Last updated on January 29th, 2020 at 12:29 pm
(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)
My husband and I enjoy date time every week. I think it is the ingredient in our marriage that keeps us close.
We don’t spend much on our dates, splurging just a few times a year on an over night trip or a fancier restaurant(food comes to us not us to it) . Week in week out on average our dates cost less than $20 and many less than $5 or even free.
10 Inexpensive Dates We Enjoy
1. Going out to the movies
Yes, you can watch movies on the big screen frugally. My husband and I go to matinees which cost significantly less. We use discounted gift cards from Cardpool to further reduce the cost. We avoid the concession stand which would leave us with a deflated wallet and a expanded waistline.
2. Dinner out with point earned gift cards and coupons
My hubby and I love Panera Bread soup and sandwich dates. We reduce the costs by using gift cards earned through MyPoints.
We also use coupons found from various sources to reduce the cost of our meals at other restaurants we love.
3. Enjoying lower lunch menu prices
Often, lunch menus have lower prices than dinner menus.
4. Working on projects together
A date does not have to involve food and a movie. Some of the best time my husband and I have spent one and one is when we renovated 3 homes together.
5. Read together
Each grab a book from the library or free books found through various sources and then either snuggle up in bed or on the couch side by side under a blanket and read. Just the closeness builds togetherness even though a word is rarely said.
6. Playing board games
Lately my husband and I have been enjoying competitive rounds of “words with friends” on the iPad, but we also enjoy real life board games too. Some of our favorites are Chickenfoot and Monopoly.
7. Ice cream dates
For less than $5 my husband and I can enjoy a few moments of one and one time over bowls of ice-cream at our local ice-cream parlor. We also enjoy Blizzards from Dairy Queen using 2 for 1 coupons.
8. Movies at home
Redbox is a great source for inexpensive movies. You can make it even less following websites that share discount and free codes . Set the theater mood by dimming the lighting, popping popcorn and pouring sale found pop into ice filled glasses.
9. Take a walk or bike ride together
Walking is free, and provides a great time to talk. Bikes can be purchased inexpensively from Craigslist and are a great way to travel just a bit further together. Bike to your favorite ice cream store together, the beach, coffee shop, or where ever you like to spend time together.
10. Do errands together
I love tagging along with my husband to the hardware store. Not because I love hardware stores (although I do love hardware stores) but because I love the talk time we get on the drive there an back. For that same reason my husband often tags along on trips to Sam’s club with me (well that and their hotdog and a pop special)
Want more frugal date ideas? Check out these posts…
How To Get Out Of A Date Night Rut Without Blowing The Budget
Where We Save & Where We Splurge On Our Weekend Getaways For 2
10 Summer Dates That Cost Zero
10 Ways Thrifty People Celebrate Valentine’s Day For Less
10 Ways Thrifty People Dinner Date
How To Earn Enough Swag Bucks To Pay For A Dinner For Two Each Month
For a list of 52 different websites, apps, and stores our thrifty family uses to help us keep our expenses low, click here to visit our Thrifty Tools Resource Page.
Available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon–get your copy here!
Get snail-e-mail in your inbox each week!
We also seem to enjoy Sams Club dates! About every six weeks we head there on a friday night to stock up and have quite a good time. Glad to know some others enjoy that simple (strange?) date as well! 🙂
Yes I know of at least one other couple who admits to Sams Club dates.
One of my husband’s and my favorite dates is playing tennis together at a local park. We keep saying that we’re going to test out the batting cages, but we haven’t gotten there yet.
Great ideas there!
Great creative ideas — thank you for sharing!
Great ideas! I pinned your post. Found this through Crystal & Comp
What great ideas! My very favorite date nights center around reading together. My husband usually reads to me. Even though it takes longer than reading individually, I love getting to read the same book (and listen to his amazing voice! )
Thanks for linking up at Thrifty Thursday! I’m pinning your page to our board of favorites.
My dh and I often do errands together to get time alone to talk away from our 5 kiddoes. Great list! I pinned it and shared it on my FB page. Thanks for linking up at Fabulously Frugal Thursday!
My husband and I like to go “Targeting” together. We wander through all the clearance sections, usually just window shopping, but occasionally we pick up a great deal. Movie nights in and playing games together are also some of our favorite dates. Our absolute favorite though, is ballroom dancing.
(Cute blog, by the way. I love the snail!)
I love this list! I don’t think date nights have to be expensive so, seeing this list of thrifty date night ideas is fabulous! Thanks for linking it up to Thrifty Thursday!
Another variation of the reading date would be going to a big bookstore with a cafe like Barnes & Noble or Books A Million and grab an iced coffee and some magazines or books to leaf through — another $5 or under date!
Picnic lunches at a park are great, and I suspect the growing popularity of food trucks can be attributed to being able to easily enjoy a hot, tasty meal in a nice outdoor setting, too.