Cheap Date Ideas (And, Better Yet, FREE Date Ideas!)
Foreclosures! Job loss! Gas prices! Ugh! The economy may be struggling, but that doesn't mean having a little fun is completely out of the question. We know it's nearly impossible to let loose and be spontaneous and romantic when you have dollar signs on your mind. So we polled the iVillage Love message boards for cheap date ideas or, better yet, free date ideas. (This means you, too, married people!) Here are some of my favorites:
"Right now, the best cheap date for me is wandering through all the farmers' markets on the weekends. You can just look and not buy if you don't want to, and there's always a food vendor around with tamales or hot dogs when you get hungry for lunch."
--tallgirlcolo
"Walk a dog to a park; even if you have to borrow a friends. Take a stroll through a park without a dog. Sit under a tree chatting. Have a drink whether alcohol or caffeine, maybe even water. Go to the zoo. Visit the local humane society. Fly a kite together. Cook dinner together. Go mini golfing. Drive go-carts. Listen to music."
--zakl
"BBQing and watching a movie at home is one of my favorite date ideas!"
--raysgirl95
"Going out for ice cream and sitting by the water. Going to the park. Going to our cheap theatre, where the tickets are only $3."
--prinycesa07
"We like to grab diner from the cheap Mexican food restaurant and drive to the river and eat on the tailgate of the truck! We also like making dinner at home and eating over candle light or watching a Pay-Per-View movie at home instead of going to the movies."
--angelic_me
"Taking a walk or hike is always nice, especially if you have pretty or interesting scenery. I've taken walks in downtown Chicago on dates a few times and it's always romantic, especially at night with all the lights. Have a picnic outside or inside on the floor, rather than going to a restaurant. Go for a bike ride or run together if you're sporty types. Spend a day at the beach (if you live close to the beach). Do a theme movie night at home. Board games at home or in a coffee shop (if you're a nerd like me). Cook a simple meal together and put on music in the background."
--solush80
"Check your city's Web site. Most cities will list an assortment of things to do in the city for FREE! You can also do a Google search for FREE things to do in your city. Want a group date? How about a party? Invite a few friends over for board or parlor games."
--nosouix
"If you enjoy eating out, Restaurant.com has gift certificates for less. For many restaurants in my area, you can get $25 cards for $10. Movie theaters often give you a deal if you buy in bulk and always get the frequent flyer movie passes, so I get lots of tickets for free. Also, try $1 theaters. Our local big chain theater that is usually $10 per person has a $5 day during the week. You still get frequent flyer movie points on those days and then I save them up and when I get a free ticket I use it on a regular $10 day. Many art museums, zoos and parks have season passes. Our zoo, to take a family of five with parking etc, was $45 or so for one day. The season pass was $50, and you can go as often as you like all summer."
--rayneamber
"My husband and I enjoy packing a backpack with fruit, sausage, cheese and water. Then we get on our bikes and just go. When we get hungry we stop in a shady area and have a picnic, talk a while, and then bike back home. When our kids were small and we couldn't afford a babysitter we had what we called 'basement dates.' We would rent a kids movie for the kids and get them dressed in their pajamas and put the sleeping bags on the living room floor and tuck them in. Then we would go down to our family room in the basement and put in a movie for ourselves, each have a beer and some popcorn. It was a great way to feel like we were on a date, but close enough that we could hear if the kids were up and roaming around."
--cl-jw30
And I'd like to add apple-picking to the list because it's that time of the year; it's cheap and you'll have crunchy, fresh apples to eat for weeks. So there you have it: No more excuses! With all the serious conversations you and your guy are inevitably having these days, infusing a little lighthearted bonding into your together time may be more important than ever.
I know gas isn't cheap, but a drive through the country to look at fall leaves is always a great date in my book. :)
And once the holiday lights go up, it's also nice to snuggle up on a drive around town to check out the lights on all the houses, stores, and trees.... :)
My boyfriend and I save money renting 7+ movies a month, by paying for monthly rentals rates at blockbuster, normally you pay $4+ dollars, but with the monthly deal we pay $2 average. We go fishing locally. Riding bikes and physical activities are always free and typically makes the men happy.
Finding cheap restaraunts and only going out to bars on deal nights.
Here are some more creative date ideas: http://www.life123.com/article_FullStory/Original-Date-Ideas_1205355110868.html
I have found a great resource for movie rentals - the local library! They are free with a library card.
Pack "FUN" foods & drink-just be SIMPLE-grab a blanket & get on your ROOF-and just "SOAK IT UP"!!! :)
taking a thermos of hot cocoa (maybe with a little Irish cream) and going on a drive to see the scenery is nice.
Instead of dinner and a movie, try a burger and a planetarium show! High school and university planetariums frequently give cheap or free public shows.
My boyfriend and I like to go to differnet antique shops just to look around. Where I'm at there are numerous antique stores right next door to eachother and it's right downtown. Another fun thing to do is turn off all the lights and grab a flashlight and make hand puppets on the wall. It's funny and you can be yourself. It doesn't really matter if you look stupid. Make fun of eachother. You'll warm up fast. :)
come to south India , there is astate known as Kerala also acclaimed as Gods`s own country.You can see nature, back waters beach.It is not at all expensive.
Our favorite time together is when we get the opportunity to meet for lunch. I pack a lunch (I even bought a picnic basket at a second hand store) and we eat lunch in the park. Even if it's just sandwiches and chips, it feels better in the park. It's our very mini-getaway that gives us a pick me up in the middle of the day. :)
BTW ~~~ We have done this for over 3 years and it's still fun.
i'm a member of the local art museum and the local science museum. in addition to going to all the special events, i use the reciprocal membership privilege whenever i travel on work, business or for sporting events (races, shows etc)
we also ride our bicycles every weekend, 8 am to noon, do 40-50 miles, burn calories, see foliage, admire architecture.
visiting fancy hotels is also a cheap date. the better hotels have pianists, jazz bands, quartets, art galleries in the lobby, crafts for the kids, animal encounters, very comfy seating. grab a coffee or a glass of wine and you can have a terrific evening.
this time of year there are many open air art festivals too.
OH! open mic. you can find 'open mic' [where members fo the audience are invited to read poetry, perform bits of music, comedy routines] music, poetry and comedy at coffee houses, bookstores and health food restaurants. usually these are free, the most expensive one i know is $2. buy a beer, glass of wine or a cappuchino to support the venue.
We go to Chinatown (Philly, PA) for the best dinners & come home w/ leftovers all the time. It's fun to explore before or after dinner. The supermarket is especially interesting & cheap. We do our regular grocery shopping there. Also our local library (Wilmington,DE) has all the new dvd movies for free! Can't beat that. If it's no good you turn it off. No late or rental fees if you return it or renew it on time. Dinner & a movie was never so easy before!
If you like to play darts, pick up a dart board, steel or electronic, well worth the money spent and lots of hours of fun for years to come, ask friends over for more excitement and challenges, make some cheese/chili dip and tortillas or your snack of choice, a beverage, and enjoy.
*Places to hang a dart board, wall or on a door, purchase a wreath door hanger or an over the door clothes hook, and hang your dart board on it.
If you live by a marina, walk thru and look at the boats, always very romantic, as the sun is setting. Grab a glass of wine or beverage as you go strolling. You can also meet some very nice people along the way.
At some of the marina resorts, they have picnic/BBQ areas, put your picnic together and enjoy the view. Take turns pushing each other on the swings or teeter totter together. Lots of giggles, like when we were children. Not all resorts are private or need a code to enter. Check websites to find them.
In the fall, go leaf hunting, picking up unique leaves along the way. Buy a cheap frame and make a collage to hang on the wall with sayings of your own. A nice rememberance of your day shared.
In the summer and fall, if you like sports, go to a non profit league game or a school game, and support your local athletic teams. Cheap and the kids love the support. You can usually find them playing on the weekends. Baseball and basketball games are usually played thru the weeks as well as the weekends.
Volunteer together for one of your favorite organizations. Very rewarding and always good conversations afterward. Not to mention how the simple things we take for granted, become so trivial after giving your time to those that are struggling in a life of misfortune. To name a few, Toys for Tots, Brother and Sisters Clubs,Lions Club, Jaycees, Veterans, MS, non-profit community events, check your local papers or with the Chamber of Commerce in your town. If you have children, you can include them in the volunteer experience. Make it a family affair.*even the youngest ones can learn and help* I did this with my children involving them in the Christmas program at one of the schools for the blind. *Lions Club sponsored program*
My boyfriend and I love laying around sexing each other all day. sometimes we spice things up with plugs, and buzzers.
Good ideas here and thanks for that!!