Top 5 Valentine's Day Dating Mistakes Dr. Phil Wants You To Avoid

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Things have gotten more complicated since the days when we pasted paper hearts and pasted doilies on shoeboxes to celebrate Valentines Day.  The days of wooing your crush by scribbling secret admirer riddles on punched out Care Bear cards are long gone, and we are in the land of flowers and steak dinners on the 14th.  With Valentines Day only two days away, you can almost see the sweaty palms and hear the nervous laughter already.

St. Louis' favorite Dr. Phil is back to dish out holiday dating advice just in time to stop us from committing the five biggest Valentine's Day dating faux-pas.

1. Don't succumb to the pressure! Dr. Phil says a new couples need to make Valentine's Day light, fun and easy.  He also recommends staying away from "suggestive" gifts... guys, I hope you kept those receipts.


2. Don't go too far, too soon. Basically, if you haven't gotten to second base yet, this is not your chance to advance. "Never alter the natural progression of the relationship by creating romance and expectations that are more intimate than the relationship is ready for," Dr. Phil said.


3. Put away the credit cards! A rather Suze Orman (minus the flipped-collar and obnoxious patterns), but Dr. Phil says it is sound dating advice for newly dating couples. Breaking the bank will probably make your date uncomfortable and you may be stuck with a bill that lasts longer than your relationship.


4. Be smart about your dating strategy. By this, Dr. Phil simply means the date should match the level the relationship is at. Smart if you think about it; bringing a first date to Tony's sets an expensive tone for the relationship, but taking a first date to the local VFW isn't any better.


5. Be romantic all year. It sounds cliché, but this tidbit has been so often repeated that there must be something to it. "make every day Valentine's Day in expressing your thoughts, feelings and kindness," Dr. Phil said.

Solid advice for newly dating and newlyweds, but you would be surprised about what people (meaning me) don't know.  I thought I was wise in the ways of the dating world, but according to the Dating Through The Ages quiz I still "have a lot of learn about dating then and now."

Dr. Phil Dembo has been a "love" psychologist for the last 30 years.  He started 1st Date StL, an online and local dating service.  He guarantees 12 matches and gives members dating advice along the way.