Not too long ago, my accomplice and I entered a “season of financial savings,” as we’re prioritizing upcoming journey, future home-related furnishings, and so forth. It’s no simple feat for 2 hard-working individuals who like to dine out, go to exhibits, and lean into enjoyable. Date nights for us at all times really feel like an journey. So, moderately than make this time of reigning it in really feel restrictive or boring, we’ve made it right into a enjoyable problem. At any time when we exit collectively, we will’t spend greater than $50. If you happen to’ve tried lately, this can be a bit harder than it sounds. That’s why we’ve gotten inventive with low-cost date night time concepts that hold the journey alive—simply on a funds.
However after experimenting a bit, we’ve discovered that with a bit out-of-the-box pondering, after we’re tasked with planning a day we all know we’ll every love, it’s that rather more intentional and significant. To not point out, I really like the thriller and shock of seeing what my accomplice selected for us.
Featured picture by Michelle Nash.
12 Cheap Date Night Ideas That Are Oh-So Special
The list of options is truly endless, and the most important part is to have fun with it! Remember, it’s ultimately the time you spend together that matters the most. Whether you’re in a season of savings too, or simply up for the challenge, discover my favorite cheap date night ideas to get you started. What are you adding to your under-$50 list?
Visit a Bookstore
When you get to the bookstore, each of you has to pick out a book that you think the other person would love or that speaks to you. My partner is a voracious reader so recently before I left for a trip, I walked into a bookstore with no agenda other than finding something I thought he’d love. I came across Raw Dog by comedian Jamie Loftus. He LOVES hotdogs and comedy, so it was a perfect match.
Go to a Burlesque Show
Last January, Dita Von Teese was in Austin for a show at the Paramount Theater. It was spicy, sexy, and such a blast. Chances are if you have a theater scene in your city, there’s a burlesque show you can catch.
Hike with a Picnic
If you’re in Austin, I’d run over to Foxtrot Market on Burnet, grab a bottle of wine (or not!) and snacks, and then head to Mount Bonnell. Go around sunset time to hike up the stairs and watch it from the top. It’s stunning. Of course, you can do this with any nature area or walking paths in your area.
Coffee, Walk, Museum
Cheap date night ideas can always transition to the early hours. For those who prefer mornings and something alcohol-free, grab a coffee and head out on a walk to a nearby museum.
Bowling or Bingo
A true classic. I you’re lucky, either place usually has cheaper bites and drinks letting you at least get one good game and a bite to split.
Volunteer
Find an organization you’re both into supporting, or better yet, each of you chooses one that you’d like to support. Instead of using that $50 towards your date, donate it back to the organization.
Night in Cooking
Nothing too novel here, but I love the idea of picking a recipe I know my partner would devour, and then putting him in charge of the playlist while I cook. We both get a little bit of a surprise and hopefully, he’ll add some romantic song we can dance to in the kitchen, which we actually do from time to time.
Go Dancing/Two-Stepping
Two of my all-time favorite places in Austin for dancing are The Broken Spoke and Donn’s Depot. Donn’s is right down the street from me and for $50 we get: cover fee, a few drinks each, and a little extra to tip the band playing. I love being on the dance floor with all ages and I swear you will not find a person NOT smiling on the dance floor. Plus, dancing is a beautiful way to get closer to your partner.
Tie-Dye Old T-Shirts + Movie Night
This one is a total throwback. If I were choosing the movie it would probably be Teen Wolf or Troop Beverly Hills. Without pause, he’d pick Rad. But we’d probably both align on Heathers at the end of the day. Anyway, grab an old t-shirt and make an evening of it tie-dying, watching a movie, and ordering in pizza. It’s chill, laid-back, and adds the element of surprise as you never know how your shirt will turn out.
Learn a New Game Together
This really could be “learn anything new together.” I love the novelty that comes with trying something new for the first time and having that element of discovery together. There are SO MANY games I haven’t played, but recently, my partner and his kids brought their Nintendo Switches on a family vacation, and low and behold, I caught myself playing until 2 a.m. almost every night. (And, to be clear, having the time of my life.)
Visit a Farmer’s Market
You’ve got $50 and have to come up with something to make for dinner without going over your budget. While this might be stressful to some, for me, it’s exciting to think about what my partner likes and how I can get creative for him.
Pay it Forward
This could go so many ways. Spend the $50 cooking a meal or using a food delivery service for a sick friend or new mom. Put together care packages for kids in the hospital. My partner’s sister’s family recently found out their 6-year-old was diagnosed with Leukemia and I can’t imagine how much it would light the little one up to have a surprise drop-off of toys.
More Cheap Date Night Ideas We Love
When it comes to dating on a budget, with only a little to spend, you’re invited to get a little more creative—and have all the more fun because of it. Ahead, we’re sharing more of our favorite cheap date night ideas that’ll have you counting down until Thursday (or Friday, or Saturday… ) every week.
- Explore a plant store. I can’t be the only one who can get lost in a plant store for hours! Pick up a little cutie and get some tips from the plant whisperers that be.
- Go out to breakfast. It’s way cheaper than dinner, and honestly, what’s better than hot coffee (or in my case, cold brew) and pancakes shared with the one you love?
- Run errands together. If your relationship with Target is anything like mine, you know just how fun this can be.
- Go apple or pumpkin picking. Make something sweet with your pickings afterward.
- Do a dive bar crawl. Prices are typically so cheap, you don’t need to find a happy hour special.
- Puzzle night. You could take it one step further and order a customized puzzle of your favorite pic together as a surprise.
- Watch the sunset together. When was the last time you intentionally watched the sunrise or sunset? Pack a bottle of wine, a mini cheese board, and a blanket. What could be more romantic?
- Rent bikes. Some places offer bike rentals by the hour, making your $50 date doable and active.
- Visit an art store. You can have so much fun with this one. Buy supplies to create a piece together or for one another.
- Thrift shop. The goal: each of you takes $25 from the $50 pot you have and has to put together an outfit. Have fun with it.
- Play an intimate card game. Relationship expert and therapist Esther Perel’s game, Where Should We Begin is an effective way to be taught extra about your accomplice.
- Theme night time at your property. This might go in so many instructions, however is usually impressed by a Christmas-themed bar in Austin referred to as Lala’s. There’s nothing like reworking your own home to get you into the spirit, whether or not it’s a vacation or leaning into an 80s night time.
- Go mini-golfing. A tried-and-true staple for any couple. Plus, it makes an ideal first date.
- Go see reside music. Choose a venue you’ve got by no means been to and go see somebody new. There’s one thing so enjoyable about including novel parts to your relationship.
- Drive-in film. Seize a blanket and BYOP (deliver your individual popcorn!).
- Trivia night time. I’ve acquired popular culture coated and my accomplice has historical past and sports activities.
- Create a scavenger hunt for one another. You may not even must spend a dime on this one except you wish to put the funds into prizes.
- Go to a report retailer. Seize a vinyl you every like to play at house in your lazy Sundays.
- Go to a comedy present. Once in a while, you possibly can rating tickets for 2 beneath $50. Who doesn’t love an evening of snickers along with your important different?
- Host a potluck for a number of {couples}. That is one of the best of all worlds: spending $50 or much less by having others deliver over a dish AND you get time along with your buddies.
- Shock and delight. Take your $50 and spend it on pals or household to shock ’em. You’ll each really feel nice and much more related.
- Swimming and ice cream. There is no such thing as a scarcity of swimming holes and resorts that supply day passes to make use of their pool. Seize an old-fashioned tender serve cone after and your day is about.
- Attempt a brand new bodily exercise. Mountain climbing, pickleball, tennis, and so forth. It’s a enjoyable method to get your coronary heart fee up along with your coronary heart throb.
- Create a spa expertise. Making your individual therapeutic massage oil is tremendous simple and low-cost. If you happen to and your honey love a therapeutic massage, this can be a nice method to create your individual expertise at house.
- Take a mini street journey. There are such a lot of small and cute towns throughout the nation that basically amp up the cheer through the fall and winter months. Seize a number of street journey snacks and take a drive, stroll round, and make a day trip of it.
- Discover the Kama Sutra. No disgrace in eager to discover the artwork of lovemaking and sexual positions along with your accomplice. Have enjoyable with it.
- Recreate your first date. This one may be powerful with $50 to spend pending the place you went, however possibly you’ve got the identical outfit on the prepared or can pull in parts which might be related.
- Binge watch a TV sequence and order in. There are such a lot of sequence my accomplice and I wish to begin. Yellowstone, anybody?
- Write out your 2024 targets. Seemingly received’t price you a single factor, nevertheless it’s a very pretty time to carve out an intentional second to set large targets collectively and assist hold each other on observe. Y’all know we love vision board-making night time.
- Go rollerskating. A good friend of mine lately hosted a birthday at a rink and it was such a throwback, to not point out lower than $50 for 2 individuals.
- Discover a park live performance sequence. Because the temps cool in Austin, a number of parks host “Jazz on the Inexperienced” or “Music within the Park” they usually’re often free!
