Home budget: Affordable and Cheap Dates

Young. In Love. A thin wallet (New: and a small home budget).

Actually, scratch that.

You don’t need to be young, in love, or even have a thin wallet to enjoy cheap, affordable, and fun dates. Here’s a list of money saving tips you can try out for a fun day/night with that special someone.

Let’s See What’s Out there

• Take a walk together.
  A stroll through the neighborhood or local park can be relaxing during the right season. Have a dog? Take the dog for a walk together and bring the Frisbee.
• Fly a kite.
  Strangely a common recommendation for affordable date. When was the last time you flew a kite without having a child with you? Rediscover childhood and have fun making and flying a kite together at the park or at the beach.

Low Cost but High in Culture

• Local high school, community college, musical or plays.
  They aren’t high-cost productions, but they can still be entertaining and especially affordable. Even better, your admission keeps these local programs going.
• Local campus events.
  Unless it’s one of those high-profile universities, many local high school, colleges, or university events can be fun and easy on the wallet. Student fairs, guest speakers, and sports are all things you should keep an eye out for. Check the local campus newspaper for listings of upcoming events.
• Really into this person? Make it a weekly date deal by enrolling in dance lessons together at the local community center or college. Now you’ll have an excuse to call every week without being labeled as needy. Sweet.
• Awesome museums across the country.
  Museums can sometimes be seriously underrated. If you haven’t been to one since your elementary class day trip, consider dropping by again for a quick night out. Many museums have special afternoon or student rates. You can even visit some of the very expensive museums for free on Museum Day.

Nothing Beats the Home Court Advantage

• Game night for a fun night.
  A fun night in with the special someone or even the family might just be what the doctor ordered. Classic board games are timeless for a reason. Spice things up by taking out a deck of card to play a round of high-stake, no-limit Texas Hold’em. Winner gets another date.
• Rent or borrow a DVD/VHS from the library.
  Nothing new here, but sometimes it’s just nice to be able to cuddle in privacy on the couch.
• Dine-in and cook together.
  Can be incredibly fun or incredibly messy. Regardless, you’re spending time and sharing an experience with the person you care about.

Looking for more ideas? Check out more cheap date and family activities ideas at The Dollar Stretcher. (New: They’ll be sure to help you with your financial management.)

Further Reading on Home Budgets

• Household Budget Software
• Online Financial Management Software
• Financial Tools
• Money saving tips, tracking, and tools