Dating on a Budget
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With some creativity and preparation, dating neednât be an expensive experience. Dating on a budget doesnât mean a date will be less romantic, or that your date will think you are being tight-fisted; it will show that you are using your imagination and trying to be innovative. Whether you prefer to eat at a restaurant or go to the theatre, remember there are always cheaper date options. Your date doesnât need to know how much money you spend on a date; the most important thing is that you spend some quality time together and have fun getting to know one another. There are numerous ways for you to have a wonderful date without overspending which range from being completely free, to being relatively low-cost.
Eating is included in many date options, whether it is in a restaurant, bar or coffee shop. Eating out can take up a large portion of your date budget, but there are many alternative options to avoid this. Cooking at home is very popular with couples as it gives you the opportunity to relax in home surroundings while enjoying a delicious home cooked meal. It also gives you the chance to show off your cookery talent, or be impressed by your dateâs cookery skills. Alternatively you could enjoy a takeaway together and share your favourite dishes. Depending on the amount of food you order, takeaway prices are relatively cheap compared to a fancy restaurant. A picnic is another great date idea. A romantic setting in the countryside to enjoy a tasty picnic allows you to relax and make the most of the piece and quiet. A picnic can be as extravagant as you wish, or keep it simple for a lower cost. If you like the idea of a picnic and staying at home, another great idea is a candle-lit picnic on the living room floor. This is good if it is raining outside, plus it enables you to put on romantic music in the background. If you prefer going to a restaurant, then a lower-cost option is to go to a restaurant at lunchtime when many restaurants have special lunchtime offers and discounted meals. Alternatively you could have a mouth-watering pub lunch, which are often cheaper than restaurant prices.
If you like to go to the cinema or theatre on a date, there are cheaper options. Many cinemas offer discounted ticket prices on particular days and times, usually when visiting the cinema is unpopular. This does vary from cinema to cinema, but it is definitely worth looking in to. Another great idea is to watch a movie in the comfort of your own home. Not only is it cheaper and cosier, it also enables you to watch whichever movie you feel like, unlike the cinema where you are restricted to a handful of films. Why not substitute a visit to the theatre with a comedy club? Laughing is a great way to bring two people closer together, so a comedy club is a perfect option, plus it is guaranteed that you will end the date with a smile on your face. If youâre not a great fan of comedy, you could always attend a book reading or poetry reading at a local bookshop. If both you and your date enjoy books and poetry, then this is an ideal option for you and it has the bonus of being free of charge.
If you are a fan of the outdoors and fresh air then there are several date ideas for you. A gentle stroll or even a hike in the countryside, the park or a wood is a good way to spend some quality time together. Without any interruptions you will have all the time you need to get to know one another without spending a penny. You then have the choice of taking some sandwiches with you and eating them in a quiet location, but donât forget to take some extra bread to feed the ducks if you are near a river or lake. Other outdoor date ideas include watching the sunset or sunrise, bird watching and stargazing, all of which can be very romantic, especially watching the stars in the fresh night air. Even if you arenât interested in birds or the stars, it can be enjoyable to learn something new with someone you care about.
There are several active date ideas that are low-cost which are great if you enjoy being energetic. You donât need to have special equipment or belong to a specialised club to take part in sport; your local park and a ball are sufficient. Being active is a great way to have fun and make you feel relaxed at the same time. Cycling is a great date idea if you enjoy the outdoors and enjoy being active. This wonât cost you anything if you already own a bike. Alternatively many nature reserves or wooded locations allow you to hire bikes and cycle around the area. Less energetic activities such as miniature golf is another low-cost way to have fun. You could even take up kite flying and perhaps even make your own kite out of newspaper and bits you have about the house. You will have lots of fun together trying to get your homemade kite lift off the ground.
Other low-cost date ideas include window shopping, playing a board game, a visit to an art gallery or museum and a trip to the beach. Depending on parking prices and location, these ideas can be cost-free. Many museums and galleries are free to visit and a day at the beach neednât cost much if you take your own food and rug to sit on.
If you are interested in learning something new with your partner, why not take up a hobby together? It will cost to learn a new hobby, such as dancing or painting, but in the long run it will be cheaper than multiple visits to a restaurant, cinema or theatre. As well as having fun together, a hobby will lead to further date ideas to carry out, for example, visiting a castle or lake to paint your view.
Many of these date ideas can be as expensive or inexpensive as you like, but donât forget about hidden costs. Remember that admission fees, parking charges and eating and drinking out costs all add up and can make a date more expensive. If you plan your date and take into account possible added costs, then you can achieve a successful romantic date on a budget suitable for you.
Deborah Dixon
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/dating-on-a-budget-669242.html
9 Responses to “Dating on a Budget”
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March 15th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
How can you keep dating fun and exciting on a shoestring budget?
Me and girlfriend understand with the current economic conditions that we can’t go out and splurge like we use too. Due to both of our work schedules we can only go out during the week and during the day. Weekends are not an option….Can anyone help with creative dating ideas that are affordable, fun and exciting. We are trying to limit our dates to $ 25.00 to $50.00.
March 15th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Go to the movies cheaper during the day. Then get an ice cream for dessert.
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
go to places that dont cost to get in like a park or a beach and bring a picnic basket of food you picked out this whole thing would probably only cost about 25 dollars if you limit what you buy to eat
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
You don’t have to go out. Make dinner at home and rent a movie.
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Museums, zoos, matinees, restaurant lunch specials, volunteer working together.
You can also usually sign up for online specials from local theaters, & events around town.
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
bowling
picnics at the park
play twister
make her a homemade dinner
watch a movie in 3D
rent an old school movie at blockbuster and make popcorn (the goonies, star wars)
dress up and go to a nice restaurant but just order dessert
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
cook each other dinner, rent movies, go to the park, to a museum.
sit somewhere and make fun of people. i like inventing peoples stories as they walk by. and its always fun to go up to them and ask them to see how accurate your story was.
try to learn how to play say.. guitar, together through online lessons or something..
play video games. . .
dunno what else.. whatever i do with my girl is usually fun.. these are the things we do when we’re out of cash..
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Ice skating, volunteer work, site seeing, museums, happy hour, hope i helped!
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March 15th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
It doesn’t matter how old you are - if there’s glow in the dark indoor mini putt anywhere in the area, GO FOR IT!! My boyfriend and I are both in our late 20’s, but we still can’t resist mini putt and arcade games. We usually don’t spend more than $30 on an outing like this. The playful factor helps us reconnect.
Avoid going out to eat if you can help it. Have little at-home picnics if you have to, eat on the floor in the living room. Turn out the lights and eat by candle light, even if it’s just sandwiches.
Instead of going out to a movie, rent one.
If the weather permits, take nice long walks.
When spring comes, things like bike rides, rollerblading, etc. are great. Same with walking nature trails.
Find out what time during the week there’s public skate at your local arenas. If you have skates, go skating
It’s fun, cute and romantic, ESPECIALLY if you aren’t great on ice!! Usually the rental of skates doesn’t cost too much either.
Board games! My boyfriend and I love Scrabble on a rainy day.
And of course, there’s nothing like retreating to the bedroom for the afternoon or the evening
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