Poet Ben Johnson wrote, “Drink to me only with thine eyes/And I will pledge with mine./Or leave a kiss within the cup/And I’ll not ask for wine.” Now, there’s a conversation killer on a first date, eh? That’s why the wine always comes before heartfelt twaddle. The markup on a bottle of wine is notoriously high -- 100% to 200% if you buy a bottle in a restaurant and double that if you guzzle by the glass. Expect to pay even more for an award-winning label or the latest fad wine.

Solution: Find a restaurant that's BYOB, dine sober, or else have a friend pick up the tab.