When it comes to a date, especially with this economy, you want to save money whenever you can! You can save money on your dates, and nobody has to know how much you have saved! Cheap dates aren't just for people in those early stages of relationships. Long-term couples still need a steady supply of good date night options, especially if they're sticking to a budget - you can do it! and here are 98 cheap date ideas submitted by the readers of Salty Vixen Stories & More!
A Fun Day For Your Loved One
My girlfriend goes to college, so I decided to send her on a "treasure hunt" on our anniversary. I bought several small things(stuffed animals, etc.)and went to her school. I had a little notepad and wrote a note to her and placed it in her car, telling her to first check her car, then go to a certain destination(in this case the swings at a park that we'd frequented). I gave specific instructions on where to look, and there placed another gift and note to her. I continued this until I finally reached her house. I bought an outfit just for the occasion, cooked her dinner, and had a painting that i made for her hiding somewhere in the house. Later that night I fixed her a bath with lavender tea candles and lavender bath crystals. Total cost was around $50 and it was a night neither of us forgot.
--submitted by David
A Message In A Bottle Surprise
I bought a decorative small colorful bottle with a cork. Wrote a nice love letter on a piece of paper with burnt corners. Rolled the paper, put it in the bottle, inserted the cork and threw it into a bath, full of water, essential oils and bubbles. My darling was surprised not only by the bath, prepared for him, but also for a letter.
--submitted by Yanika
A Night On The Beach
My boyfriend was scheduled to leave on a plane for a wedding and was going to be away for a week. It was the dawn of a new relationship for the both of us so we didn't want to leave each other's sight. However, the night before his plane was leaving, he bought a bottle of wine and took me for a sensual talk and stroll on the beach. Afterwards, we went back to the parking lot and continued our conversation until the day began to break, where we fell asleep holding one another in the backseat of his car. It was a very romantic, intimate and inexpensive date, enjoyed by both of us.
--submitted by Audrey
A Photographed Weekend
My boyfriend and I were living 10 hours away from each other during our summer break from college. We only got to see each other once a month due to our work schedules. One weekend when we got to see each other, we wanted to do activities we have never really done before using the most minimal amount of money as possible. We decided to purchase the cheapest disposable camera there was and take tons of pictures of our activities, which included hiking up mountains and trails, going to the lake, and driving around the town looking at houses and dreaming about our future home together. Our weekend was full of laughter, kisses, fun and we always will remember it due to our photos. The total cost was $10 for the camera and developing the film and gas, but the weekend photos and memories were priceless.
--submitted by Nicole
A Rare Night Together
My boyfriend and I don’t get a lot of time alone so when we finally got a night alone you wouldn’t believe how happy I was. We made dinner together and while I was fixing part of it he went in and set up the room with candles and music. It was the best night of my life!
--submitted by Anonymous
A Romantic Date On A Budget
My Boyfriend and I decided to have our first "real" dinner date. He was a little short on cash but we made do. We traveled to a dine-in restaurant with an inexpensive cheap buffet. Tip: Don't over indulge yourself with food! Un-known to me, when we arrived home he had a tape of both slow and fast love songs that he had made himself. He took the comforter off of his bed and laid it on the floor. He took the one candle he owned and lit it and put it at the top end of the blanket. The first song was slow and his actions reflected the music. He slowly touched me and kissed me as if for the first time. The evening went on from there. Fortunately the tape had two sides full. It was the most romantic thing he had ever done for me.
--submitted by Theresa
A Walk in the Park
My boyfriend and I love to do this when we're broke (we're both in college so that's quite often). We drive to a county park located near our houses and walk along the hiking trails. It’s a great way to get to know each other better and to discover some really beautiful things like hidden waterfalls and amazing views. After walking the trails we generally head to an open field and play Frisbee or some other fun game. Best of all, the only cost is that of the gas needed to get there!
--submitted by Nicole
Afternoon Painting
My boyfriend and I like to save money. So, for a cheap date we went outside on a beautiful, warm day and painted together a "Paint by Numbers" picture. It only cost four dollars at Wal-mart. It was so romantic painting together on such a lovely day. The best part about it was that I got to spend quality time with the nicest, most handsome man ever!
--submitted by Sarah Shore
An Autumn Date In
My Parents were out of town for a week and I wanted to do something sweet for my boyfriend. So, first I got 2 blank puzzles and wrote a note on each and hid them around my house to let him know what was going on tonight. First, we had a candle lit dinner then cuddled and watched a scary movie (it was near Halloween time). After the movie was over I planned a special dance in my living room. I told him to wait while I got ready, and I came out in my prom dress because we never got to go to prom together or slow dance (he said he always wanted to slow dance with me). So I played about 10 of our favorite songs and we slow danced the night away. He loved it so much. After that we carved a pumpkin together. It was so cute! He told me that no one has ever done anything like that for him. It turned out great!
--submitted by Meg
An Unforgettable Valentine’s Day
My boyfriend and I had been going out for 9 months when our first Valentine’s Day came up. We were both really broke so he called me and told me to dress up nice. So, I do... and he picked me up in his truck at about 6:30 that night. He pulled up at McDonald's... me looking at him and thinking, “Umm… okay,” and we ordered. Then he drove to a place behind the movies and lit candles in the back of his truck where we had a candle lit dinner. He had given me a really sweet card and a long stemmed rose earlier that day at school along with a teddy bear and balloons... this was a day I will never forget!
--submitted by Jayme
