Monday, October 15, 2012

10 Cheap Date Ideas

We've all been there: you want to go on a date, but you just cant figure out how to be cute without breaking the bank. The truth is, you hardly ever need to break the bank. Here are a few cute, creative date ideas that will help you leave a stronger impression than just what's in your wallet.

1. Groceries and Dinner at Home

Take her shopping at a local grocery store to buy food for the two of you to make dinner with back home. Tell her that you'll each be picking out the food to make dinner for each other. Tell her that you each have a $10-15 budget (whatever you would like to make it) and see what she comes up with. (Make sure to let her know that you have things like cooking oil, spices, etc. if you do so she doesn't buy them). She'll love having to pick and choose just the right thing to make you for dinner (make sure you pick something exquisite out for her too). When you get back home, you can show off each other's Hibachi skills.

2. Deli and a Bookstore

Go out to a deli for some light conversation and then after lunch, head over to a bookstore. The two of you can go out to a bookstore and have each of you pick out a book that would describe you and one that would describe your date, then explain why. If you want to be cute, you can ask her early on in the conversation at the deli beforehand about her childhood and squeeze in a quick question asking what her favorite childhood book was. When you're picking out your books, you can check to see if they have that one and surprise her by purchasing it for her and giving it to her at date's end as a memento.

3. Walk in the Park at Sunset and Some Coffee

If it's one of the first dates, find a park that is relatively open and maybe has a moderate amount of people. As you walk, this is a good opportunity to share in more intimate conversation in a more casual setting since the two of you will be walking and not staring each other down awkwardly from across the restaurant table. If you think you're at the point where you would like to transition to deeper conversation, around sunset would be a good time to do so. **For brownie points, bring a frisbee or a ball or something for a quick game, but make sure she doesn't let on that you have it until you pull it out (but make sure the game doesn't go on for too long, just a quick thing, you don't want you guys to end up sweaty). Then, casually transition to a nearby coffee shop where you can get some hot chocolate or the seasonal special and calm down from the walk. Come date's end, she will be more impressed with the connection in the conversation than she will be if you had tried to impress her with some fancy date.

4. Ice Cream and Arcade

You can have some quick ice-cream and then head to play some games. This will be a good chance to get a little bit competitive with one another. This could also work for double-dates; you and your date can go head-to-head against the other couple in a variety of games, or compete to see who can win the most tickets. At the end of the night, you can surprise some little kid by giving them all of the tickets you won!

5. Wine and Cheese Picnic

Take her out for an afternoon picnic in the park with crackers, wine, cheese, grapes, and whatever else you want to have (but don't bring too much food). If you want extra brownie points, you can even bring a backpack as if the two of you are only going for a walk and when the time is right, pull out all the food and set up a little picnic (make sure to bring a blanket). If you want, you can even play the game you used to play as a kid where you look up at the clouds and say what you see.

Note: If you can't find some cheap wine, you can just playfully bring some grape juice instead. If she gives you any lip for it, slyly tell her you were being responsible and that there are kids around:p

6. Roller Skating Rink/Pumpkin Patch

Take her out to a seasonal outing. If it's during the winter, take her out ice skating and show off some of your moves or lack thereof. If fall is approaching, then it'd be a great time to go to a pumpkin patch and enjoy some hay-rides, pumpkin carving and maybe going through some cornfield mazes. You guys can share interesting holiday stories and

7. Geocaching

This is good opportunity for you two to go on an adventure together. Then you two can write a note together to attach to the treasure that the both of you leave behind. If you want, you can even hide the treasure yourself and make it something cute related to an inside joke you two share.

8. Story-Time Drawing Adventure

Take her out to the best sites and instead of taking pictures, the two of you can show off your drawing skills by drawing each other in various venues as you travel around. You can change it up with different drawing mediums (charcoal, pencil, oil pastels, etc) and different challenges (you can have her close her eyes and describe where she should move the pencil as she draws, or have her do it in her non-dominant hand). At the end, you can use the all the drawings you both made and make a little booklet, that tells the story of your date, as a memento.

9. Impromptu Skype Dinner

Tell her to get on Skype and as the two of you start a conversation, you can slyly go online and order some dinner for her to be delivered to her place (Make sure to order from the same place for yourself). Try to gauge it so they arrive at the same time (or yours come first so that you have your food ready when hers arrives). She'll be hell-a surprised you took her out to eat! If you really want to set the mood, you can even play some music over Skype to give it that authentic restaurant feel...

10. Volunteer Outing

Instead of going out and having a typical date of going to inner, you can try volunteering. If you set it up with the particular center you're helping out with, they normally can provide lunch. This would be a good opportunity to get to converse while still sharing a more intimate part of yourselves as you spread compassion for others. After the date, you guys can go out for something quick like smoothies -- or if there are other volunteers there, maybe you guys can plan to go out for something quick afterwards with your new friends.

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