Are you looking for some great cheap date ideas? If you have been together for any time at all, you know how important dating is to your relationship. That quality time together is imperative for a strong relationship, which is why we like to recommend couples take the time for a date night at least once every week or even a couple of times per month.
No matter how important date nights are, they can get quite expensive. When you are on a budget, it is easy to forgo that time together in order to save money, but it’s still important to do. That’s why we like to mix up different types of free date ideas and affordable, budget-friendly dates each week throughout the year.
If you are looking to spend time with your special someone, here are some wonderful cheap date night ideas that will save your budget while allowing you to spend quality time together.
Cheap Date Ideas
Dessert Date
Going out for dinner and drinks can get expensive quickly. Why not head out to your favorite restaurant for a dessert date? Even if you aren’t going to sit down for a complete meal, you are still going out to eat together and you can still sit down together and spend time visiting, which is important. Plus, ordering dessert is much less expensive than a full meal.
Go Bowling
A game of bowling for a date is very inexpensive, often just a couple of dollars, plus the cost of rental shoes. One couple can easily bowl one game for less than $10.
This is also a great Rainy Day Date Idea!
Fruit Picking
Another affordable date would be to head to a local farm and go pick some fruit. You can go apple picking, cherry picking, berry picking…pick peaches, oranges, apricots, or any other fruit that they allow people to come in and pick from the trees or vines.
It’s a really fun date to do together. Then, take your freshly picked fruit home, and create some delicious recipes to enjoy the “fruits of your labor”.
Play Mini-Golf Together
When was the last time you played mini-golf? Did you ever play it when you first dated? A mini golf date is typically just a couple of dollars per person, which means it is definitely a budget-friendly date night idea. Plus, it may be a fun walk down memory lane.
Coffee Date
If you and you’re special someone both enjoy a cup of coffee (or chai or tea), a coffee date is a fun and budget-friendly way to spend time together. Head to your local coffee shop, or look for a trendy coffee shop that has other offerings (such as open mic night, trivia, etc.) to head to together. It’s the perfect morning date or breakfast date idea too!
Coffee Dates are also very casual First Date Ideas as well!
Go To A Sports Game
A live sports game is a fun way to get out of the house and enjoy some time together while watching an exciting activity. Even if you aren’t a sports fan, going to a live game is a whole different experience. Take your love on an outdoor date to watch baseball, soccer or football game, or stay cozy indoors for a basketball, hockey or volleyball game.
You can go to a professional game, or stick to your local college or high school games. Tickets can be very cheap no matter what type of game you decide to check out.
Or play the sport yourself! Trying a fun sport for couples can be a great way to bond.
Cheap Date Night Ideas
Do A Fun Run Together
We love that these “fun runs” have become so popular. You can do a color run, inflatable run, bubble run, or even an obstacle run together. While the actual Fun Run part would be a great affordable date together, you can even spend lots of time training for that run together too, which is a bonus for helping with the question “what do you want to do today?” and can also be a perfect new couples hobby you can start together.
Enjoy a Picnic Together
When was the last time that you had a picnic lunch or dinner? A picnic date is a wonderful way to spend date night together. Not only is it less expensive than a typical dinner date, but it is also a far more intimate way of spending time together than dinner at a crowded restaurant. For a great picnic date, don’t grab food from your fridge. Instead, order a pizza, buy a sub sandwich to share, or any other inexpensive take out idea.
Host A Couple’s Game Night
Couple’s Game Night is one of our favorite date ideas, and for good reason. It’s a perfect cheap date idea and you can invite your friends over for a double date!
Playing games together, whether it be just the two of you or a whole group, is a lot of fun and makes for an easy planning date night. Grab some of your games you already have, or find some free games for couples you can play online.
Taste Test At Home
Taste testing dates are so much fun! It’s like going to Costco and grabbing all your favorite samples. Bring all the taste testing goodness home, and create your own taste testing date at home.
Grab 4 different Ben & Jerry’s flavored ice creams from the grocery store, buy 5 different chip flavors that are new to you, or order 3 different small pizzas from your favorite pizza place with their new creations.
Whatever your favorite type of food, grab variations for each, and bring them home to do your very own taste test. Who knows?! You may even find your new favorite foods!
Cheap Date Nights
Date Night Subscription Box
What is a better date night idea, than a date night that someone else planned for you?! There are so many different date night subscription boxes you can purchase, and it will be a curated date for you in the mail every month.
That takes the pressure off you for a week of having to plan another perfect date, and you’ll get to enjoy a different date from every single box.
Camping Date
If you’re looking for cheap date ideas for a weekend away, go camping! Camping is a much cheaper alternative than booking a hotel room for the weekend, and it’s a lot more fun too.
Camping comes with nature hikes, cooking on a fire, and spending some good quality time together in a different environment.
Try these couples camping ideas and don’t forget to play some couples question games on the way.
Drive-In Movies
If you can find a drive-in movie near you, this is a great budget friendly date idea! And it could even be cheaper than just going to the movies.
We really miss having these around, but when you find one, it’s definitely something not to miss. It’s a really great affordable date idea that will have you enjoying a movie in a whole new way.
It’s a great truck bed date idea or car date!
Comedy Show
Enjoy a comedy show together! You can find really cheap tickets to smaller comedy venue or even head to an open mic night at a local pub or cafe.
We’ve found great deals on tickets though livingsocial, groupon, and the like as well.
Paint Night
Do a couple’s paint night! This was one date night we really enjoyed, and were able to get a painting started together.
Find a great painting you want to do together, and get 2 canvases where you can do one picture together in 2 canvases. All you have to do is run to your local craft store and buy canvas and paint. You can find these items very affordable if you use coupons as well.
We love Hobby Lobby, since they always have things on sale, and Michael’s usually has a 40% off one item coupon you can use. Go to the store together, and you can each use a coupon!
Appetizer Date
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and wanted to order your appetizer as a meal instead? Sometimes those appetizers sound even better than the meals do. So for this date, instead of finding something off the regular menu, order 3 or 4 appetizers together and split them for your meal.
Fishing Date
Take the day to go hang out on the lake, river, ocean, and go fish together. A one-day fishing license should be fairly cheap, so this could be a great affordable date idea.
Plus, if you catch anything, you can make dinner that night too! Or if you are more like us, you can catch and release as well.
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Do a scavenger hunt around town, but take your camera with you! You can run around town marking off different things on your list of what you need to find and take pictures of.
Some scavenger hunts have you doing certain tasks, and you have to snap photos to prove you did it. Others will need you to find things around your town and take photos of the object or whatever they are looking for.
Try our scavenger hunt date!
Beach Day
Spend a day at the beach for a super fun beach date. If you live near the ocean, this one is easy. Pack a picnic and some sunscreen, and spend the whole day on the sand. If you have a lake or a river nearby, you can change this to a water day near you.
Spending some time on the waters edge can be a really fun and romantic cheap date idea.
Go Antiquing
Spend your day walking around antique shops and find different treasures. Even if you don’t intend on purchasing anything, it’s fun to look around and find some interesting items they sell in antique stores.
Make it a game and try to find certain items, or talk about things you use to have or saw your grandparents use, etc.
Or try our thrift store dates or library dates for something similar.
Affordable Date Night Ideas
- Go on a hiking date or nature walk
- Have a picnic in the park or at the beach
- Visit a local farmer’s market and cook dinner with the fresh ingredients
- Have a game night at home with board games or video games for a double date or a group date!
- Go on a bike ride around town
- Visit a free museum or art gallery
- Attend a free outdoor concert or movie screening
- Take a scenic drive and stop at interesting places along the way
- Go to a local flea market or thrift store and find hidden treasures
- Have a DIY spa day at home with homemade face masks and massages
- Go on a photo scavenger hunt around town
- Have a bonfire and make s’mores
- Visit a nearby beach or lake for a day trip
- Take a free yoga or fitness class together
- Go to a free community event or festival
- Have a movie night at home with homemade popcorn and snacks
- Visit a local park and play frisbee or catch
- Go on a self-guided walking tour of your city
- Have a potluck dinner with friends or family
- Go on a sunset hike or walk
- Attend a free art or craft workshop
- Visit a local botanical garden or park
- Have a game tournament with your favorite games
- Go on a geocaching adventure
- Have a DIY wine and paint night at home
- Visit a local historical site or monument
- Have a romantic stargazing date
- Go on a brewery or winery tour
- Visit a local zoo or aquarium on a discounted day
- Have a themed dinner night at home, like a taco night or pasta night…one of our Disney date ideas for the Disney lovers
The time that you spend with your significant other is perhaps the best thing you can do to strengthen your relationship. Now, with these great budget-friendly date night ideas, as well as the free date night ideas we have talked about before, you have lots of ideas available to you. You no longer need to let your budget keep you from taking this time together!
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Sara, a seasoned expert in wedding planning and date ideas, brings a wealth of experience to our couples blog. With a background in the television industry and hands-on involvement in a dozen weddings, including working as a wedding assistant on "My Fair Wedding with David Tutera," Sara has an innate understanding of the magic that makes weddings truly special. Growing up with four sisters has given her unique insights into the dating world, making her a go-to source for practical and heartfelt dating advice. Her knowledge and enthusiasm make her the perfect guide for couples seeking to infuse their relationships with creativity and love.
