Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and for those who have a significant other and a bunch of bills, this time of year can be particularly stressful. And it’s not just about Valentine’s Day. Couples do stuff together, and stuff costs money. There are various ways to date without going broke. Follow these tips and your romantic life will be a little less stressful.

P.S. While you’re building your entrepreneurial empire, don’t forget to balance love and business.

This is how to date without going broke.

1. Be honest

Honesty has always been, and will always be, the best policy. We all handle our finances differently. If one of you is a big spender and the other one saves pennies for a rainy day, there may be some arguments down the line—if you don’t have an open line of communication. Don’t pretend to have more than you do. If someone doesn’t want to date you because you don’t make X amount of money, then that’s on them. Never force relationships. If you do, you may run into a whole bunch of wahala. If you want to date without going broke, be honest about your financial situation and goals. You may be making a decent amount of money, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to spend it all on romance. To avoid possible conflict, discuss your relationship expectations with your mate.

2. Make a budget

Determine with your significant other how much money in a month that you’d want to spend on activities. Depending on how serious your relationship is, you could have a joint account just for the purpose of paying for activities. If you’re on a dating app, scouting for dates, then set a personal budget for yourself. Do you want to spend $200 a month on wining and dining? Before setting out to do anything that requires an investment of funds, you have to determine how much you want to put in. Dating is actually an investment—an investment of time and money. So you have to determine what you want and how much you’re willing to pay for it. Besides your dating budget, make sure you stay on track with your own personal financial goals.

3. Make time for at-home activities

Date nights at home don’t have to be boring. Yes, there will be some nights when you just watch TV and barely talk to each other. But, you have to make time to actually enjoy each other’s company. Isn’t that the purpose of dating? Do game nights. Buy some cheap wine. Make lattes. Cuddle by the fireplace, if you have one. Cook together. Sure, seeing couples jet setting on social media can make you wish you and your significant other could travel at the drop of a hat. But, make the best of what you have. Avoid keeping up with the Joneses to date without going broke. Your relationship is yours to experience. For the sake of your peace of mind and your budget, explore the possibilities of your relationship without worrying about what other people are doing.

4. Think of cheap activities outside the house

You could save for one or two expensive activities a year (depending on your combined budget) and make a list of weekly or monthly activities that don’t cost much. You could do movies once a month, bowling on a biweekly basis; you could even Google free events in your city.  You could go for walks or bike rides or even volunteer together. Subscribe to sites like Groupon to keep abreast of cheap getaway deals. You can date without going broke. At the end of the day, it’s all about quality time.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll be able to date without going broke. How do you navigate the dating world without foregoing your financial goals?