20 Exceptional Cheap Date Ideas For Your Next Date

In need of cheap date ideas? You’re in the right place! 

Nobody said that spending little to no buck for a date can’t give you a fun experience. And besides, the best memories can happen when you take things easy on your wallet and focus on being with each other.

In this fun guide, we’ll discuss our favorite cheap date ideas for couples who are just starting out to those who are married. After all, you never really finish “dating each other” once you say I do. That effort must always be put out to truly make a relationship work and thrive. Happy reading!

1 Go on a picnic date.

If you live near a park or any open ground that’s connected to nature, this cheap date idea is great when you two need to unwind and relax. Become even more grounded in the present moment while having some good food. Speaking of which, it can be homemade or bought from your favorite restos. And of course, at a decent budget of course!

Aside from this, hosting a picnic with a blanket on the floor or on a wooden table is a quirky way to catch up with your partner. You can even get all dressed up for it to feel more confident and romantic around one another.

2 Have a movie marathon at home.

There’s nothing cozier and thrilling than watching movies from your bed or couch with your partner. With drinks, snacks, and homemade or takeout food on the side? Literal heaven!

Among our cheap date ideas, this one has a lot of themes you can follow. Moreover, each movie marathon can focus on a specific genre, from romcom, documentaries, to childhood classics to holiday-related ones (e.g., Christmas). Moreover, this idea is quite accessible if any of you are subscribed to streaming devices or find free versions of the films online. 

3 Try a new workout together.

Leave it to YouTube for always having all sorts of workout videos available for playing and doing!

If you and your partner are both physically active and enjoy working out, this is one of the best cheap date ideas you should prioritize! Especially when it can be done from home, definitely releasing out those feel-good chemicals (aka. endorphins) and heighten your bond. May it be from yoga to cardio, working out with someone else can even motivate you to go harder and stronger!

4 Visit a free museum.

Museums are a fun way to disconnect from the outside world and drown yourselves in art and history. Even more so when you share this experience with a partner, asking questions and wondering just how the world works together. This experience is best for the whole day as you’d want to take your time per exhibit. Plus, the key is to find museums that are free to the public. That way, you can really focus more on the experience without spending a buck.

Examples of free museums in the Metro that you can go to on a cheap date are all the National Museums, from Fine Arts and Anthropology to Natural History. You can choose to go to one museum at a time as you have something more to anticipate towards in the future.

5 Bake pastries together at home.

It doesn’t matter if you’re both not so equipped in baking, but the experience is so fun and rewarding! Even more so when the final product is food, and hopefully, it’s delicious. But besides the point, baking is a fun cheap date you can experience with your partner at home. 

Gathering ingredients together that are usually accessible and affordable, mixing and blending things in, waiting for them to bake, and then eating them together brings in a lot of pride towards your creation and gives you more input on your teamwork skills. Plus, you can bake many things, like cookies, cupcakes, and brownies. And if you’re more advanced, baking a cake can be a strong option.

6 Run errands together.

Hmm, how is this cheap date idea fun? 

Well, doing domestic things together lessens your workload, and you get lots of quality time with your partner. Plus, it can be unplanned and spontaneous. Especially if you have children and/or lots of commitments to attend to (e.g., work), doing tasks together makes it more enjoyable and memorable. Whether doing the groceries together or picking up clothes from the dry cleaners, you’ll unlock a new level of fun that you’ve never seen before.

7 Go on a late-night drive-thru adventure.

If you’re both night owls, buying food from your favorite 24/7 restaurant will always sound like a great idea. Even more so if either one of you can drive, this cheap date lets you explore the world during its hushed-down hours. It’s peaceful and quiet, making you bond more easily.

Plus, just the entire experience of driving there is already so exciting. Then ordering your favorite foods without a line is even better. And if possible, park somewhere near the restaurant or your home and play music in the car while you eat. Or have deep conversations while downing your food. Given the late-night ambiance, you’d feel more open to talking about anything and everything. 

8 Hold an impromptu photoshoot.

Whether you’re outdoors or indoors, taking pictures of each other on your phones is an enjoyable cheap date idea. Doing various poses or adding props (e.g., food) can add more variety to them. Or if not taking pictures of each other, you can both capture photos of whatever scenery or activity you’re currently doing to document the moment. 

For example, you’re both having coffee outdoors, so you can capture the chilly or warm drink on the table, ask each other to pose with the drink or photograph the drink with whatever scenery you have behind it.

9 Attend a trivia night.

This cheap date is perfect if you and your partner are competitive and enjoy learning trivia or share common interests. There are many trivia nights of varying themes, and picking the theme that suits your tastes is bound for success. You can even team up as a duo and prepare beforehand in case you want to refresh before the d-day. In the Philippines, trivia nights can cost as low as 300 pesos. You may even opt to eat from home prior to the event. 

One online handle you can check out for daily trivia nights is Trivia Night Tuesdays.

10 Check out a new cafe.

There are always new cafes opening up around the Metro, so why not make it a date with your partner?

Perhaps during the weekend, around morning to brunch time, wherein you use this date to share with one another how your weeks were and some future plans you want to make. A new cafe, or at least a cafe you’ve never been to, provides that relaxing aura to further enjoy each other’s company while sipping your favorite drinks.

11 Host an at-home Spa Night.

Spas are places that bring in relaxation and ease into your life. But for a more affordable range, try bringing the spa at home! You can set up some face masks and massage oil on the side, and decorate your home with warm, ambient lighting and calm music. Even have some ginger tea or any drinks of your choice and prepare a warm bath filled with your favorite essential oils. And those same essential oils can also be used for aromatherapy means in the background!

12 Play fun games from home.

From video, card, to board games, this cheap date idea releases a lot of dopamine and your respective competitive sides. There’s also a lot of banter and thrill when you go head to head, having your own unique strategies to win and playing for as long as you want.

For video games, many inexpensive ones are available on your phones and desktop. You can even borrow from friends. The same applies with card and board games.

13 Have an ice cream date.

Simple but cute and sweet!

This cheap date idea can be held at your favorite dessert shop that offers delicious ice cream or by buying it at a grocery and then eating it outdoors. You can even do this after having a meal at home, having a change of scenery. Especially when the Metro is hot all year round, you’d want to chill and relax when you’re both together. And don’t forget to share; it makes the whole experience a lot more meaningful.

14 Go for a walk with your pets.

If one or both of you have a furbaby/ies, why not bring them to your date?

May it be around the park or any open space, spending time with your boo and pet at the same time promotes more bond-building and intimacy. Picking up after your pet and playing with them elicits more joy and patience. Especially when pets are like your family, everything feels more wholesome as everyone gets to connect and make memories during this walk. But of course, try not to make your pet go too far if they’re energetic!

15 Cook dinner together.

Similar to baking, bonding over cooking food is an ideal cheap date if you want to stay in and put your money elsewhere for another time. Make use of what you have in the fridge and follow a recipe that’s on par with your skill level. The last thing you’d want to experience is a fire in the kitchen, right?

But besides the point, divide the tasks and help each other out. For example, one is in charge of chopping ingredients, while the other is in charge of frying, steaming, boiling, etc.

Make sure to plate your dishes all fancy and set them on a pre-set dinner table with a candle in the middle and any other decor of your choosing to give off luxurious vibes. 

16 Go stargazing.

If you’re both fans of the evening sky, this cheap date idea is perfect, especially when you both want to share the solitude. And if either of you is a fan of constellations, you can point them out while having some heartfelt conversations that the daytime would never know of.

17 Venture through old photos on your phone or a photo album.

Take a trip down memory lane through this cheap date idea. It’s always enjoyable to revisit pictures of your younger selves, either cringing or pondering on how far you’ve come as a person. No monetary value can amount to the connection you build during this time.

18 Film a TikTok together.

Quite the modern, Gen Z take on cheap dates. But hey, it’s not just limited to the younger generations if you’re up to date on trends! Furthermore, this cheap idea date can look like following a viral dance, meme, question and answer, famous audio, and a vlog.

19 Have a book-reading date.

This cheap date idea is perfect if you and your partner are both bibliophiles, and it can go in various ways. One is by bringing your favorite books and reading side by side at home, wherein after a certain period of time, you two can share what you’ve read and learned from the book. Two is giving each other a new book to read, then debriefing afterwards. And last, you can visit a bookstore or library and pick out a book for each other to read.

20 Watch the sunrise or sunset together.

Or maybe both! There’s nothing more romantic than watching the sun descend or greet you hello with your loved one, cuddling and admiring it together.

How to Maximize a Cheap Date

When following any of these cheap date ideas, make the most out of them through these top tips.

1 Have good conversations in between.

Having great communication with your partner can go a long way. Opening up more and being vulnerable to sharing your happiest moments with them paves the way for more trust and honesty.

2 Engage in lots of non-sexual intimacy.

Doing this tip can turn  into one of your best ones. May it be through holding hands while exploring the museum, sharing kisses of victory when you successfully bake something delicious, or cuddling during movie marathons, those bits of intimacy promote more bonding and trust. 

Plus, talk about those strong oxytocin releases! After following any of these amazing, cheap date ideas, You’ll be more in love with each other.

3 Focus on being in the moment.

It’s so easy to worry and pity yourself for not having enough money for those fancy-like dates. But when you get too consumed with your thoughts, you forget to live in the moment and let them pass by. And soon, they’ll be memories, negative ones. So try to ground yourself and be present with your partner through conversations and physical touch (if they consent to it). 

Practicing gratitude at the very moment also lets you be conscious and shift your thoughts to more positive ones. Plus, it’s likely for your partner to catch you when you overthink or feel pessimistic, which is not the vibe you’re going for.

As much as possible, take in the little details around you and be grateful for the present before they become memories.

Takeaway

These cheap date ideas allow you to focus on the intimacy and bond you share with your partner. Aside from saving money on the side, it teaches you that going light leads to more enjoyment and appreciation of the little things around them. 

Plus, they highlight the importance of quality time in a relationship. So if you’ve been eager to budget your dates better and also needed more creative ideas, we hope this guide helped you out! And if you know someone who wants to up their dating game, feel free to send them this guide.

For more date or relationship-related guides like this one, feel free to check us out on the Lauvblog here.