This guide to cheap dates in the Binghamton area, written by a cute couple who poke fun at each other throughout its pages, will open your eyes to the possibilities for fun in the Southern Tier. Press and Sun-Bulletin columnists Andrei Guruianu and Hannah Maria Hayes have already done all the research, and they deliver a compilation of the best 52 dates that will cost you $20 or less, with tax and tip included.

This means one $20 date for each week of the year (lucky you) and don’t worry, they definitely didn’t leave out the most important thing on a date…food!

You can’t help but be amused by these writers and their adventures on some dates, especially the more humorous ones. On their bingo expedition they get life lessons about not quitting from some pro bingo players. You won’t get this real life experience from a typical movie theater date.

Some dates, such as their laundromat rendezvous or the afternoon spent at the mall without shopping, may not appeal to most of us, even though they seemed to enjoy it. For some of us there are few things that can remove the “chore” aspect of doing laundry, and doing it with a significant other is not even one of them.

Besides these vignettes where the book loses momentum, the one-to-two page date stories show impressive variety for an area stereotypically void of activity. Some favorites include the outing at a local winery, where you are can sample five to seven wines, apparently with delicious crackers in between, plus a tour of the facilities for only $3 each. Fencing classes can be experienced for $10 each, with the first class free, and they are a good way to let off some steam if you’re not feeling particularly pleased with your date. Even salsa and swing dancing classes can be found in cold Binghamton to heat up a night.

Most importantly though, every date included a meal at a different place that always left enough cash over to still go out and have fun before the date was over. Flip through the book, for your choice of a romantic date or something more adventurous like scuba diving at the YMCA but never worry about going over your budget. Fourty coupons at the end of the book, including a deal on tickets to a Bearcats basketball game, will help to reduce your expenses in the area as well.

“52 Cheap Dates, One Cheap Book” can be purchased at the Press and Sun-Bulletin, located across from campus for $4.95.