Come on now boys and girls; it’s time to get thinking. You have that great big first date booked, and now the time has come to get ready, pick your cutest outfit, get your “swag” on, and primp and preen for the big event. Of course, many boys and girls will spend so much time on getting ready for the big date, that they often forget the essentials, especially when it comes to safety and security. Thankfully, we have given you a little helping hand and compiled a list of 10 things that you simply cannot do without on a first date.

1. You shouldn’t leave the house without chap stick, regardless of whether you are male or female, so you certainly shouldn’t go on a date without one. You don’t know whether or not you are going to end the date with a good kiss, or even something more, so by ensuring that you have chap stick on your person in some place, you can be sure that your lips are kissably soft at all times.

2. A charger for your phone, or at the very least, a spare battery. This is more so for security rather than anything else – you never know if you are going to need someone to get you out of a bad date. Also, on the other end of the spectrum, what happens if the date goes so well that you end up staying the night? You are going to need to tell someone where you are, and you may even need to call yourself a taxi in the morning – be prepare ladies and gentleman.

3. Mints/gum – this goes hand in hand with the chap stick idea, and is also a must have for anyone that smokes. No one wants to kiss an ashtray, nor do they want to kiss someone that has just eaten a whole load of garlic. Be sensible and make sure you have something kind of minty in your pocket, and again, if the date goes well, the gum or mints will save you from that nasty morning after breath that we all suffer with.

4. Condoms – this goes without saying, really, and to be on the safe side, you should probably pack more than one. Of course, a whole strangle of condoms probably isn’t appropriate, but a pack of three should do the trick: two for the night, and perhaps one in the morning.

5. Painkillers – if you have been drinking and you stay the night, you are probably going to have some sort of head pain in the morning. Also, you don’t want to potentially destroy a great date by having a headache and not being able to do anything about it. It is always better to be safe rather than sorry.

6. Deodorant – again, what happens if you stay the night? Also, dates are nerve-wracking events and the last thing that you are going to want, (especially the boys) is to smell as if you haven’t had a shower in a few months. You can buy travel sized sticks of sprays these days; use them!

7. Remember your pennies! This is very much for the girls as well. Just because HE is taking you out on the date, doesn’t mean that HE is going to pay. At least have the funds available to pay your own way, even if you have no intentions of doing so.

8. Medication – Just because you have a “not on the first date rule” doesn’t mean that you are not going to do it anyway. Just remember any medication that you would normally take on a daily basis; contraceptives, etc.

9. A spare pair of underwear. You never know where you are going to end up, and the last thing that you are going to want is to have to walk home without any undies, or even worse, the same underwear that you worse last night! Be prepared and pack some spares!

10. Lastly, but certainly not least, always, always, always remember to have safety money somewhere. We have already discussed the idea of paying your own way for the bill, but it makes perfect sense to ensure that you have some safety money stashed somewhere where you are not going to spend it, just in case you have to get an emergency cab home, or call home from a phone box. The money should be stashed somewhere on your person, rather than in your bag just in case you lose it.

So there you have it, the top ten list of things that you should always have with you on a first date! It is always better to be safe rather than sorry, after all!