20 Date Ideas on a Budget
Hey guys!
As most of you know, I am really big into weekly dates. I think it is great to consistently schedule dates with your spouse because it is telling each other "You are worth my time." Lives get busy, I get that, but at the end of the day it's not a valid excuse. We make time for so many other things and people. Remember, this is the person you choose to be with. If you are married, he/she is the MOST important person in your life. They are your companion and biggest supporter.
I also know how easy it is to get the notion that your date has to be expensive. NOT TRUE. Shea and I have $10 dates all the time. It is fun to do a special, more expensive date sometimes, but honestly cooking dinner together and watching a movie is what you need during an exhausting week.
I have researched, made up, and asked a few people for cheap date ideas. I hope one of these inspires you to grab your honey and go!
1. Movie Marathon with Ice Cream Sundaes You don't have to go anywhere to have a fun time with your significant other. If ice cream isn't your thing, maybe make cookies! You could really bring out your inner child and build a fort. It may all sound silly, but preparing for a date is just as much fun as having it. Make it fun! Be silly together. Be best friends.
2. Go Hiking Who cares if you aren't an outdoorsy person. Go! If you hate it, you never have to do it again and it will be something you both look back on and laugh at together. Dates are all about creating memories with that special person.
3. Go to a Drive In Movie This is so different to most people my age. I had never done this before Shea and I started dating, but the first time we went we loved it! Let me give you a piece of advice... do not leave your battery on to listen to the radio. I know the internet says your car should be fine, but mine died halfway through the movie. Maybe my battery was old? Not sure, but I would advise bringing a battery powered radio just so you don't have to stress about it.
4. Research the best Happy Hour and Go for Appetizers and Margs This is actually something Shea and I have done quite a bit. Chuys is one of our favorite places to go because of the QUESO! It is the bomb. If you go during happy hour, their margs are $5. Not going to lie, we make this our meal half the time. So healthy... I know. But hey, it's a date, no time for health.
5. Go Garage Sale-ing/Thirft Store Shopping Together I never said these were normal dates! If you are married this is a perfect time to find cheap items to decorate your house with. Plus, whatever you buy will also come with the memory of that special date. You could even make a competition out of it and each have $10 to find the best item(s).
6. Make a New Recipe Together Choose something that is not too easy so you get to spend time learning new things together. This date is on our list. We plan to buy things to make a homemade pizza!
7. Go to the Animal Shelter and Volunteer This date is a little dangerous for Shea and me... we already have two cats and a dog. Honestly, you could do any type of volunteer work though.
8. Karaoke Night Being loud and crazy is not in my nature, but I do love karaoke. I have to have a few drinks in me before I can make myself get up there.. but big fan! It is scary though because I lose all sense of pitch when I get up there. D: I just feel like this would be a memorable date...?
9. Spend Time on the Water This date requires you have a river, lake, or beach near you. For Shea and I, we have a lake and a river. We plan in the near future to go to the lake and catch a few fish. You could pack a picnic for when y'all get hungry and make a day of it!
10. Be a Tourist in your Own Town It truly doesn't matter how big the town you live in is. There is always something you have not seen or been to. For Shea and I, we just moved to San Antonio, TX, so we have a lot to explore. This will have to be one of our dates.
11. Go Play Pool, Basketball, etc. Sometimes going and doing something active can be a lot of fun. Shea and I love to go down to the basketball courts and play Horse. We laugh a whole lot and it helps us keep our sights on why we are together.
12. Go to a Farmer's Market I've ways wanted to do this! Maybe you could even go and make it more fun by making a meal of only the things you buy. Or go and pick out a bundle of flowers to place on your table. There is plenty to look at and explore at farmer's markets.
13. Take Your Dog to the Dog Park Almost every time Shea visited me in college we would take my dog Maggie to the park. This would give us a chance to get out of the house and really talk. Not to mention my dog is so awkward with other dogs so it made for many laughs.
14. Take Personality Quizzes Together This may be just me, but I love understanding why people are the way they are. Especially my husband. I want to know what makes him tick and personality quizzes are a great way to learn about each other.
15. Garden Together/Buy Plants I absolutely LOVE plants. They give life to your house! So go out with your person and set a limit on what you can spend and buy a few plants. You don't have to have a garden in the ground to garden. Pinterest is full of ideas on using shelves to plant things. I am into succulents and have far too many in my house.
16. Find a Cute Coffee Shop Sometimes you just want to get out of the house. Take books, computers, notepads, etc. and go. You and your significant other can draw your future home, make a playlist for each other, or read the same book together.
17. Go to Trivia Night I have never done this, but hope to in the near future! This seems like it would be a blast.
18. Go on a Scenic Drive Just go explore. Near San Antonio there are so many places to explore in the hill country. When you see something pretty, pull the car over and go take pictures. Create memories. Don't be so set in the destination that you miss everything on the way there. This is about connection!
19. Cheer on an Amateur Sports Team If you don't like sports, go for the beer and nachos. Put on your baseball caps and take cute selfies!
20. Go eat Lunch at a Food Truck Food trucks are fun because it is something different than your everyday restaurant. Maybe once you have your food go sit in the park and eat. Feed your scraps to the birds! Have deep conversation. Be romantic! My date ideas might be stupid or cheesy, but that is not what going on dates is about. Dates are for reconnecting with each other after a hard day, week, or month. It is about setting aside time for each other. Even if you see each other everyday, setting a time and day to do something special is important. Don't let yourselves lose the spark. Be creative and think of things that makes your spouse happy. If a guy reader is happening to read this, girls typically enjoy anything that you plan if you were thinking about us. Take your dates seriously and try not to let small disagreements ruin these nights. There is a reason you are together and dates help you see why. I am a supporter of planned dates if you cannot tell. :P Seriously, you can read this and move on or you can call up your hunny and say "We are going on a date!" Your choice, but I promise you it's worth the time and extra money. If you know me personally, I'll babysit! I really love love. It is an amazing thing! I hope this encourages you. Thank you for reading and have an amazing rest of your week! -Chandler