The beginning of the relationship is the most difficult. We want to make a good impression, we want to be seen as adventurous. And that can cost a lot of money!
But the thing is that a low-cost date doesn’t have to be boring. There are plenty of fun, romantic activities you can do with your partner that won’t break the bank.
I also think that if you are afraid to tell your partner that you are trying to save some money or if they don’t understand that (or even laugh at that) then I don’t want to be the person that tells you this, but your partner is not the one.
But okay, let’s say you found a nice person who shares a similar money mindset and is okay with saving money on dates. Here are 10 ideas for a low-cost date that will make lasting memories without draining your wallet.
1. GO ON A PICNIC
Pack a basket (or a backpack) with sandwiches, snacks, and drinks and head out to your favorite park or beach or a forest. Enjoy the sunshine while playing board games or talking over lunch.
It is the best to find a place far away from the crowds so you can enjoy silence and nature. Stay there as long as you want, you can even watch sunset together or maybe when it gets dark – stargazing.
2. HAVE DINNER AND A MOVIE NIGHT AT HOME
Make dinner together – try an easy recipe like tacos or pasta salad – then go on netflix or other streaming platform and watch the movie. To make it more interesting you can decide that each week you are going to watch, for example old black and white movies or horrors. It’s totally up to you. You can also decide that one week you are watching your favourite movie and next week – your partner’s.
3. HAVE A GAME NIGHT
Grab some snacks and play classic board games or card games for a fun evening. If you don’t have any board games you can always try do play online or you can even create your own board game! I created one low-cost board game by buying a cheap version of the game „Who is it” on Aliexpress. Then I found photos of the famous horror movies characters and downloaded it. I resized the photos and printed them. Then I put them in the board plate and here we are: a cheap game for the fan of horror movies! You can use this idea also for a fan of Harry Potter, football, Game of Thrones and many others!
4. TAKE A HIKE
Explore nature together by going on a scenic hike at your local state park or national forest. Enjoy the views while you exercise and spend quality time together. If there is nowhere to go hiking, you can always just go on a bike or take a walk in the forest.
5. VISIT AN ART MUSEUM
Go to an art museum during their free hours and take a stroll hand-in-hand through the galleries, admiring all the different pieces of artwork along the way. If there is no museum nearby then you can always go and explore the city – old churches or cemeteries are also full of different artworks (paintings or sculptures).
6. HAVE BREAKFAST OUT
Instead of having dinner out, go out for breakfast instead – it’s usually cheaper! Go to your favorite diner or café and spend a nice morning together. What is nice about it is that usually the restaurants are not that crowded in the morning. 😊
7. PAINT TOGETHER
Buy some canvases, paints, and brushes from the craft store and have a painting session at home. Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, it can be fun to create something together! If you want a cheaper version of this idea – instead of painting – draw something together! Then you only need a piece of paper and a pencil. You can either make it a challenge that you are drawing the same thing and then you will see who made it better or you can take two pieces of paper and draw for 5 minutes and then exchange papers and start drawing for another 5 minutes. 😊
8. TRY STARGAZING
On a clear night, head outside to your backyard or nearby park and look up at the stars. You can even research constellations online beforehand or bring along a telescope for extra fun! Don’t forget to take a blanket to make it cozy and comfortable. You can also buy a wine and bring two wine glasses with you.
9. MAKE DINNER TOGETHER
Taking turns picking recipes and making dinner together – this is a great way to bond while creating something tasty too! You can make it a cooking class. There are many Youtube videos with recipes that you can watch together and cook at the same time. In this case you can also make it a series of dates and on each date you can try recipes from a different country (mexican, italian, asian and so on).
10. GO EXPLORE
Find somewhere new in your city you’ve never been to before and explore together. This can be anything from a hidden shop or museum, or just a street you haven’t walked down yet. You can explore local libraries or antique shops. You can visit every church in the city and admire the sculpture (even if you are not religious, just consider it as art).
No matter what date ideas you choose, the most important thing is that you and your partner have fun and make lasting memories! With these low-cost date ideas, you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank – just enjoy each other’s company and make some unforgettable moments.
Such activities are not only low-spend but also memorable. From my experience I usually remember more unusual dates rather than a dinner at a restaurant.
And to be honest the only thing that limits you here is your imagination. Because there are many other low cost date ideas to try: karaoke at come, going for a bike and so on.
