Dating can get pricey, especially for the classic gentlemen who insist on footing the bill most of the time. It’s easy to rack up the expenses when all you do is drink fancy cocktails and eat at nice restaurants, so instead of resenting the price tag on your relationship, why not invest time – not money – into some off-the-beaten-path dates with your lady? Check out the best cheap date ideas to satisfy your date and save some cash.
Best Cheap Date Ideas
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Pack a picnic…
I don’t know why this isn’t a go-to date for more guys. Picnics are super romantic and beyond easy to throw together. Grab a bottle of wine, some cheese and crackers, and a blanket, and go snuggle up in a park or on the beach.
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Free Museum Days…
Most museums have free or reduced admission at least one day each month. Take your lady for an afternoon of faux-pretentious art-browsing or a couple hours among dinosaur fossils. Not into embracing your inner nerd? Sit at the café with a soda and make up stories about the other visitors.
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Outdoor concerts or movies…
Lots of cities offer free concerts or movie showings in parks or at the beach during the summer. Take advantage of the free entertainment and expand your pop culture palate at the same time. If you want to really step it up, you could even pack a picnic for the show (see what I did there?)
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Go on a hike…
Or a nature walk, if you live somewhere without hiking trails nearby. Whether you’re in a city, out in the ‘burbs, or nestled away on the countryside, there’s bound to be some outdoor walking path of some sort for you guys to explore. Let your inner kid shine with silly games, too. Who can spot the most squirrels? Who can make the dried leaves crunch the loudest?
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Volunteer…
Not only is this free for you, but you give back to your community at the same time! Listen, I get it, Eco Relief along the side of the highway is far from romantic, so why not find a place you’ll both enjoy spending time, too? Love animals? Spend a day at the ASPCA. Love kids? Volunteer a story time at your local library.
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Seasonal Activities…
There’s so much to do, you guys! Carve pumpkins in October together while sipping homemade spiced (and spiked) apple cider. Have a backyard BBQ – or just use your George Foreman – on a warm summer day! Build a snowman before making homemade hot chocolate as you thaw. Visit a cherry blossom festival in the spring (they’re practically everywhere).
