions BEFORE they get married. I guess people think they’ll be able to change their spouses after marriage and everything will be better. Wrong.

If you fail to sit down and discuss finances, religion, sex, housing, your future, and other topics in great detail, you could end up with nothing but argument after argument for the rest of your days.

In the end, if you both have completely different views, desires and goals in life, there’s no guarantee that chemistry or “I love you’s” will help you stay together. Make it your utmost priority to understand each other ‘inside-out’ BEFORE you take that walk down the aisle.

Tips for Dating a Cheapskate

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Is your guy so cheap he squeaks when he walks? Is your girl so thrifty she uses tea bags thrice? I feel your pain.

I too was a long-suffering companion of a date who felt that a root canal was preferable to spending money.

Allow me to introduce him. We’ll call him Rob. (I’ll call him the most miserly, tightfisted Scrooge to ever walk the face of the planet.) Let’s have a look at some of Rob’s endearingly frugal ways, penny-pinching behavior that bought our relationship to an untimely end.

Restaurant dates were for special occasions only. Lucky me, my birthday counted as special enough to warrant forking out the cash for dinner. But tightwad Rob would insist that we order main courses only — no dessert or starters. And he would hound the wait staff to replenish our bread, which he then wrapped in a napkin and stuffed in his jacket pocket. For breakfast.

On the rare occasion we would stay in a hotel (usually when someone else, such as my work, was paying) he’d load up on all the toiletries from the bathroom and then call housekeeping to replace them. This would go on every day during the stay and we’d depart with a suitcase full of crappy miniature shampoos.

Sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve got your own special brand of skinflint in your life who is forever calculating the cost of things, bemoaning spending money on things that aren’t considered essential or practical and basically ruining the romance by being so damn cheap.

How do you get your stingy date to see that splashing the cash now and then isn’t such a bad thing? Our tips will help your prize open his steel-trap wallet or loosen her purse strings — if only for a moment.

Pay Your Way

The classic cheapskate hates the idea of spending good money on food in restaurants when you can cook for yourself at home. True but not very romantic. Tightwads, particularly guys, are wary of restaurant dates because they feel the onus is on them to pay. Put your Scrooge’s mind at ease by offering to split the cost of eating out and letting them choose a restaurant with prices they are comfortable with — and no, McDonald’s doesn’t count as a date-worthy restaurant.

Discount Vouchers

There’s nothing the money minder loves more than discount coupons. Use these to your advantage by collecting as many offers and two-for-one deals as you can, then when you next want to see a movie or go to an exhibition and your honey whines that it costs too much money, you can whip out one of these babies and show them that you’re actually saving them money. Watch their little eyes light up as they do the math. Then sit back and enjoy your date.

Flower Power

Love having the odd bunch of flowers to brighten your day but your date is too stingy to spring for the occasional bouquet? To be fair, florists can get pretty expensive, with some retailers charging for flowers by the single stem and bouquets costing more than your weekly grocery bill. Instead of fighting a losing battle with your lovable miser, take matters into your own hands and steer them towards a local growers’ markets where garden-fresh blooms can be had for a fraction of the retail price.

Note to Cheapskates: If cut flowers seem like a waste of money to you (they only wither and die, moneygrubbers protest), buy your loved one a potted plant instead. You’ll win big points for your romantic gesture and you get to keep your wallet firmly closed for many months to come since potted plants last well past their cut-flower counterparts.

Speak their Language

Penny-pinchers watch their spending like the proverbial hawk and know exactly how much money is in their wallets at any given time, and you know it’s going to take something pretty special for them to cough up for something they see as an unnecessary purchase or expense. Show your date that you care about saving money.

For example, on Sunday morning, have breakfast at home: Two coffees, orange juices, scrambled eggs on toast, the morning newspaper, some sliced fruit. After your breakfast, lean over and whisper to your cheapskate date, “Honey, we just saved $40 dollars eating breakfast at home this morning.” This is music to their stingy little ears. Follow this up by purring “Now we can afford to see a movie this afternoon, aren’t we clever?” Try it. It’s like feeding candy to a baby.

Now if you can just rustle up some discount vouchers for the cinema, you just might be able to wrench a serving of popcorn out of them, too.

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5 First Date Mistakes Men Make That End In Heartbreak – And How You Can Avoid Them

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Let’s face it ­­ you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

That’s why, if you want to take things further with a woman, you need to show her your best on the very first date.

And in actual fact, there are 5 things that men consistently do on first dates that totally destroy their chances of seeing the woman again, and the worst part is they think they’re doing it right!

Avoid the following 5 mistakes to increase your chances of fun and creative date ideas:

Mistake #1: Buying gifts

Bringing chocolate or flowers on a first date isn’t the best idea – especially if you’ve just met the woman! She’s there to get to know YOU. Women are always asking themselves “what does THAT mean?” And in this case it’s, “He bought me flowers because he likes me, but he doesn’t even know anything about me yet! A little suspicious.

Mistake #2: Being Mr. Serious

When in the presence of a potential date, men often become boring, instead of keeping up the friendly vibe they have with their friends. They won’t make jokes or laugh with the woman, they won’t play around like they do with their friends and they generally take things a little too seriously.

Why do men change their behavior around women, often without even realizing they’re doing it? Because they fear losing their only chance with the girl of their dreams, they try and play the safe side, which results in a “Mr. Serious.”

Mistake #3: Conducting an Interview

When men become “Mr. Serious” they often fall into “job interview conversation mode.” Make sure you reserve questions like, “So where do you work?” or “How many brothers and sisters do you have?” for the future, after you’ve already had a lot of fun and made the sparks fly. Instead, talk about your hobbies, interesting stories and fun stuff.

Avoid anything too deep for a long period of time. On a first date, it can make things a little depressing. Talk like you’ve known each other for years (as if you don’t need to do the awkward 20-questions quiz.) Of course you can ask basic questions, but never make it the main focus of your date. Focus on fun.

Mistake #4: Being too needy and direct

Without realizing it, many guys turn their dates off by trying a little too hard. For example: Men will lean into a woman’s personal space, and ask, “so do you like me?” or constantly change his opinion to seek her approval and make her like him. Big mistake.

Ironically, it’s leaning back, staying cool and calm, being a little cheeky, interesting, mysterious and comfortable with yourself that actually gets a woman’s attention and keeps her interested.

Mistake #5: Going to boring places

If your date finds the night boring, you’re finished. When it comes to having fun on first dates, nothing is more important than what you do. And while dinners and movies are nice, it’s really hard to leave a great impression in these settings. Why? Because they set a very “proper tone” that’s hard to turn into fun and playful.

And unless you’re a super funny, intelligent and interesting guy, dinner and movie dates just aren’t the best place to take your date. Instead, go to fun places like mini-golf parks, carnivals, parks, or even better, come up with your own unique and fun ideas.

So in essence, while there are many factors to having a successful date, a great date idea really helps you do many of them naturally! Remember, where you take a woman on a first date can be the difference between a great night and a dating disaster! Choose wisely!

First Date – How to Avoid the Conversation Dead Zone

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So you finally got up the courage to ask a girl out, and she said “yes”. Great news!

Unless of course you have no idea where to go and what to do on your date. Worse yet, some people are so afraid of that dreaded conversation dead zone, that they won’t even go out on a date.

Getting a girl to go out with you is traumatic enough for most guys. But this can be even worse. Sure, we’ve all been there. You remember those awkward first moments on a date with someone you don’t really know. What will you possibly talk about? Who will go first? What if you say something stupid? Will she ever go out with you again?

STOP! That kind of thinking is going to leave you single forever, so cut it out. Going on a date should be fun and exciting, not terrifying!

Here’s a question from Omar who is facing this very dilemma with a young lady he just asked out on a date. Omar is from the UAE, so there are some cultural differences concerning formality and dating, but the question remains.

How can you know for sure that you won’t sit there in awkward silence, hoping for your date misery to end?

Dear Dan and Jennifer,

This is the first time for me to check out a video of yours, and I think they’re great.

My question is that two weeks ago I asked a girl if she would be my girlfriend and she agreed (I’ve been talking with her for a few months). Then, I told her I’ll ask her out soon, but till now I didn’t only because I just can’t find the things to talk with her about on the date.

So if you would please help me and give me some hints about what to say on the date so I don’t get stuck. Thanks for reading my message.

— Omar (United Arab Emirates)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PkJi0lIukY[/youtube]

You’ll Definitely Want to Try These Fun and Creative Date Ideas

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Think back to your last date…

Now the one before that. Remember how much fun you had? Or did you?

Were you doing the same old thing you always do, each and every time you go out on Friday night? Does your partner still get excited at the thought of going out with you?

Or is it getting boring and sometimes not even worth the hassle? What a shame…

How about some really fun, memorable, and unique date ideas that’ll get you and your partner excited to go on a date again – together?

Or here’s another scenario…

You’ve met a really great man or woman and they’ve accepted your offer to go on the very first date with you. Wouldn’t it be nice to take them on a really fun and creative date that they’ll never forget rather then the same old dinner and a movie routine?

Be different and stand out.

Most people just go out to dinner at some fancy restaurant on their first few dates. But that’s just not very special or original. Your partner will appreciate that you actually came up with something creative and romantic.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, always strive to be yourself, to be different… Don’t go on the same dates everyone else goes on, and don’t copy what everyone else does. Do something exciting and memorable, and most importantly – have fun. Fun and happiness is extremely infections… people just can’t get enough.

Here’s our review of Oprah Love Expert Michael Webb’s excellent book 300 Creative Dates… In short, you’ll never run out of fun date ideas again.

Are restaurants becoming boring as date destinations? Check out all the types of dates you’re missing out on:

  • Unique TV/Movie Dates
  • Different Dinner Dates
  • Vacation Dates
  • Picnic Dates
  • Game Dates
  • Craft Dates
  • Sports/Outdoors Dates
  • Long Distance Dates

I’m sure you’ll be as excited as we were when we started flipping through the pages. Michael Webb has the best collection of date ideas and romance tips that we’ve ever seen in one place.

Here’s a sneak peek at the great date ideas you’ll find when you get 300 Creative Dates.

  • Instead of a lunch or dinner date, try a breakfast date.
  • Go for a night swim with candles floating in the pool.
  • Try making a gourmet meal together.
  • Rent a convertible for the day while the weather is still warm and take a ride to the beach, mountains or countryside.
  • Warm up the house in winter by baking several batches of cookies with your sweetheart to share with friends, family and coworkers.
  • Go through a gourmet grocery store sampling the items and buying something you have never tried before.
  • Spend an afternoon or evening in an art gallery and pretending you are professional art reviewers. Give each other a critique of several of the pieces.
  • Take your sweetheart on a tour of your old high school or college – pointing out all the special places.
  • Purchase coloring books and spend the evening coloring and talking about your childhoods.
  • Stay up all night and visit places that are open very late like Waffle House, Wal-Mart and dance clubs.
  • Make s’mores in your fireplace.
  • Attend a high tea.
  • Make an old fashioned root beer float and drink it with two straws.
  • Wash, blow dry and brush your lover’s hair.
  • Celebrate your sweetheart’s “half” birthday (six months after his or her real birthday).
  • Go to a nearby park with hiking trails.
  • Pretend you are without power and light up your place with candles and just talk for a change.

While we did find some of the dates to be a little cheesy, there are definitely a lot of great date ideas that are worth trying at least once and many that are worth trying more than once.

Download your copy right now before you get busy and forget. Surprise your partner with the best date they’ve had in a long time.

Michael Webb also includes some really great dating tips to help you make your creative dates a success instead of a flop. And he also tells you how to avoid some potentially devastating dating disasters.

There’s also a section with some great ideas for asking someone out. You know, breaking past those first awkward moment and making your fateful move!

You’ll definitely also want to check out Michael’s other terrific resources below.

One of our personal favorites is Lick by Lick.

Don’t put it off. You’ll kick yourself if you don’t check out 300 Creative Dates today.