After sixteen years, I think we’re masters of the cheap date night. Before we married, our dates weren’t so cheap, but after, well, let’s just say we had to learn to be in love without money.
The other night my husband looked at me and said, “You wanna go out junking with me?”
My son quipped, “Cheap Date?”
“Yes.” to both questions.
Date night is really about connecting without interruption, communicating without competition for time or focus, and having some fun. Right?
Date night doesn’t mean spending a million bucks.
Jump Start your Date Night Creativity
Barnes & Nobles: You can spend a few bucks at the B&N Starbucks Cafe or not. Find a quiet corner to sit and chat or read or browse through your favorite magazines together.
Dessert: Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert. An ice-cream cone costs way less than dinner.
Picnic Lunch: Now, this may or may not work, depending on your schedules. If you live/work in close proximity, meet up for a picnic lunch. You can throw something together the night before. It doesn’t have to be fancy. PB&J works just fine.
Take a Walk: There’s something about fresh air and physical exercise that clears the cobwebs and allows you to connect.
Watch a Movie: At home. The library usually has a wide selection of B movies for free. At least you can laugh about the lousy movie afterwards.
Dine In: Now, this is tricky. It’s called Romance on A Budget and I’ve already talked about what could happen. Dine in at your own risk.
Swap Sitters: Swap babysitting with friends or neighbors, so each couple can enjoy a night of peace at home, free of charge.
Play Sports: If you’re athletic, take a run together or play tennis. Go for a bike ride.
Here are some more cheap Date night ideas:
- Art Gallery
- Concert in The Park
- Play a Game
- What a Sunset (rise?)
- Pick Berries
- Go on a Hike
- Fishing
- Geocaching
- Host a Potluck – Invite a few other couples to your house.
- Iceskate on a frozen Lake or Go Sledding (sliding as they say in Maine)
- Flea Market or Farmer’s Market
What inexpensive things do you and your better half enjoy doing for date night?
Share with us in the comments.
If you’re interested, you can read our love story – Fringe Love.
For more Cheap Tricks, please click on the image below.
These are such great ideas and I love that they are inexpensive. Thanks for sharing these great date ideas and linking up to Thrifty Thursday.
This isn’t a “cheap date” but thought it was so ingenious when I read it! Wish I could take credit for this, but I can’t! A friend and her husband never “exchange” cards on special occasions. To save money, they go to the card store together, each search for the perfect (or funny) card, and then exchange them right at the card counter! Each read the card, and then put it back! Can save up to $10 (cards are so expensive these days”, but also a fun thing to do together!
We both like to take pictures of nature scenes, old buildings, and other interesting places or things. So a cheap date for us is to grab a couple of Cokes or bottles of water and take a drive and look for photo ops. We live in a rural area where there are lots of country roads to explore. We also like browsing bookstores, antique stores, old country stores, flea markets, and eating lunch at little roadside cafes.
Dinner at home and going out for dessert is a great idea!! I also like the idea of swapping sitters. You’re brilliant! 🙂
For our 10th anniversary, we wanted to go to a fancy restaurant for dinner but it was going to be very expensive and cost us a babysitter as well. My husband took a few hours from work and we went to the same restaurant for lunch while the children were in school.
We go to a local L’Abri center and listen to lectures on a variety of theological/philosophical topics and then have a great discussion with other believing and seeking hearts. (Plus, free coffee/tea and goodies, to boot!). Cuz we’re spunky and crazy like that. 😉 And did I mention it’s all free???