Want to go on a date without breaking the bank? Take your date to one of these places or try one of these activities to have a great time without it feeling like you’re on a cheap date.
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1. Beach
Pack a beach bag and head to the coast! Most beaches have free parking (you may have to get there early or walk a bit) and if you pack your own snacks and drinks, you don’t have to spend any money! Take a book to read together, a game, play in the water or just relax and talk.
Bonus: Stay and watch the sunset together. It’s a romantic way to share each other’s company.
2. Museums
Some museums have pretty low entry cost, anywhere between free and $10. Most of the big museums come with a heftier price tag but many smaller, lesser known museums are very affordable. Depending on your city there actually might be quite a few free museums or art galleries to check out.
Bonus: Prepare yourself with intriguing questions, ideally based off the museum you are going to, so that you and your date can have a stimulating conversation. Example: If you are going to a history museum ask, “If you could live in any period in history, which would you pick?”
3. Hiking
Take your date out to see the beauty of the world! Hiking is a great way to do this because it’s a free activity that allows you to get some exercise, spend time in nature and connect with each other. You can pick various levels of hikes depending on your skill. The easier the hike the more you’ll be able to talk but the more challenging the hike the more accomplished you may feel.
Bonus: Pack some goodies in your backpack so you can stop at the top and enjoy a snack. Dried fruit, nuts and granola bars are tasty and will hold up well on your hike.
4. Coffee Shop
You can treat your date to a delicious drink and a tasty pastry for less than $10 a person. This is great for an afternoon date, a quick brunch or a first time meet up.
Bonus: Instead of going to a name brand coffee shop, try a lesser known place. It will make for a new experience plus there’s a good chance there will be some really delicious food and drinks at a lower price.
5. Community Events
Sometimes the city or your local community will host festivals, carnivals, free concerts, sporting events and more. Check out your city website, local newspapers, libraries or social media to see what’s going on in your city.
Bonus: Get there early for the best perks or seats. Sometimes the first few people get freebies, you’ll get a good seat and you don’t have to deal with traffic if a lot of people show up.
6. Visit a new city
Depending on where you live, there might be a city you’ve never explored before that is only a few miles away. If your car is filled up and good on gas, head to a nearby city and explore! Check out their old town, downtown, parks or free tourist spots.
Bonus: Bring your own food so you can splurge on a sweet treat or cool collectible instead!
7. Game Night
Grab some snacks, a few games, maybe some alcohol and prepare for a fun night! There are so many things you can do with a game night; board games, video games, card games or truth or dare. You can make the night as romantic or competitive as you like! Check out this article Top 10 Board Games for Adults (21+) for ideas!
Bonus: If you’d like to play with a group, check out apps like meetup, your churches events page or invite a few friends over to add to the fun! Some groups meet at bars, coffee shops or stores that have games for you to play.
8. Comedy Shows
Yes, many of the larger, more popular shows require a fee, but there are many newbies and locals who are just trying to get some practice and exposure so they will actually put on shows for free! Many of them are actually really good and if they aren’t, then you can still find something to laugh about.
Bonus: Check for open mics or comedy showcases. Those are usually the ones where they are just trying to fill seats and will gladly let you in for free.
9. Paint Night
You don’t have to be an artist or go to a fancy painting class to have a paint night. All you need is canvas, paint and YouTube! There are tons of artist on YouTube who will give you a beginners step by step tutorial so you are able to create your own masterpiece! And even if it doesn’t look like the picture, it will be fun to encourage or laugh at each other while you paint!
Bonus: Head to Amazon, Michael’s or a craft store where you can get a multi-pack of canvas and paint on sale. Also check for online coupons because you can get huge discounts at many craft stores just by using a coupon!
10. Play Sports or Outdoor Activities
If you and your date are a little bit athletic, you might end up enjoying playing sports together! The opportunities are endless, you can play something mild like Frisbee or get a good workout with a tennis game. You can fly a kite or play a game of basketball. Grab your item of choice and head to a park!
Bonus: Play for something! Make a bet that whoever loses has to give the winner a massage, do the dishes or plan the next date!
11. Movie Premiere
When new movies are first coming out, if you know where to look you can actually get free tickets to showings. All they ask in return is for you to give your opinion of the film afterwards and promise not to record the show. Plus, if your tickets are free, that allows you a little extra cash to use on snacks!
Bonus: Depending on your city, meetup groups will sometimes offer free tickets to premieres. Also, certain promotional events will give out free tickets. Or you might have a friend who can access the tickets and has extra to share.
12. Groupon
If you just don’t have a good date idea and a lot of money to spend, Groupon will be a great resource! You can find tons of great deals for things that usually cost a lot of money. You can get huge discounts and the quality is exactly the same. Just be slick when you offer to pay and your date won’t even know!
Bonus: Sign up for their emails and they will send you lots of coupons on top of their already reduced prices!