14 Cheap Date Ideas That Won’t Make You Feel Like You’re Dropping a Paycheck
Date night with your love is supposed to be fun-not expensive. And TBH, enjoying each other’s company one-on-one simply shouldn’t come with a price tag that causes your credit card to burst into flames.
We’re here to bust a myth: Date night doesn’t have to be expensive AF to impress. So skip the steak dinner for two and opt for one (or all!) of these 14 super-cheap date ideas.
Pro tip: If you want to save even more cash, scope out Groupon and LivingSocial ahead of time for ~extra~ savings.
1. Post up at a bookstore
If you and your boo thang are self-identified book worms, the bookstore is a perfect date. Peruse the shelves and staff picks for interesting reads, plop down in adjacent plush chairs, and enjoy just reading your books together in each other’s company.
Many local shops have coffeehouses inside, so you can pair your stories and cozy date atmosphere with chai teas.
2. Swing some golf clubs
Who cares if neither of you are bound for the Masters? Hitting some golf balls side by side at the driving range is fun and inexpensive (buckets of balls are seriously under $10). If you want to work on your short game after, most ranges also have putting greens and even mini golf courses. Keeping score is optional-unless, of course, you’re winning.
3. Go to a museum on a discount day
Even some of the country’s most famous museums offer discounted-ticket days a few times a month. Check your favorite museums’ websites for the half-price Tuesdays or free-admission Sundays, then get your culture on together for a fraction of the cost. With all that money you saved, go out for a cocktail after to chat about your favorite exhibits.
4. Cook dinner at home
Going on fancy dinner dates always ends up costing an arm and a leg (and sometimes your other arm too-depending on if alcohol is involved). Instead, hit up your local farmers market and organic grocery store, then whip up a delicious feast together in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Cooking with the finest ingredients (and splurging on that $15 bottle of wine) will save you money in comparison to dinner out for two. Home cooking tastes way better, anyway! Plus, leftovers. Duh.
5. Go geocaching
Hone your teamwork skills as a couple and go on a real-life treasure hunt. Geocaching involves using GPS to navigate around a town or city and find hidden containers (aka “caches”) located at specific geographic coordinates.
Some caches contain items, others contain a logbook to sign your name and say you’ve been there-either way, the challenge is fun! Download the official app to discover geocaching near you and to join the world’s largest scavenger hunt.
6. Catch a live band
Music is one of the greatest things to bond over with your love-and luckily, not all concerts have the price tag of front-row Beyoncé tickets. Whether it’s checking out an up-and-coming band at a dive bar or snagging tickets to a show at a smaller venue, rocking out with a drink in hand and bae by your side never fails in the date-night department.
7. Take a brewery tour
Sure, drinking beer is fun-but learning all about the brewery and the booze you’re sipping on somehow makes the nectar taste sweeter. Most breweries offer tours of their facilities for a small fee ($5 or less). Wear comfy footwear and get excited for all the delicious samples along the way.
8. Watch a movie at a drive-in
Feeling nostalgic for the 1950s? Drive-in movie theaters are few and far between these days, but we say it’s def worth it to find one. Park your car in front of the screen, BYOP (Bring Your Own Popcorn), and have a total high-school-style make-out sesh in the front seat.
Bonus points if you have a pickup truck and fill the bed with pillows and blankets-then you can catch the flick under the stars.
9. Trial a workout class
Couples who sweat together stay together! A lot of gyms and boutique workout studios offer free or discounted classes for first-time visitors. If you and your significant other have been dying to try trapeze yoga or Crossfit, put on your spandex and make it a date.
And if you’ve never tried ClassPass, it offers first-time discounts that let you sample studio classes for free.
10. Show off at trivia night
A little friendly competition on date night can be fun. Almost every bar these days hosts trivia nights (for a super-cheap entry fee)-so pick a theme you both kick ass at, brush up on your Family Guy or Harry Potter factoids, and let the games begin. And hey, what better way to pay for your next date together than with that grand prize gift card?
11. Rent boats at a park
Head to your local park or lake and rent a canoe, paddle boat, or rowboat for a couple bucks by the hour. It’s a romantic and relaxing way to enjoy the outdoors (and each other’s company) on the open water. For a little extra fun, bring your fishing gear and a portable speaker or feed the birds à la Rachel McAdams in The Notebook.
12. Host an at-home wine and cheese pairing
Is it even really date night without wine and cheese? (Answer: no chance.) But instead of ordering the designated cheese board and wine samplers at a bar (which will run you, ohhh, at least $50 in the hole?), DIY your own pairings at home!
First things first: Head to an artisanal cheese shop or grocery store with an epic cheese selection (like Whole Foods or Fairway), and select a few different bites that range from hard to soft. Next, pop into a wine shop with an in-house sommelier and ask for some interesting, on-budget vino suggestions to complement that manchego and honey goat.
13. Rent a tandem bicycle
Pretend you’re in a rom-com and take a scenic joyride together on a tandem bike. They take a little getting used to, but it’s way fun to get to know your partner as you ride in unison once you get the hang of it.
Plus, staying in sync is key to a successful relationship! And don’t forget to snap a couples pic for the ’gram.
14. Go out for dessert
If you don’t want to spend the coin on a full sit-down dinner, eat your meal at home, then venture out to satiate your sweet tooth (because dessert is obvi the best part, anyway!). Get ice cream cones and walk around town or grab a table for two slices of chocolate mousse cake.
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