So Valentine’s Day has come and gone and you just spent every last dollar to buy your boyfriend/girlfriend something you’re not sure he/she really likes. Your glorious paycheck spent on teddy bears, overpriced flowers, chocolate-covered cherries (which by the way, he/she will not eat), and an expensive and disappointing dinner is gone.

It’s day two and that wretched holiday left you penniless and hungry. Now, your lover is making lavish plans to spend the following weekend wasting away money you don’t have. How will you make it through the week with $27 in your bank account and creditors knocking on your door and calling you 24 hours a day?

Do not fret. Here are a few ways to save a dollar or two during the week before your next big costly date night.

Brown Bag it

Buying lunch every day on or off campus can become expensive for a college student who is trying to make ends meet. The best way to avoid spending $5-$8 a day is to pack a lunch. Go to the nearest grocery store and buy a couple of Lunchables. This treat is cheap, always on sale and tasty. If Lunchables do not satisfy your palate, brown bag mom’s leftovers. Most express snack stores on campus have microwaves available so that you can heat up those leftover enchiladas from the night before.

Carpool

Gas prices are high and your boyfriend/girlfriend’s expectations for a great weekend are also high. Carpooling with a friend will save you money on gas and add money to your date weekend. Other alternative methods of transportation are riding the bus or taking the Metroline. These modes of transportation are not the most glamorous ways to get around; however, they will efficiently get you to from Point A to Point B with less expenses. You could always hitch a ride with your boyfriend/girlfriend, after all you did spend money on them.

Ah, overtime

Another way to save money for your anticipated date is to snag up any offers to work overtime. Grabbing at the chance to work extra hours could significantly improve the quality of your date and the funds in your bank account. If you choose to work overtime, make sure to balance time and sleep.

Convince, convince

Now, you’re exhausted from working extra hours at a dead-end job to have enough money to go out with your boyfriend/girlfriend and your funds are still tight. The next step is to try to convince your boyfriend/ girlfriend that staying home or going to a coffee shop would be more romantic and intimate than a dinner at a five-star restaurant. If your mate, however, insists on going out this weekend, it is about that time to consider the next severe option to save your pocketbook from permanent debt.

Last resort… break up

If, after attempting to save money by skimping on meals, riding with a friend to save on gas, working several double shifts and pleading for indoor romance, you must still spend mucho dinero on a date with your boyfriend/girlfriend, it is time to say sayonara. Save your money, spend it on yourself and go solo. If he or she cannot understand that you just don’t have money to waste away on going about on the town, that person is not right for you. It’s too bad you will realize this after spending so frivolously on Valentine’s Day.

Veronica Rocha can be reached at city@csun.edu.