Feb

Frugal date Ideas

When it comes to romance, how much money you spend isn’t important. Cliché as it may seem, it’s the thought that counts.

A great romantic date is all about creating the right atmosphere. If you’ve got wine, chocolate and candles, it doesn’t matter that the kids are asleep upstairs, you’ve got a date.

Fellas, from a woman’s point of view, the most important aspect of a romantic date is EFFORT. It doesn’t matter if the date doesn’t turn out as planned, if we can see you went to a bit of effort, we will think it’s the best date ever!

Below are a few frugal date ideas that DH and I have used over the last seven years.

1. Go on a picnic

This is a perennial frugal date favourite with plenty of variations. Wine on the beach at sunset, stargazing, fish and chips at the local park, bread rolls and BBQ chook at the local botanical gardens. You don’t even have to spend money: occasionally we’ll pack a home-cooked dinner into takeaway containers and eat it down at the river.

2. Dine at home

When doing dinner at home, it’s all about creating a romantic atmosphere so that it’s distinguished from every other dinner at home. If the lady of the house normally does the cooking, then this is a good opportunity for the man of the house to shine in the kitchen. Or you could cook together. Turn off the TV and the lights, set the table up nice and eat something a little special that you wouldn’t normally eat.

If the weather is good, how about alfresco dining? Set the outdoor table or grab the picnic blanket for a backyard dinner.

3. Eat ice cream

When we lived in the city one of our favourite date nights was to drive to the beach, get McDonanld’s sundays and just watch the waves and listen to the radio in the dark.

4. Go for a walk

When my husband and I were first dating, our dates were often just trips into the city where we would wander for hours. We covered many, many kilometres that year! Nowadays we walk less, much to the detriment of our health, but when we do, my favourite is an evening stroll along the beach or in the park. It may seem like a boring date idea, but you’ve got atmosphere, time to talk and get to know each other, and maybe an ice cream!

5. Visit the local art gallery or museum

The local art gallery is usually free. Accompany it with a picnic or coffee and it’s a lovely inexpensive day out. Alternatively, if you’re into books, the bookstore can also make a great date out.

6. Look up free local events and attractions

Take advantage of free or inexpensive local events and attractions. A night out at the theatre doesn’t have to cost a fortune when you go to your local theatre company performance. Markets, festivals and free performances and demonstrations are all enjoyable ways to spend time together, especially if they reflect similar interests that you have.

7. Take advantage of discounts, coupons and cheap nights.

Whipping out a fist full of shop-a-dockets may seem a bit daggy on a first date, but what he/she doesn’t know wont hurt. Cheap Tuesday is a good date night, two-for-one deals, discount ten pin bowling or mini golf, lunch specials and smorgasbords can cut the cost of dating.

8. Do Breakfast

Breakfast (or lunch) is often cheaper than dinner and is a novel alternative. A favourite date (pre mortgage) that we had was a full breakfast out, then a trip to the library, then sitting in the park reading together. Now we do breakfast at home, which is almost as nice. Breakfast in bed is another option.

9. Hang Out

How often do we get time to just hang out with our partners? There’s work, the housework, grocery shopping, kids, cooking, emails, TV… Sometimes we just hang out together. We might read, or do our own hobbies together, or turn out the lights and listen to music and talk. These are my favourite days.

10. Have a movie night in

Snuggle up on the couch with some popcorn and a movie for a romantic night in. Choose a theme, for a while we went through a thing of watching Hitchcock movies (ok, not the most romantic movie genre).

11. Read a book together

Reading to each other can be a really nice way to spend time together. And maybe because it’s not the ‘done thing’ anymore, reading out loud can be quite intimate.

12. Play

Play board games, play on the swing, laugh, play. Isn’t that what dates are all about?

What frugal dates have you been on? Do you agree that money isn’t the important factor (hey its nice, but is it important)?

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