10 Low Budget Date Ideas That Will Not Break The Bank
Date night can get very expensive as you might want a luxury dinner but you only have the budget of the dollar menu at McDonald’s. Keeping your date nights on a low budget will ensure that you still have fun with your SO while not going into debt. Here are a few low budget date ideas that are easy on your wallet but will still be a lot of fun!
1. Play Dress Up
Go back to your childhood and play pretend with your SO! Put on your best date night outfit and prepare a meal together at home that you both can enjoy without having to pay the bill at a nice restaurant or venture to the mall for a new date night outfit.
Play with your decor around your house and make the dining room an upscale restaurant complete with lights, candles, and music.
2. Drive-In Movie
Going to the movie theaters these days can get pretty pricey with the expense of your ticket, snacks, drinks, and other treats you might want for your movie-watching experience. If your town has a local drive-in, chances are that the tickets are going to be significantly cheaper than the movie theater.
Decorate the back of your vehicle with lights, pillows, and blankets to make a cozy area for you and your partner all while on a low budget. You both can bring your own snacks and drinks to avoid the long lines and heavy prices at the snack counter.
3. Sightsee Your City
Whether you live in a city with anything and everything to do or in a small town with the same attractions from when the town was founded, become a tourist for a day! Take your partner and go on an adventure to get to know your town and learn a thing or two. Visit the playgrounds that you used to play on or drive up to the top of the parking garages in the downtown areas.
Everything can stay within your low budget as sightseeing is free and if you choose to go to any museums or tours, it will not put a damper on your wallet.
4. Stargazing
The greatest thing about nature is that it is always free! Step outside, get some fresh air, and of course, take your boyfriend or girlfriend to look up at the sky and of course, spend some time together.
Another freebie with this low budget date is the internet and all of its resources! A quick Google search and light reading will give you some stars to look for after the sun sets and if you’re lucky, you might even make a wish on a shooting star.
5. Plan A Picnic
Sometimes going to a nice restaurant or a nice bar can be fun and enjoyable, but they both have their issues. What’s the fun in waiting for a table or having to yell to hear each other in the loud space?
Planning a picnic can be a low budget option to going out to eat with your significant other and you can find a new spot outside to call your own! Pack up a basket with your faves, a large blanket for the ground, and a speaker to set the mood for your picnic date!
6. Volunteer
Something that can bring you and your partner closer together is by volunteering your time together for a greater cause! The only thing that this date idea will cost is your time and you will both make memories in whatever you choose to do.
Search around on social media or the internet for opportunities around your town for you to donate your time towards. This can be anything from helping at your local soup kitchen to playing with the animals at the shelter!
7. Visit Your Local Thrift Store
Show some love to your planet and to your significant other! There are so many great finds in thrift stores that have already been loved and are just waiting to go home with you.
Put together outfits for each other that comes strictly from a thrift store or find some old furniture pieces to try out that DIY project you’ve been eyeing on Pinterest. Check out how this info on how thrifting is a good sustainable shopping choice for you and your wallet!
8. Game Night
Dust off those old board games and your old Wii controllers! Nothing is more telling of a person than how they react to a 3 hour game of Monopoly with no end in sight! Make a bigger game out of your game night and have the loser of the game night give the other a foot massage or they own them ice cream. Make it as complicated as you want and get competitive with it!
These can be games that you already own, or hit up your local thrift store or Goodwill for some low budget options and save a few extra dollars!
9. Take A Trip To The Library
In a world of iBooks, Kindle, and audiobooks, the art of holding a physical book has been lost. Go down to your local library and sign up for a library card! This card is normally free of charge and you have access to thousands of books!
Start a little book club between the two of you or read each others’ favorites when you go to the library together! Take a break from the electronic world together and spend time together with your noses buried in a good book.
10. Take A Drive
Hop in the car with your SO and let the road take you wherever it leads! Plan out a little day trip to a nearby town and explore somewhere new. Be sure to take lots of pictures and grab a few souvenirs to remember your adventure! Maybe spontaneously crash at a hotel for the night or pretend to be locals wherever you end up at.
Most importantly, just focus on spending time with your person! What is your favorite go-to date idea? Let us know in the comments!
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English and Media Strategies student at Texas Tech University, lover of coffee, running, and houseplants.