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.