*this post may contain affiliate links. See full disclosure for details.*
I don’t know about anyone else but I personally love the idea of getting all dressed up and going out on a nice date once in a while. Unfortunately that is not always realistic. As young adults we often have a small “activities” budget and expensive dates are off the table.
If you have a special someone that you love to spend time with but you don’t have a lot of money to spend, consider any or all of these ideas! Remember to put your own little spin on them to make them perfect for you and your significant other. Most importantly, don’t ever let money be the reason you don’t have a good time!
Have a Breakfast Date
If you love breakfast as much as me then this is a great option for you! This one can be as budget friendly as you make it. Our favorite breakfast restaurant is a little bit more of a splurge but still comes out to be under $30 for the both of us. We also love to make breakfast at home as well. Anything with bacon and potatoes and we are happy campers!
TIP: If you go out, order water instead of a drink that costs and automatically save at least $4 between the two of you!
Have a Game Night
Whether you have a competitive heart or are just in it for the fun, this is a great option! I have many boardgames from my childhood so this has always been a good option for a date. Even if you only have a deck of cards, consider having a game night with your significant other. Another option is to invite some friends and make it a group date (this is a better option if you plan to play group games like Heads Up or Catch Phrase).
TIP: Make things more interesting by adding steaks. An example could be making the loser be the winner’s servant for the night
Mystery Date
One of my favorite things to do is plan a mystery date. I plan out all the details and keep them a secret. Austin only finds out what we are doing when we get there. One time we went on a literal mystery date. We flipped a coin every few minutes as we were driving and either turned left or right (we assigned one direction to heads and the other to tails), wherever we ended up, we found something to do. Some examples could be trying something new that neither of you have done (we went on a pedal boat) or even going to your favorite restaurant.
Have a Movie Night
You can have a movie date by going to the theaters or staying in (depending on how budget you want to get). Netflix is always a great option for a movie night. If your like us and you’ve seen everything Netflix has to offer then check out Redbox for $1 movies, including new releases!
Have a Pool Day
This may not be an option in some places but in California pretty much any day is a good pool day. Unfortunately I don’t have a pool at my house but that doesn’t stop us. Last summer I bought an inflatable pool at Walmart for less than $20 and I have used it so much! Create a playlist of both of your favorite songs and have a fun day date in the sun!
TIP: Make it a BBQ and grill up some hot dogs or burgers for a tasty lunch!
Go to a Bookstore
I was never a big reader when I was younger but as I got older I found a love for books. A good date option is going to a bookstore together! Most bookstores have a coffee shop in them now so you can grab a drink and pastry and head out to find a book. You can each find your own book and plant yourselves in the big comfy chairs or get them to take home.
Favorite Sport
Austin loves anything sports so a good date idea for us has always been going to the park. Bring a soccer ball, football, or baseball and mitt and he’s there. Another option is going to the batting cages or playing mini golf. We like mini golf because there are so many options. Most likely there is a place to mini golf near you (indoors or outdoors making it a perfect option year round). We also love bowling. We are both very competitive so games get pretty heated but it is a great option if you just want to have fun too! Sporting events are also really fun and can be extremely cheap! We love to get last minute tickets for the top sections for under $20 for both of us!
Cook Their Favorite Meal
I looooovvvveee to cook so this is one of my favorites. You can surprise your significant other by cooking their favorite meal or even make it together! Set a nice little table for two and make it more romantic or eat by the TV for a more casual date. Another option for cooking together is baking. Austin and I both always have a sweet tooth so we love to bake. Brownies, Cookies, Cake; you name it, we love it!
TIP: Pick something new that neither of you have tried and cook it together!
Go on a Bike Ride
Whether you are at the beach and riding along the board walk or just going for a ride around town, a bike date is a great option! This is a great date for people who love to be active!
TIP: Larger cities have bike rentals that you can pay by the hour or for the day! In Nashville, it is $5 for the whole day! There are many stations so you can pick where is most convenient for you!
Go on a Picnic
One of my favorite dates to do when I went to school in Nashville was to go on picnics. There were so many parks that were great for them! My favorite park by far is Centennial Park. There are so many things to do there! Most weekends they have fun stuff going on like art fairs or food trucks. We would take my Eno and set it up between any set of trees (there are maaaannnnyyyy). We would spend $10 getting some of our favorite snacks and have a fun day at the park! We would also have picnics around our campus and have food delivered! No matter where you pick as your location, you can’t go wrong.
Moral of the story: it doesn’t matter how much you spend on your time it’s how you spend your time. As long as you are having quality time with your significant other it doesn’t matter what you are doing!
How do you spend your time with your significant other? What are some of your favorite date ideas? Let me know in the comments!
