Love might be free, but it doesn’t feel like it

Taking a partner out and having fun on a student’s budget any time of year is a real kick in the head. However, with Michigan gas prices rising at record rates, an economy that feels burnt out and the dramatic increase in free time met with a dramatic decrease in income from on-campus employment, there is a great turn within the Oakland University student body to have a good time without having to sell a liver.

In that vein, here are The Oakland Post’s recommendations for being frugal, and still in love.

Feed swans at Lipuma’s Coney Island

The hidden gem of Rochester— Lipuma’s has been serving all beef franks and cheese fries on the Paint Creek since 1969.

The menu is full of must-order items at prices that seem to fight inflation.

Although the restaurant’s famous coney dog is not quite cost-competitive with the offerings of Costco or a gas station (unless that gas station is in Bloomfield or Birmingham), it offers five-star dining vibes.

The highlight is the outdoor seating. Either on the covered patio, or right on the creek — the constant flow of wildlife rivals some Animal Planet programming.

The ducks all want food, too.

However, beware that once you start, they won’t want you to stop. Also try to avoid feeding these animals bread, as it can fill them up with no nutritional value. Try to feed them seeds, lettuce and/or defrosted frozen peas.

But even the animals agree that Lipuma’s might be the place to be.

Throw a picnic

86% of Americans find good cooking to be a sexy trait in a partner in a recent study. 71% are even willing to call it their love language.

The cost comparison between eating in and out is night and day. One can purchase a quality steak at Trader Joe’s for the same cost as an appetizer at Applebee’s. The rest of the ingredients for steak sandwiches would be cheaper than the cost of a cocktail at the same spot.

The Rochester Hills Municipal Park downtown and even a few spots on the Oakland campus (the hill overlooking the baseball field is a fan favorite) are loaded with a few picnic spots out of a magazine.

Grab a bottle of sparkling water, a good blanket, a slightly blown-out Bluetooth speaker and you will have your own little date on the Riviera, tucked right away in Rochester.

Cosplay as Jack and Carolyn

The Indian restaurant featured in the recent hit Love Story has experienced a boom in traffic following its important role in John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s tragic tale, as set dressing was highlighted.

It’s easy to imagine looking into the twinkle of the eye of one’s love in a place like that. Their eyes caught the reds and golds of the gauche maximalist lighting. The heat of spices dances with the rising temperatures of blossoming with love. The food is way better than the crowd it has earned. It is a palace tucked away in a street corner.

Rochester does not have that restaurant.

It does, however, have Virasat the Heritage. And it includes an incredible menu.

The lighting is not as colorful. But it’s grand enough to turn amber eyes to gold.

The chicken tikki masala might be even better.

The variety present on the menu and spice selection also make it an accessible way to try Indian cuisine as a couple.

The menu also boasts several shareable desserts, perfect for the right romantic moment.

Hear the next (wanna be) Nirvana over coffee.

No big city metro is complete without its local hipster-darling coffee shop chain. In recent years, Dessert Oasis seems to be staking its claim on the title for an Urban Outfitters wearer’s coffee gem.

The Rochester location is especially centrally located. Its sizing and framing are somehow more metropolitan in feel than even the Royal Oak location.

It is also a fine place to catch some surprise live music.

Every so often, an act will roll in with REAL talent unannounced.

And there are only a few more pleasant things than some surprises, minus tier live punk and folk rock over a coffee with hot cocoa and black pepper in it. But pair that with an out-of-this-world slice of cheesecake, and you’re all set.

The recommended way to go here is to order a drink that sounds good but is slightly different than one’s usual order somewhere else. Then order a few slices of cheesecake for variety and share.

It is unironically a great way to learn how couples resolve conflict, to observe how they handle each having the same flavor in that order. Good practice for real fights.

Do some flirty fireside studying at the Auburn Hills Library.

Oakland’s campus and facilities are clean and modern. But after a while, even the best nooks on campus feel a little redundant. Occasionally changing environments when studying even makes for better test scores.

Plus, couples that study hard together seem to stay together.

Right across the street from Oakland’s rolling campus, tucked behind some cobblestone, greenery, and a police station, is the Auburn Hills public library.

Auburn Hills residents can check out books and rent space, but anyone is welcome to appreciate the place.

The vibe is literally warm. It is rich in the smell of old books and the crackle of real fireplaces.

It represents the ultimate place to hit a book.

It evokes the feeling of smart boys in tweed suits trying to crack open the atom. The sort of place where the aura might raise your test score.

Your partner will appreciate you pulling them out of their dorm, apartment or even the campus, even only briefly — to feel like they are cracking the enigma code.

Grab a dessert and a movie at Culver’s.

Fast food, being a guilty pleasure, is the real American pastime, sorry baseball. In that light, it’s still right to support local.

Not an ideal date main event, fast food is more for when life just kind of happens.

Culver’s is the Midwest’s own fast-food titan.

But having a slightly cleaner consciousness isn’t the only factor making Culver’s the “best bad choice.”

The restaurants are also usually shockingly clean for fast food and often have community events like a community hub.

Bingo night at Culver’s in Lake Orion is a classic. Playing is fun, certainly, but many never play. It might be even more fun to see how excited the wholesome elders get about their bingo while eating custard.

The more romantic option is likely to go to a drive-in movie night for a real retro Americana experience. There are barely any drive-in theaters left. But it’s cool to pretend to be the greatest generation. They had more fun.

Ball on a budgie

Rochester is not the friendliest zip code for a student’s wallet, and relationships can be a financial strain too. But with a little bit of financial alchemy, creativity and the power of love — OU’s lovebirds have no shortage of places to flap their wings this summer.