33 Ideas for Dating Frugally

I recently wrote about my desire to get back into the dating game and trying to figure out how to balance that with my desire to get debt-free. As a result I found several excellent ideas, but first lets set the mood by quoting Dating on a tight budget By Leah Gliniewicz of Bankrate.com.

You've made a love connection, but now you're weary of the wooing process because you're on a tight budget. But don't worry, because dating without much cash is possible and it can allow you to be creative while showing your date a good time. If you think that showing your true frugal colors may be a turn-off, then no need to tell your honey how much money you're saving.

Shel Horowitz, author of The Penny-Pinching Hedonist: How to Live Like Royalty on a Peasant's Pocketbook, is a frugal guru with more than 25 years of experience in saving money, time and lowering your cost of living.

"Always investigate if there is a cheaper way or a cheaper option," Horowitz said. He gave the example of going to see a show at a community theater where the seats are often right at the stage, instead of buying the "cheaper" tickets to a Broadway show in the nosebleed section. Horowitz said he has seen the advantages of finding cheaper or free alternatives; they far outweigh the benefits, and are more rewarding.

When you are dating on a budget, Horowitz advises you to be a little adventurous.

1. Test drive a sports car together.


2. Browse a ritzy museum gift shop or art gallery.


3. Find a dark, romantic bistro with great coffees and desserts, or an independent bookstore that encourages browsing.
4. Spend the whole evening dressed and acting as characters from a play, movie or book that you both enjoyed.


5. Do some star gazing at a local college observatory. It's open to the public during the school year and free.


6. Have a picnic and explore a state or national park. You'd be surprised what you learn when you're closer to nature. Admission to these parks is usually under $10 or free.


7. See a music laser show at a planetarium for around $6. Watch the colors fly through the air to some popular music.


8. Check out a poetry reading or other events at a bookstore. Sometimes snacks or beverages are provided. Some bookstores have a calendar listing for all of their events.


9. Create a food theme night (like Mexican, Mediterranean or Italian), and cook each other a dinner and appetizer at home.


10. Rent a canoe or kayak and go out on a river or lake for an afternoon -- under $40.


11. See a radio station music festival. It often features a day of bands, and tickets usually cost under $20. Or, check out a concert at a college; tickets may also be cheap.


12. Look into local arts festivals, craft fairs, flea markets or antiques fairs. Admission is under $15, the browsing is free, but you may want to watch the cost of the food.


13. See an IMAX movie for under $10. These films use a large film frame, a six-story movie screen and digital surround sound. These are cool because you feel like you're in the movie.


14. Attend a wine or beer tasting. At less than $10 each, you get more bang for the buzz.


15. Volunteer together. You'll be able to spend quality time together for a quality cause for free.


16. Swing is back. Take a dance lesson and tear up the dance floor with the hottest moves. Sometimes the first lesson is free.


17. Attend a student art show. Often the shows are free and refreshments are served.


18. Rent your favorite movies that your date hasn't seen and watch them together. Keep your date in suspense, and don't leak out the good parts or the ending.


19. Rent a Movie - You can duplicate the cinema experience by renting a favorite movie, making popcorn, and dimming the lights. Your date might even appreciate the extra leg room and ability to pause the flick for a restroom break.


20. Sip Mocha Lattes - Starbucks can be your best friend when it comes to lounging with your date, shooting the breeze, and sipping your favorite coffee beverage. You might even take your relationship to a deeper level thanks to the coffee talk.


21. Share a Sundae on Sunday - Take a trip to your local ice cream store and build a sundae together. You'll flirt over the toppings and sit close together as you spoon your way to sugar heaven.
22. Walk in the Park - Combine exercise and fitness with romance.
23. Natural Surroundings - The beauty of nature is all around us and it doesn't cost a dime. Whether it's a trip to the beach, a walk in the forest or a search into a cave, it can be done together for practically nothing. Take the time to find the natural scenic spots in your area and utilize them for your dates.
    
24. Public Exhibits/Museums - Think about the museums and galleries around you, all filled with collections of interesting items for you to chat about. Most are reasonable in price and usually offer discount days, so keep you eye out for those.


25. Special Events - On any given weekend, you can be guaranteed that some special event is going on nearby. Fairs, craft shows, festivals and exhibitions are usually free or for a nominal cost. It gets you and your date out and in an environment where you can both explore your surroundings while getting to know each other.


26. Sporting Ideas - If you and your date are both athletic, sport activities together can be a great way to spend your time. Play a set of tennis, jog in the park, toss a Frisbee about, play catch with a baseball or football or shoot some baskets. Whichever you choose, you can spend quality time at minimal cost and get some exercise in, too.


27. Video Games - Gaming has come a long way since Donkey Kong & Pac Man. It’s glorified board games for adults, basically. You can find a whole slew of trivia and game-show type games available at your local rental store. Five bucks for an hour or two of one-on-one friendly competition never hurt anyone and most realize that games aren’t just for kids.


28. Second run movie theaters - we used to call these dollar movies, because the theater only charged a dollar for them. Now however, with movie price going up, these theater charge about $3-$4. Still a bargain when you would pay $8-$11 to see the new releases at the regular theater.


29. Picnic - Picnics are great for dates because they can be taken along wherever you plan to go for the day and they cost a fraction of going out for a meal. They also can be made as casual or as romantic as you want. Take a casual picnic meal, add some cheese & wine along with a red rose and the picnic instantly takes on a romantic feel.


30. Memory Album - Take your camera or purchase an inexpensive disposable camera and make a day of taking photos together. Make a theme for the day if you want or just take any crazy photo that comes to mind. Once finished, get the photos 1 hour processed and create a memory album together for the day that will live on forever.
    


31. Historic Places & Buildings - It seems the only time people go looking at the historic landmarks near where they live is when visitors come from out of town. Many of these historic or culturally significant spots have no or small entrance fees and make a great place to go on a date. You also get to learn more about the area you live.


32. 
    Meal/Evening At Home - Cook up a meal at home and spend the evening watching movies or some other activity such as a board game. The meal most likely will be better than at a restaurant and the evening will cost a fraction of what going out to dinner and a movie would cost. Cook the meal together to spend even more time together, or do it yourself as a special surprise.
33. Exercise together - Skating (Ice or Roller),
    Scenic Bike Ride, a walk in the park are all great ways to exercise and yet have fun as well.
    

I am sure there are other ideas and would love to hear them. If you have any other ideas, comment to this post and let me know. I want to hear all of the ideas you have. I am sure there is 101 ideas out there, I just need to find them. Even if they won't work for me, they will for somebody. For example, I don't eat Italian, Mexican or Chinese food, so #9 wouldn't work as well for me. At least without some tinkering.

So what do you all think? Can you think of anything I missed?