Budget-wise dates; affordable weddings; thrifty honeymoons; expensive divorces; precautionary financial measures in relationships

By Amanda Morrall (email) Twitter @amandamorrall

If cupid should strike, I might have to ring the Vatican and report a miracle. Statistically I'm doomed, even more so now as a dog owner. Anyway, hope springs eternal apparently and in any case I have discovered puppy love.

This issue of Take Five goes out to the financially conscious and young at heart.

1) Cheap dates

There is absolutely nothing worse than a cheap date. You know the type I'm sure. That said there is something to be said for the economical date and nature is giving in this regard. Here's five budget friendly date suggestions.

2) Cheap weddings

My mother just about disowned me when I eloped on a very low-cost but scenic wedding in the Rocky Mountains. It didn't have a happy ending, but at least I didn't blow my inheritance on a wedding dress and 600-seat banquet. 

For other anti-Kim Kardashian types, here's some guidance from cheapwedding.co.nz

3) Cheap honeymoons

Someone told me the other day about a couple who took six months off to go traveling for their honeymoon.  Said individual was flabbergasted that a couple would want to spent that much time together. I laughed. I must be a romantic.

Six months globetrotting with a companion whom you love sounds like fun to me. Keeping costs down would be the hard part. A good challenge perhaps and an exercise in joint financial planning. 

Here's some suggestions for honeymooners trying to contain costs.

4) Cheap divorces?

Is there a dirtier word than divorce? I doubt it. It's final, it's ugly and it's expensive. It doesn't have to be.

In fact an amicable split with a harmonious divvying up of assets, could be as cheap as $175. The average in the U.S. is US$20,000. In New Zealand, divorce lawyers put the average between NZ$5,000 and $10,000.

Here's an article I wrote earlier on how to manage costs. More reading on divorce costs by MSN Money NZ here.

5) Precautionary measures

An ounce of prevention is worth a fortune of cure if one hopes to avoid the divorce courts.  Doesn't hurt to be cautious however. Here's some pointers on how to avoid the GST club.