I think you're fighting an uphill battle against prevailing social conventions.  Have fun with that.

When I was younger and I was "dating," I consider that as we are going out with each other as boyfriend and girlfriend - not actually going out on dates and spend money we don't have.  Lol.  I much rather spend time with someone in a comfortable and "enough" privacy environment so that the both of us can talk and get to know each other.

Well, I've always had the general opinion that you should know someone a little bit before ever going on a date with them. Why would you want to go on a date with someone who's a total stranger, anyway? That's just my opinion.

I think it depends on whether you're a formal person (dinner at a fancy restaurant) or a laid back person (going for a walk on the beach, buying drinks, something light hearted); many people go for the dinner thing, I think it's too uptight of a scene.

it's because you're a schmuck and girls don't like you.

the word "dating" doesn't equal some boring dinner at a restaurant. let's be a bit more creative and forward thinking here.

Well the thing is...
You can't gain the same emotional factors that you can get through physical contact through texting or talking on the phone.
Much less... the intimacy of a romantic relationship is not something to be underestimated by money.
I believe there's an exception for everyone, so when you meet that person you really want to be with, money will be the last thing on your mind. (:

'dating' to me, just doesn't seem very personal..
i guess its because i'm british and watch a fair amount of chick flicks, but whenever i've seen people 'dating' it just seems really impersonal. Yes, you spend time with someone you're attracted to. and Yes, you get to find out things about someone and decide whether you actually like them as much as you thought you did.
But i guess thats because i've always been really good friends with someone before having a relationship with them..plus, me and my current boyfriend never have any money, so we tend to just stay in and watch tv, or take the dogs for a walk.
not really going on dates :S

Why do you have to spend lots of money on a date? Can't you go somewhere and do something together -- like going to the park, or an open-air market, or walk along the beach. The museums in my city have free admission on the first Thursdays of the month, so that's a good cheapo date.

If you're against the concept of dating, then that's your right. If you're against spending money on a date, then try to use your imagination a little.

I think you can learn a lot about a person from the dates they set up. You don't really need to spend or have a lot of money to have a fun and productive date with someone. Unless, of course, you're a hunchback living in a bell tower.

... you don't have to spend money to consider making someone's acquaintance a "date."

The best "date" I've ever been on was when my boyfriend and I went to the local park and I had him show off some of his martial arts to me.  No money required.

As long as you're with anyone remotely cool, chances are you won't HAVE to spend lots of money on them.  The great thing about dating is that it's two people simultaneously figuring out how they want to spend time together and how they want the relationship to go. I haven't done a whole lot of "dating" (as you describe it) but have been in two serious relationships that started with just random hanging out at houses or parties or some cheap coffee house (where it is okay for you to only pay for yourself). Dating has got a bad rap because of what people assume it to be when it's totally subjective.

Wow yeah man that's pretty stingy. To me if I have an interest in a girl it doesn't matter what we do if we spend money or not, as long as we're doing something or doing nothing at all together and talking, it's a date.