20 Things You Can Do on a Date Without Breaking the Bank

Dates can be exciting, but they can also cost a lot of money. That doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice spending time with your partner in order to lower your expenses. After all, the best dates do not have a price tag. You could both enjoy test driving your shared fantasy car, for example.

Bright Side brings you some suggestions of fun things you can do on dates without having to be a big spender.

1. Test drive your shared fantasy car.

Maybe you both share a dream car and can’t afford it at the moment. You could have a feel by going for a test drive together. At the very least, you’d enjoy the free ride together during that few minutes.

2. Play music for each other.

Say you both enjoy music. Even if you don’t like the same music, you can always introduce your favorites to each other. If you both like playing the guitar or piano and writing your own music, time will definitely pass by pleasantly if you do it together. You could even teach each other how to play a musical instrument.

3. Do some volunteer work together.

If you both love animals, nature or, doing charity, volunteering is something fun and good to do together. You could just suggest to your partner to get involved in volunteer work, if you’re not sure they’d go for it. Volunteering could make you feel good about yourself and see your partner in a positive light too.

4. Window shopping, antiquing, or thrifting

While you may not want to spend too much money, you could always go thrifting or antiquing. It would be interesting to find some unexpected things together. You might discover somethings that are precious only to the 2 of you. If this isn’t for you, you can always do some window shopping at the mall, IKEA, or Tiffany’s.

5. Go for a romantic stargazing session.

This is definitely a romantic activity to do if you know a place where the stars can be seen really well at night. You could have a peaceful talk with your partner under the night sky. It could feel like there was just the 2 of you in the world below the twinkling stars.

6. Hit the gym as first-timers.

Gyms usually have offers for first-timers. You and your partner could go for the trial period for different gyms, together. Not only would this be fun, it could help to keep you healthy too. Just don’t forget to get off the membership before the trial period ends.

7. Cook together at home.

Dinner dates are a given but they can be expensive. Going out to restaurants to eat is the norm, but you could switch it up and cook together at home sometimes. Not only will this reduce costs and be a healthier choice, it will also allow for some quality bonding time.

8. Stay at home for a game night.

Bring the fun indoors and have a game night with your partner. Board games and video games can be something casual and enjoyable to do together. You could always invite friends over for a double date if you’re looking for something less private.

10. Try fruit-picking.

When it’s the season for fruit-picking and the orchard is near, you could bring your date on a fruit-picking adventure. You end up with fresh fruit that’s likely to taste sweeter because you picked it yourself.

11. Treat each other to a home spa.

A couple’s spa is something relaxing to do together, but the price to do it at a spa resort can be anything but relaxing. You can do it yourself at home by applying masks to each other and giving each other a good massage. The touch from your partner would be more meaningful and romantic than from a massage therapist.

12. Play sports like ping pong or bowling.

If you love to move around or prefer something more competitive on a date, you could always choose sports like ping pong or bowling. You could teach or tease each other while playing.

13. Have a potluck dinner as a double date.

Having a pot luck means that you’re going to get something unexpected. It would be a nice surprise to have a variety of food to eat with your partner and friends.

14. Indulge in Insta-worthy moments.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Now that you can take a photo with your phone, all you have to do is find a good spot for a casual photoshoot. You could also get creative and use what you have — working with your partner to get a pretty picture for social media.

15. Get your groove on and dance together.

As long as you have each other and a little music, you can do this anywhere. You can take an actual dance class, or just dance together at home. It doesn’t matter whether or not you know how to dance, the most important thing is to have fun together.

16. Be a tourist couple in your own city.

It’s easy to think that you will visit a hotspot in your city because it’s near you, but sometimes you never get the chance because you keep postponing it. Well, being a tourist in your own city can be a great date idea. There are probably some places that you’re not even aware exist, until you explore them.

17. Go for a hike or on a bike ride.

For couples who love the outdoors, hiking can be a good activity to do on a date. If that is too much, you can always opt for a bike ride instead. You get to enjoy nature and spend some alone time with your partner.

18. Attend festivals, carnivals, or events.

There are all sorts of events throughout the year, and some of them are free to enter or participate in. You could just walk around to see what’s happening without spending a dime.

19. Hang out at the beach.

The beach is a good place to go for a casual date. You could go during the summer and enjoy the sun or you could randomly go any other time just to be alone together.

20. Have a picnic.

Find a park and have a nice little picnic with your date. This has been done for ages and it is still romantic today. Not only will you save some money, you’ll feel less pressure to dress up like you would if you were going to a high-class restaurant. You’ll probably feel more relaxed when talking with your partner too.

Which of these have you tried and which do you want to do again? Can you name any other fun activities to do on a date that would not set you back too much?