15 Cheap Date Ideas Any Couple Will Love
Cheap date ideas are getting harder to come by, with everything being commoditized and all. You can rest easy knowing that the air you breathe is free, for now. If you’ve been trying to think of some solid solutions on how to save some money and still have fun, think no further.
Wine Tasting
This is fun. You get to try a bunch of free wine samples and pick the best one. It’s generally hard to find the right wine without gambling on a purchase. This way, you can kill two birds: it’s romantic and highly efficient.
Streaming And Sexy Time
It’s a catch-all for Netflix and chill. You and your SO sit in front of a streaming service and pretend to watch it. It’s good background noise—and will fill awkward silences—if you two…just got to know each other.
Free Museums
There are free museums and museums that are sometimes free. The sometimes-free museums will have specific days and specific times when they let the general public in. It’s kind of like a happy hour. If you live in a city, you’re more than likely have at least one.
Picnic
Depending on where you live, parks will have public grills. Get a grill brush, charcoal, and lighter fluid. It’s best to inspect what’s going on with the grill before you settle down (gross factor). If you want a low-maintenance picnic, just pack a lunch or bring some snacks. Picnics can be held in unconventional areas, but it’s up to you how much privacy you would like. Don’t forget napkins.
Festivals
These happen all year round. Some festivals are free to enter—others cost money but the goods are cheaper. Different cultures and religions will have their own festivals. They also have really great food. Greek food is amazing.
Café
A great place for a date. It’s the opposite vibe of a bar. Everybody is more or less trying to keep to themselves. Don’t go to a chain, coffee shop. Mom and pop shops are chill: the crowd is quiet and the employees aren’t at their wits’ end. This good atmosphere leads to a nice blend of mellow conversation and sensual tension.
Your Day, Their Day
You get to pick where you guys are going this week, and next week they pick. You can let one another choose the specifics. This is a version of I cut, you choose.
“I want to go to a restaurant”
“Ok, then we’re going to this one”
Road Trip
Hop in your car and listen to music, on the road to nowhere. Drive to a fast food place or convenience store, and take some food to go. Pass by a historical landmark. Contemplate seeing said historical landmark. Drive too fast, passing it, and determine it probably wasn’t interesting.
Drive-In Movie Theater
I was lucky enough to have one of these around my area, growing up. The prices are good and you get to watch two movies, depending. If you don’t have a drive-in, there’re sometimes dollar theaters that will eventually go out of business (until some good samaritan sets up another one).
Beach Day
Bring a few towels, some sunscreen, and a bathing suit/swimming trunks. You can bring a couple of books and relax—talking to each other in spurts every so often—basking.
Cook Something Together
You have the choice of cooking a full meal or baking things together. If you bake something, the bonus is that you get to eat baked goods. Nothing tastes better than sugar baked into sugar-flavored sugar.
Yelp Price Guage $
Check out who has the best reviews with the cheapest prices. Get some takeout and then stream and get your sexy time on, or go there and soak up the atmosphere.
Video Games
It is super rare that both members of a couple play videogames—but, on the off chance that you do, hurray! This immersive experience is almost as bonding as shared trauma.
Thrift Store
These are absolutely amazing. You can buy half of the store and not break the bank. Go look at clothes. Gander at the DVDs. Check out all of those nifty, little trinkets that come in a set, but the other members of the set are nowhere to be found.
The Park
This can include a walk in the park or a movie being shown in the park. Movies in parks are kind of like free drive-in theaters (where you yourself are the car).
