6 strategies for budget-conscious gay dating

A straight friend asks, "If a date consists of two guys or two girls dining, who pays?"

In the gay dating world, it's somewhat unspoken that if you ask, you pay; or, even better, you agree to split all the costs. Otherwise, gay dates are extremely similar to straight dates. And everyone wants to save regardless of sexual orientation, correct? Here are some tips I've learned as a gay man navigating the oft-pricey world of college dating.

1) If you're dining out, research the restaurant first

You're obviously not going to have a candlelit dinner at the dining hall. So make sure you get all the information about your prospective place. Web sites like Metromix and Yelp make it easy to find the basics: the place you're looking for, the neighborhood it's in, the cuisine type and price ranges.