Though “date night” may sound forced, you and your special someone should aim to have a date night at least once a week, if not more often. You don’t have to call it “date night” if that sounds too cheesy, but you should make a goal to spend some quality time together without anyone else around at least one night a week.  You can do this same thing during date night, such as cooking dinner together and then going to the movies, or spice it up and do something new every time. If you’re staying in, maintain a romantic atmosphere by lighting some candles and playing some soft music.  Whatever you do, make sure you have time to really talk during your special time together.  You won’t be able to talk much if you’re just going to a loud concert together. Learn to say no to others during “date night.” Your girlfriends may be begging you to come out to the bars, but if you’ve scheduled a date night, tell them you can’t make it and make plans for next week. Things will break down if “date night” is the thing you’re always willing to give up. You should always look nice, tell each other how much you love each other, and compliment each other throughout the night. You don’t have to plug this into your calendar, and hopefully you won’t have to, but you should make a conscious effort to make love at least one a week, no matter how tired you feel after work, or how much you have going on that week.  Making love is a way to maintain your intimacy and to grow closer to your partner. You should also spend some time just cuddling and kissing each other, so you don’t feel like you’re just checking “sex” off of your to-do list. Though your schedules may get crazy, you need to make a concerted effort to talk to each other every day, no matter how much work you have to do. You can set aside time to talk during dinner, or to talk over the phone if your loved one is away.  Make a habit of knowing what your loved one’s day was like. Though you don’t have to bore each other with every little detail of your lives, you should become comfortable with each other’s routines. If you’re spending a week apart, set aside at least fifteen minutes a day to catch up and to remind your loved one how much you love and miss him. When you do talk, there should be no distractions. You’re not really talking if you’re also watching the game or checking your phones.

Summary: Make time for romance. Make love at least once a week. Make time to talk.


If your friend doesn't know that you have a romantic interest in them, tell them in a straightforward but non-threatening way. Explain that you are attracted to them and want to pursue a romantic relationship with them. Make it clear that you will understand if they don't feel the same way but that you wanted to be honest about your feelings either way.  For instance, say, "I have strong feelings for you and I want to be more than just a friend, but I will totally understand if you aren't interested in taking things to the next level." An unrequited crush can put tension on a friendship over time, so it is good to be honest regardless of the outcome. Moving from friendship to romance is a risk that may be challenging to take. Share any worries you have about losing your close relationship to see if they feel the same way. Ask if there are any other concerns about the situation that they have to get a clear understanding of what obstacles may be facing you both. For example, say something like, "You're my best friend and I'm not sure if my romantic feelings for you are worth losing you entirely." Communicate your romantic wants and needs clearly to your partner from the start. Avoid the assumption that they will intuitively know how what will be okay with you and make you happy. Be sure to outline any behaviour that you consider unacceptable from a romantic partner so they know how you want to be treated. For instance, say something like, "I believe in monogamy and I can't tolerate cheating in a romantic relationship." After transitioning from friendship to a relationship, you may think that you already know what your partner wants romantically. Always check with your partner to see what goals and desires they have as these may change over time, and in different situations. If you catch yourself guessing what they might like, stop and ask them about it to double check. They will appreciate your effort and concern about their feelings. For instance, if your partner noted in the past that they didn't want a co-dependent relationship, do not assume that they want you to keep your distance.

Summary: State your interest simply if you are still just friends. Share your concerns with your best friend to maintain honesty. Establish the boundaries of your new relationship to avoid misunderstandings. Avoid making assumptions about what your partner wants.


Before you buy put options, you need to know enough about the patterns of various stock to be able to predict whether it will go up or down. If you're buying put options, you are making a prediction that the stock will go down over time.  In addition to looking at the stock market itself, you also have to be able to analyze trends in various industries. Understand which sectors will tend to go up and which will tend to go down in response to various economic factors. If you don't have a lot of experience trading, you may want to watch the market for awhile before you start buying options. Take advantage of any educational resources and training offered by your broker to learn more about how options work. The strike price of your option is the price at which you agree to purchase the stock on the expiration date of the options. With put options you have the right to buy the stock at that price, but no obligation to do so.  To make money on put options, you want to set the strike price lower than the price for which the stock currently sells. For example, if a stock is currently selling at $100, but you believe it will decline to below $80, you might buy a put option to sell shares at $85. If the stock price drops below $85, you could sell those shares at a profit. Strike prices are standardized based on the price of the stock, and sold in option chains that have a range of strike prices at varying expiration dates. Options chains have a variety of short-term and long-term options available. Generally, the shorter the time period, the riskier the investment.  Longer time periods give you more options if the stock doesn't move the way you've predicted it would. If you're just starting out, you'll probably want to go with monthly or yearly expiration dates. You may be restricted to longer-term options depending on your trading level, especially if you're a new trader. Each contract represents 100 shares of stock. You'll have to pay a premium for each contract to the seller of the contract. Depending on how your broker fees and commissions are structured, you may also have to pay a per-contract fee to your broker. The number of contracts you buy depends on how much money you have available and how much you're willing to risk on the prediction you've made about the movement of that stock. You'll use your broker's trading platform to buy the options contracts you've decided you want. Call your broker's trading desk if you have any questions or need guidance. If your broker has a tutorial available, you may want to go through that first to make sure you're doing everything correctly.
Summary: Analyze stock movement. Choose your strike price. Select an option chain with the expiration date you want. Decide how many contracts you want to buy. Pay your premium and fees to buy your options contracts.