Why a $5 Date Could Be the Best Thing for Your Soul (and Your Wallet)

How often do we hear that meaningful relationships take work? What if, instead of “work,” the secret ingredient was play?

Dr. Barbara Brock’s new book, Creative Dates: The Why, the How, and the Reason for Now, is a refreshing and much-needed reminder that connection doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated, or digital. In fact, it might just be waiting in your neighborhood park, a craft store’s clearance bin, or your kitchen pantry.

This isn’t a typical book about dating. It’s a celebration of imagination, human connection, and real-life stories gathered over three decades. As a university professor, Dr. Brock assigned her students an unusual challenge: plan and execute a “Creative Date” with some strict—but freeing—guidelines. Make a physical invitation (nothing online), travel less than five miles, and spend less than five dollars.

The results? Absolutely delightful.

Between 1990 and 2013, hundreds of students turned in summaries of dates that were funny, heartfelt, silly, and sometimes life-changing. These stories—carefully selected, with permission—fill the pages of Creative Dates with a kind of nostalgic joy that’s hard to find in today’s swipe-right (or left) culture.

But the book isn’t just a scrapbook of cute memories. It’s built around four thoughtful sections—The Why,The How,The Reason for Now, and The Dates—each filled with guidance, research, and warm encouragement to reimagine what connection looks like in our increasingly disconnected world.

Right now, the need for genuine connection is more urgent than ever. Loneliness has become so widespread that countries like the UK, Japan, and South Korea have appointed Ministers of Loneliness. In a world overflowing with instant messaging, it turns out we’re still starving for real conversations, shared laughter, and meaningful gestures.

Creative Dates offers a practical way forward. It’s a roadmap back to joy, especially for anyone who’s grown weary of the same old dinner-and-a-movie routine or feels unsure how to make new friends in adulthood.

Dr. Brock’s message is simple: connection doesn’t have to cost a lot. In fact, when we strip away the fluff, the best memories are often the ones we build with intention, creativity, and heart.

Whether you’re a romantic partner, a parent looking for new ways to bond, or a group of friends eager to shake things up, this book is your toolkit for making lasting memories—without draining your wallet or your energy.

So go ahead, take the $5 date challenge. You might be surprised at how much life, laughter, and love you find along the way.