Dating
50 Cheap Date Ideas To Treat Your Partner To Without Breaking The Bank
From outdoorsy activities to DIY projects.
Going on a date can be pricy with a capital P. These days, a nice dinner, a couple of drinks, and two movie tickets could easily add up to a couple hundred dollars. While it’s nice to splurge and treat yourself occasionally, it’s good to have a few cheap date ideas in your back pocket, too, so that you and your partner can have fun on a budget.
Cheap dates are a necessity when you’re in a long-term relationship. While you might go all-out on an anniversary or a special occasion, the more affordable options can fill the days between, like when you want to reconnect after a long week or when you’re bored on a Sunday and want to spice things up without breaking the bank.
The more affordable options also come in clutch when you’re fresh on the dating scene. If you’re meeting up for a few first dates every month, you probably won’t want to commit too much time or money before you know if you’ll hit it off. Instead, it would make sense to meet up for 30 minutes, grab a coffee, and see how you mesh.
If you’re looking for some cheap date ideas, keep reading for inspiration that fits any mood and occasion.
Grab A Bite
1. Get Ice Cream
Stop by that ice cream shop you’ve been meaning to try. Sample a few flavors, order two cones, and eat them on a bench with a view.
2. Grab A Slice
What could be better than walking around with a slice of pizza?
3. Quesadilla Night
Pick up tortillas, cheese, pico de gallo, and guac and build your own quesadillas at home.
4. Drive-Thru Date
Drive to a Wendy’s, order fries and a big Frosty, and have a picnic in the parking lot.
5. Just Dessert
If you feel like sitting down somewhere, stop by a restaurant but only order dessert.
6. Coffee Walk
This tried-and-true cheap date idea is always a winner. Sip your oat milk lattes while you stroll.
7. Picnic In The Park
Adorbs.
8. Try A New Recipe
Spend a night in and test new recipes. Bonus points if you attempt to use what you already have in the fridge.
9. Apps Only
Go to an outdoor bar and order all the best appetizers.
10. Bake Cookies
Then spend the evening eating them all.
Get Outside
11. Take A Hike
Find a nearby park and have yourselves a mini-hike.
12. Stroll A Farmer’s Market
Meet up on a Saturday morning and peruse the berries, sourdough bread, and homemade jewelry with no pressure to make a purchase.
13. Walk To A Destination
Choose a spot on the map, like a historic building or a good view, and walk there together. See if you can get to 10,000 steps.
14. People Watch
Pull up a bench and create imagine storylines and plots for the people who walk by.
15. Cheap Seats
Get the $15 bleacher tickets and spend an afternoon watching baseball.
16. Tour Your City
Play tourist for a day and visit all the local monuments and hotspots you always forget about.
17. Watch The Sunset
No $$$ required.
18. Get Sporty
Ride bikes, play tennis, or try roller skating in the park.
19. Peruse A Street Fair
Splurge on a $5 shaved ice.
20. Go Window Shopping
Hold hands as you peek into all the fanciest stores.
DIY Dates
21. Make Brunch Together
Or surprise your partner with breakfast in bed.
22. Go On A Scavenger Hut
Leave each other clues to follow.
23. Tie Dye T-Shirts
Get crafty.
24. Give Each Other Manicures
Be as artsy as possible
25. Create A Bucket List
Jot down everything you want to do together in the future.
26. Cook A Family Recipe
Reveal your grandma’s famous eggplant parm.
27. Plant A Garden
Or DIY a terrarium.
28. Volunteer At A Shelter
Go walk dogs and pet cats.
29. Learn A TikTok Dance
Pick one and perfect it.
30. Make “Friendship” Bracelets
Vow to wear them forever.
A Night Out
31. Stop By A Karaoke Bar
See who has the best voice.
32. Go On An Art Walk
Tour your city’s murals.
33. Listen To Live Music
Check local bars, coffee shops, and parks.
34. Look At The Stars
So romantic.
35. Pick Out Books
Go to a cute bookstore and flip through novels together. You can even challenge each other to pick out a book for the other person.
36. Get Cozy At A Movie Theater
Split a popcorn.
37. Free Museum Night
See if a nearby museum or art gallery has any free entry nights or discounts for certain age groups.
38. Go Dancing
Boogie till dawn at a rooftop bar.
39. See A Standup Show
Follow theaters on Instagram and stop by when they have a $5 comedy night.
40. Go Bowling
It’s a classic.
Night In
41. Movie Marathon
Choose a genre — horror, comedy, rom-coms — and watch as many as you can in a night.
42. Build A Fort
Grab all your pillows and blankets and make a tent in your living room.
43. Have A Spa Night
This is your chance to finally use the face masks you’ve been hoarding.
44. DIY Pizza
Make the whole thing from scratch.
44. Wine Tasting
Pick up a few bottom-shelf bottles from Trader Joe’s and pretend you’re sommeliers.
45. Paint Each Other’s Portrait
Don’t forget to share the results on TikTok.
46. Have A Game Night
See who’s more competitive.
47. Start A Book Club
Chat about your favorite novels.
48. Ask Each Other Questions
49. Mix Some Drinks
Create your own signature cocktails.
50. Cuddle Up
Make bed rotting a bonding moment.
