Dating on a Budget


The financial implications of dating can be quite daunting.  It can seem like quite a challenge to have fun without breaking the bank.  Below are seven date ideas that you can go on without spending a fortune.

Go Outdoors…

Take your date outside and connect with each other and with nature.  You can go for a hike or, if you’re not so adventurous, just go for a walk around town.  It will give you a chance to chat without a busy background.  Enjoy a picnic in the park or go to a food truck event.  If it has snowed recently, go sledding together.  

Visit a Museum

Many cities have free art or history museums downtown.  Most museums will also have discount or free days where you can visit for less.  Bank of America has teamed up with many museums across the country to offer free days for their members.  Check their website to see which museums are part of the program.  

Read at a Library

Visit your local library and read books together.  You can read children’s books in the children’s section, read together in the cozy nooks of the library, or take a book home to enjoy it next to a fire.  Most libraries only require proof of residency to become a member.  

Cook Dinner at Home

Try a new recipe together at home in the kitchen.  Not only will it be fun and romantic, but inexpensive and delicious.  Remember to play fun music while you’re preparing the food, and prepare the table with a fancy tablecloth and candles to set the mood.  

Make a Thrift Store Date

Travel to your local thrift store and give each other a certain budget to find an outfit for the other person.  Decide on an outfit goal like the worst outfit, best outfit, a certain color to follow, or a fun theme like lumberjacks.  Make sure to take pictures and have your friends on social media vote “Who wore it better?”

Listen to a Local Musician

Often, start-up musicians and bands will have small concerts in free or inexpensive venues.  Find those venues in your city and get a hold of their concert schedule.  You might just discover your new favorite band.  Sometimes they’ll sell their CD’s for about $10 at the concert, so make sure to pick one up to remember the event.  

See Movies in the Dollar Theater

Find a local dollar theater or privately owned theater and see blockbuster movies.  Movies normally go into the dollar theater about 3-5 months after they are released.  It is a great option for you and your date to see a movie in the theater, but not spend as much money as you would the week it is released.

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