Dating is a lot of fun – but it can also be hard to find the right balance of things to do.
Many options are crazy expensive…so how do we get creative and thrifty with our romance?
What are cheap and fun date ideas?
byu/RaynbowArcher1975 inAskReddit
Here are some cheap ideas from Reddit!
1. A picnic
If not that just walking around with someone.
It can be surprisingly fun to just walk around with someone that you love.
– KosmosMyGuy
2. Birdwatching
Look up a good local spot and find a cheap guide book/ birding app, or print out some common species lists for your area.
It’s free and fun and you will both learn something while walking around in nature.
If there is a dull moment of conversation, back to IDing birds. Pairs nicely with a picnic.
– littletribble
3. Ice cream
I read this somewhere else and haven’t tried it yet but an ice cream date sounds like a good idea. cheap and delicious, and if it doesn’t work out then the worst thing you got is ice cream.
– Bobby_Mcschloppy
4. Escape rooms (at home?)
You can get cheap escape room games that you can play in your home.
They are one time use but the concept works really well.
I think the company is called Kosmos Exit and they have a few different ones available.
– Retrosonic82
5. Photo shoots
Go to a park with a camera.
Take turns shooting anything you fancy.
Make it a little competition for the best photos.
Select your favourites and get them printed for the memories.
– HumbleTrees
6. The beach
Me and my girl are having a day trip to the beach next week I work nights, she works days so we don’t really get to see each other too much anymore so we thought that a nice day out will help
– jl99rbc
7. Car date
Where you drive to a good restaurant where you ordered carry out, pick it up and take it to your car.
You can eat and talk In privacy, reclining chairs, your choice of mellow music, heat/cold controlled, more intimate that a restaurant but also still public and low pressure
– Snowfreak2507
8. IKEA
Parking is easy, you get to seem quirky, eat meatballs, drink bottomless coffee and fizz, sit on the sofas, and see if you are compatible.
If you aren’t compatible, at least you can shop. Bought a watering can and drinking glasses on a non-starter date there.
Yes, I’m aware that sounds like a Viz comic.
– Other_Exercise
9. Making pasta
Super cheap.
All you need is flour and egg.
And time, but it’s a date so you’ll have time to chill and bake
– Bighayss
10. It all depends
Depends on you definition of fun and your definition of cheap.
Sitting at home is a date.
F*cking in the mountains is a date.
Going in the downtown center for a walk and to grab a bite is a date.
Meeting her friends who have babies is not a date, it’s a trap.
– canhardlythingofone
11. Museums
Granted I live in the DC area, but find a museum/portrait gallery you both haven’t been to.
Great way to figure out interests without having to speak about them directly and provides plenty of conversation starters
– JulietPapaOscar
12. Home theater
Grab your favorite movie snacks, build a pillow fort, hang twinkle lights, and watch a movie at home.
– Hobbit_in_Hufflepuff
13. The drive in
My local drive in movies is $10 to get in per car so me and my boyfriend load up on cheap pizza and snacks
– sadf*ckingcat
14. Card games
Play card games at the park like Uno, Dos, Poker, Black Jack, Cards Against Humanity, etc. while having a picnic.
Fresh air, tasty snacks, and games that help to know more about each other’s morals/feelings, financial responsibilities, confidence levels, etc.
At least that’s my idea of a cheap, fun, and productive date. Never been on an official date.
– Inu_Maiden
15. Teach a hobby
I think the question should be:
what cheap hobbies people have?
Cause you can sit in a park and teach her knitting while having a conversation 😉
(and that would also tell you how she reacts to learning something new, how stressed and annoyed she becomes and how she behaves when annoyed. It would be good to know a couple of those kinds of abilities like knitting to be able to switch. Always scanning for LTR right of the bat is my way.)
– IwannaCommentz
16. Simple picnic
A simple picnic is actually romantic. More time to talk to one another.
Another one is movie night which is very common but classic.
A walk in the park (or in the woods if you’re already familiar with your date but if it’s a first date or someone you met for the first time then NO.).
– vintageordainty
17. Gardens
Botanic gardens!
Who doesn’t love tropical greenhouses and ponds?
– Chairkatmiao
18. History tour
There is a “downtown” area in my city with old fountains.
We love to find old pictures of different parts of the city and go see what has changed.
– Yeeteth_thy_baby
19. Meteor showers
Go to the country with a six-pack and watch a meteor shower, but you’ll have to wait for the right date.
There’s a great one on August 11th, couple of smaller ones before that.
– Strix780
20. A big list…
Go on a scavenger hunt around a park or downtown.
Watch the stars at night.
Go for a drive to a small town and wonder around.
See if any schools are allowing spectators in for sports or theater productions and support your local high school.
– Hobbit_in_Hufflepuff
21. Open mics
Open mic nights (music, comedy, poetry). Usually free.
You either find something/someone you really like or you have a good conversation about the bad sets after
– amid-the-noise
22. Keep walking
Anything that keeps you walking, I like walking through Museum District or Street carnivals, festivals things like that you get a chance to actually talk with the other person.
You can spend money but the Ambiance is basically free.
– apegrizzly
23. Explore the…wait, what?
Stargazing in the woods, exploring abandoned buildings, checking out your cities most obscure alleys, midnight jogs in the park, sleepovers, surprise rides in windowless vans, hanging out in your basement trying out new lotions.
– CrowWarrior
24. Learn to cook
Go watch a cooking youtube video of a dish you’d like to master. I’m a terrible cook but my gf always says “remember the time we made pasta bolognese and it turned out sooo good?”.
Even when anything comes up that is remotely related to cooking. She comments about that date. Getting drunk somewhere is cool and all but it’s not a memory earned. Learning things with each other brings people together on a different level. You get to accomplish something together and then get to eat your accomplishment. And what’s cheaper than cooking your own meals?
– ripandtear4444
25. Bike together
I’m kinda surprised that no one suggested this one but I think riding bicycles together is great. If both of you have bikes you can ride around an unknown neighborhood, if you don’t, you can rent it in a park or something (at least in here it’s common to rent bikes in parks). It’s always fun bc you two end up sweating as h*ll and getting bright red on your cheeks.
– lunekko
26. Warm up
Filling a thermos with hot chocolate and baileys, and taking a walk through a park in Winter.
Sit by a pond or lake for extra points
– dark-wyld
27. Random prices
Pick a random number, let’s say 12.
One pays that amount to the other, the other one must cook a full dinner with that amount of cash, no more no less.
– bxfbxf
28. Tourist traps
Walk around a tourist trap with made up accents speaking a fake language and try to ask strangers for directions.
– College*ssDiscoDorm
29. See the turtles
For my third date with my now partner of 5 years I took her for a walk to the local wildlife park.
I didn’t take her inside but we could see tortoises or possibly tortoise-shaped rocks from the road.
– Geffen111
30. Just looking
Go around putting googly eyes on statues
– bobbelchermustache
Ok so some of those are more helpful than others but still, it gets the mind going!
Do you have other cheap date ideas?
Tell us in the comments.
