You just met this great girl (or guy), and you want to take them out to a date. The problem is you don’t have a lot of money to spend. Don’t worry; many of us have been in the same exact position. The good news is that there is a solution to this problem. Take the person on a cheap, yet fun date! There are tons of great date ideas out there, that only cost a few bucks, and some of the best dates are the free ones! Here are some ideas to get out into the dating scene without going broke.
Frisbee Golf
Many parks have nets that almost look like bird feeders, but they aren’t what you think. They’re actually Frisbee golf baskets. Frisbee golf, or formally called disc golf, is a game that is just as the name says; golf played with a Frisbee. This game is cheap (sometimes free), and it is extremely fun! All you need to do is find a park with a disc golf course, and bring a Frisbee. This could keep you entertained for a few hours. Unlike most sports, Frisbee golf is a game where you can actually talk, and get to know each other.
Picnic
A fun and romantic way to share a sunny afternoon is to host a one on one picnic. All you have to do is find a nice spot with a great view, or a romantic memory and set up shop. Picnics are very cheap, because you just need to pack a few sandwiches, some sides, and two bottles of water. The food can cost you under 5 bucks, plus you get extra brownie points for being thoughtful. After your picnic, you can do some other free things like taking a walk.
The Beach
Who doesn’t love the beach? There’s swimming, sports, tanning, and even a chance to impress your lady with the muscles you’ve been working so hard on in the gym. At the beach, you can even have a picnic! There are hundreds of romantic things you can do on the beach, like taking a walk while engaging in deep conversation, or watching the sunset while you sit on the pier. It’s a place where you’ll rarely get bored, and where there will be plenty of opportunities for romantic gestures, and most of all it’s free!
Movie Night
If you have a movie collection, Netflix, or even a nearby Redbox, you can make a great date at home. All you have to do is make sure your house is presentable, and press play. You can buy candy from the store, make a nice candlelight dinner, and watch a movie all for less than it cost to go the movie theater. You can’t control whether there’s going to be a crying baby or someone who won’t shut up at the movies, but you can completely control what goes on in your house. You set the mood, you control the environment, and most of all, you save some money!
Window Shopping
I love to go to Chicago, but to shop there is super expensive! One of my favorite things to do is to walk around the city and just simply window shop. You can go to places like the water tower place and just look through the stuff in the mall. They have giant toy stores that you can just browse. It’s fun just to try on clothes, even if you aren’t going to buy anything. In theory, this is absolutely free, buy everyone knows there will be that one pair of jeans, or that one item that you just can’t leave without purchasing. As long as you can keep a tight grip on your wallet, you can have a cheap date just walking around town.
Food For Thought
The only thing you need for a great date is something that you both enjoy and each other. You don’t need to spend money to impress someone, you just have to show them a good time. Find anything that you love to do and just spend the day doing it. Dates don’t have to be cliché; all they are is a two-person hangout. The most important thing is just to have fun with the person you’re with.
My first date with my girlfriend was a picnic at the park. I remembered what her favorite foods/drinks were and made sure to pack those. After the date she said it was the best day ever. Yeah, she said day, not date. So I got major brownie points without having to spend much money at all!