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Date night ideas

I don't know if this is the corrcet message board, so sorry if it's not. My husband and I are instituting date nights and I was wondering what other couples do for date nights. We are on a strict budget becuase I am going to graduate school, but what are some creative, fun, and not so expensive date night ideas?

 

Re: Date night ideas

  • Depending on where you live, a lot of cities have free movies in the parks on weekends.  Baseball games sometimes have pretty cheap tickets as well.
  • If you're okay with staying at home sometimes, then you could do things like making a fancy dessert together, making a "gourmet" dinner at home (or making a more simple meal fancy by adding candles, a nice tablecloth, etc), or getting creative in other ways with what you have at home.

    Otherwise, some other simple ideas are going for a romantic picnic, going to a dollar theater if you have one, window shopping, reading/looking at books at a bookstore, bowling nights if they're having a special, going out for just dessert or coffee instead of a full meal (or even splitting a full meal), going for a walk somewhere nice, and stargazing. Our town right now has very little to do and we're on a tight budget, so we're always looking for cheap or free things to do. You could check if your town/city (or a nearby one) has free exhibits, museums, events, sales, showings, specials, etc and go from there, too.

  • My husband and I are also on a tight budget. Here are some ideas:

    -Many cities have music in the park

    -Picnic with a walk in the park

    -Go out for ice cream somewhere like Dairy Queen.

    -Hit an early showing to a movie. Pick something you both want to see.

    -Like PP said- make a dessert or somehting new at home. Homemade pizza is also a good idea.

    -OR... you could combine a few of the above ideas and dress up for him in something sexy later in the evening. ;)

    GL and have fun! :)

  • * We have game nights from time to time.  Since we have about a gazillion board games, it works quite nicely.  And while Twister can be difficult with only two people (how do you spin the thingie when you've got left hand green and right hand yellow?), it can be fun, too.  ;)

     * Movie nights.  DH is a movie nut, so we have more than our fair share.  Sometimes we cuddle on the couch and watch something random.  Pair it with dinner and maybe a glass of wine.

    * Picnic in the park during warmer weather.  We did that all the time during college as a cheap way of getting out of the apartment.

    * Before he went on third shift, DH often worked a shift that had him getting home between 10 and 11 pm.  Many was the night when I met him at the door in something sexy.  Or nothing at all.  :D

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  • We got museums and aquariums. We order pizza and take it to the park to eat. We go hiking/walking at State Parks. We go shopping at Farmer's Markets, which we love. Rent movies and watch them at home or go out to the theater to see something new. Cook meals together. Take a community class together--a lot of people do wine tasting, we actually chose Bird Watching, which, considering we were never interested in bird watching before, was quite interesting. For us, the best dates are often quiet, uncrowded places where we can be as leisurely as we want.

  • WahooWahoo member
    Ancient Membership 2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker

    Check out your local paper (ours is free and we get it whether we want it or not!).  A lot of community groups have book discussions, movies, art exhibits, etc.  The summer also has concerts and outings to baseball games.  Also the local historical society often has talks on the history of your town/area.

    See if a local park has nature walks, boat rides, tennis courts,

    See a sight in your area, such as a lighthouse, a state park, or a historic house.   

    You don't have to go OUT to have a date night.  Just make plans to have take-out pizza and rent a movie.

    Take a walk to your local ice cream or coffee shop.

    Think of taking turns planning your night out, and make a buget limit of $25 (or whatever fits your budget). 

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  • I agree with the others. Unless you live in Podunk.There is always something somewhere going on. Often these  groups, clubs,events,exhibits and socities etc. They hide in plain sight are are rarely promoted. As the people involved figure since they know about it, it must be common knowledge for everybody.

      I've lived in this community for seven years yet only last year discovered. There is an amature theatre group that uses the stage in the old town hall.      

  • Check out your public library for museum/park passes. Sometimes admission is free with them but at least reduced cost.

    Picnics/music in the park. Add an ice cream cone to the night, it is cheap and can only make the night better (unless you drip it down the front of your shirt!)

    We used to go on date nights to Barnes and Noble a lot. We would grab books and sit in the comfy chairs and just waste an hour or so. 

    Get take out from a nice restaurant and eat at home. But to save money you can order just the entree and make salad, dessert, and drinks at home. 

     

  • Wow, these are all awesome ideas. Thanks.

  • Also, I noticed you're in Fairfax (or at least your profile says you are). If you'd be up to going into DC, there's a lot of free or cheap stuff on the Mall and in that vicinity. Check out the Smithsonian website, there are a lot of free events going on at the museums, and the museums themselves are free.  Picnic down on the Mall and go to a museum. :)

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  • imagepurple.cow.0206:

    Also, I noticed you're in Fairfax (or at least your profile says you are). If you'd be up to going into DC, there's a lot of free or cheap stuff on the Mall and in that vicinity. Check out the Smithsonian website, there are a lot of free events going on at the museums, and the museums themselves are free.  Picnic down on the Mall and go to a museum. :)

    Yes, I live in fairfax. I moved here a few years ago from a podunk town in upstate, NY. I don't know I think it is so hard to come up with ideas, but now that we have a set date night every week I am hoping that it become easier for us to do things. During the summer GMU in Fairfax does movie under the stars, so that can be a possible date night activity.


  • Make an indoor fort

    have a theme date where the food activity and movie match

    Volunteer somewhere together

    Take a class together

    Go to the library or bookstore and take turns reading funny passages

    have a picnic indoors/out

    have a bonfire

    People watch and take turns telling stories about them

    go for hot chocolate and chat

    fly kites

    play on the playground bring a picnic

    bake cookies for someone

    do a craft together maybe make gifts for someones up coming birthday or holiday

    make collages with magazine pictures

    babysit for someone for ree

    go to a flee  market or garage sale or thift store and see what you find.

    Read a book together pretending to be different characters

    Go around town taking pictures of strange things

    Rollar skating, rollar blading, ice skating

    have a day camp set up and tent and read scary stories

    watch kids cartoons in your pjs while eating a favorite cereal from childhood

    Go on a toy shopping spree with $10 pick out something for yourself and then explain why you got it

    Buy two books one they will like and one you want them to read.

    Watch the sunrise and/or set

    Mini golf

    Take a nature walk and bring the camera

    Art Gallery

    go get ice cream and walk around

    Do a puzzle together

    Start a blog together

    Plan a teasure hunt for each other

    Try drawing each other

    Stargaze with some non-alch bubbley

    Take a walk around the waterfront

    have tea and scones and speak with a british accent

    Go to a highschool sport game and cheer people on.

    Create a fill in the blank Q&A sheet for the other to answer and explain. Questions could include: "My favorite thing about you is _____." "I knew I loved you when ____." "It makes me laugh when you _____."

    grab your favorite snacks and watch a season worth of shows together

    go out or breakfast together

    grab an extention cord and a tv and watch a movie outside with some snacks

    Fondue party!

    Find a Karaoke night at a local pub and order some appies

    make a mix cd together and talk about the meaning behind each song

    Use the self timer on your camera and get some great pictures of yourselves then get them printed and buy some frames

    feed the ducks at the waterfront

    Frisbee

    batting cages

    test drive cars

    bowling

    play some pool

    Late night walk on the beach

    Make a time capsule about the two of you

    Dance under the stars to your favorite romantic music

    Get an exercise video and do it together!

    play with playdough
    Have a bowl with peices of paper and they have to try and make what's on the paper have a time limit whoever get most right get the other do to X

    Look for free events around town

    Make goals as a couple and write a plan to accomplish them.

    Homemade ice cream

    make a dating collage

    Decorate t-shirts

    create obstacle course in the backyard time each other

    Start an audio dairy together

    Plan a foreign country night. Learn about different customs. Prepare authentic food from the country, and learn how to say ?I Love You? in the native language.

    Develop an inexpensive hobby together.

    Make chalk drawings on the sidewalk.

    Make a soap-carving gift for each other.
  • I'm in school and on a budget as well. We still have date night on the first of every month. That's our monthly anniversary since we were married August 1. Check your university for events. My school is small bu they still have theater productions, free movie nights, and all kinds of other events that are little or no cost to students and their families. With summer (and nice weather) here, consider having a picnic and taking a nice leisurely walk. Sometimes DH and I like to drive around loking at houses we can't afford yet for our "next house". We also have a dollar movie theater that we like to frequent. Check retailmenot.com or a similar site for coupons. Lots of restaurants offer buy one get one free entree coupons (maybe even on the back of your grocery store receipt!) Check out a nearby brewery/winery- some offer free or inexpensive tastings. And one of the cheapest/most laid back- Applebee's happy hour- Half price apps and drinks specials. We have gone for an hour and spent like 7 bucks!
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