So, times are tough. You owe more on your home than it is worth. Your stocks took a dive. You're even worried that your job might not be around next month. How can you get into a romantic mood with all of these worries?
Fortunately, great dates don't have to cost a lot of money. In fact, you may be able to impress your date more with your ingenuity than you would with cold hard cash. Often, the things that cost the least can end up being the most fun.
So, it is in that vein that I present to you 20 Great Cheap Dates.
Get Some Culture
There are any number of cultural events going on in your town. While box seats at the orchestra may set you back a couple hundred dollars, many cultural activities are cheap. Some are even free.
For instance, while museum admission generally costs $5 to $25 per person, many institutions have gone to having one evening a month that is free. Often, on these free evenings, there are additional curators, interpretive advisors, or exhibits on display for the extra people who come. Go to www.MuseumStuff.com to find a museum near you.
Communities also sponsor free concerts from time to time. Concerts in the park are a favorite summertime activity. These events feature all kinds of music including classical, jazz, ethnic, and modern fare.
Live theater can often be found for not much more than a movie ticket. In addition to community theater groups, check college and even high school offerings.
Art schools have an annual exhibition for their graduating students each spring. These provide a cheap date where you can see cutting edge artistic works and support local artists.
Colleges and universities also provide cheap entertainment in the form of free lectures and readings. Some of the top minds in the world come to college campuses to share their experiences and thoughts with the community. For instance, Iraqi journalist and NPR contributor Haidar Hazma is currently touring college campus. Ms. Hazma covered the trial and execution of Saddam Hussein. Loyd Auerbach, the director of the Office of Paranormal Investigations is currently on the circuit with a presentation called "True Tales of Ghosts and Hauntings."
Authors also do readings on campus. Sometimes popular authors are invited as part of the regular lecture series. Other times, the school brings in specific authors that students in a given class are reading to enhance the curriculum. There is often a public reading of the work in addition to an address to the class.
When you choose a low cost culturally-related date, you will not only save money, you will show your date your sophisticated side.
Festivals, Fairs, and Farmer's Markets
Your area probably has major festivals several times a year. For instance, you may have a film festival featuring classic movies or movies from a specific culture or country.
Harvest festivals in the United States tend to center around a certain crop important to the area. For instance, in Indio, CA there is a National Date festival every February. In Michigan, a Cherry Festival is held in July.
There are also festivals which center around a certain culture. Chinese New Years celebrations take place in a large number of cities in late January or early February. Communities with large Jewish, Greek, or Mexican immigrant populations may also feature celebrations around important dates. While these events draw largely from the stated community, all are welcome and visitors are encouraged to come. These events are either free or charge a small fee. You will also be able to pick up some cheap ethnic food at these festivals.
Then there are specialty festivals and gatherings. For instance there are several Renaissance Faires held across the country. Fantasy and science fiction fans get together frequently for events as well. If your date is interested in any of these genres, you can make a splash by taking them to these cheap date venues.
Fairs are also great date ideas. These are largely held in the summer or on holidays such as Memorial Day or Labor Day. There is usually a low admission charge that gets you into the event and most of the shows. Separate fees are charged for rides and for headline events. You can often find discounts or packages through local sponsors such as grocery stores.
But you don't have to wait for the annual fair or festival to enjoy the camaraderie of outdoor entertainment. Many communities put on significant farmer's markets each week. In addition to produce and craft sales, the larger farmer's markets feature weekly entertainment. Admission to the market is free. You can often pick up dinner on the cheap from street venders as well.
Volunteer
When you volunteer, you not only get a free date, you give something back to the community. If you and your significant other share a passion for some cause, your relationship will become closer as a result of working together toward a common cause.
If your significant other is already involved in a volunteering activity, try joining them. Otherwise, sit down and come up with a list of things you both care about.
For instance, if you are an animal lover, go to the local shelter and play with the cats and dogs. These animals do not get enough attention and the shelter needs all of the help it can get. Spending a couple of hours with animals that have been mistreated can be a lot of fun, and it does a world of good for these lonely cats and dogs.
But volunteering doesn't have to happen on an institutional scale either. If you and your significant other know someone who has broken a leg or otherwise become immobile, volunteer to walk their dog once a day for the duration. This becomes time you can spend together and you are doing a friend a good turn.
Similarly, you can do yard work for an elderly neighbor when the seasons require it. In the fall, mandatory leaf raking can be too physically demanding for an older person and if they are on a fixed budget, it may be to expensive for them to hire someone to do it. But, if you and your s.o. pitch in, you can have a ball doing this together.
If you enjoy children, make a "play date" so that a young couple or single mom can have a night out. You and your s.o. can play monopoly, watch cartoons, and wrestle with their kids. It will give you and your date a chance to see how the other interacts with children, a vital piece of information if you would like to have a family together someday.
My final volunteer date is to have a political experience. Political rallies have all of the pomp of a concert. In fact, at rallies for more high profile races, there are often rock stars present. Liberal candidates tend to have a higher "big name" draw. Obama's campaign was able to feature Jennifer Hudson, wil.i.am, Sheryl Crow, and Bruce Springsteen to various events. Lee Greenwood is a standard headliner at big Republican events.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors
There are so many free and low cost activities available when you want to enjoy the great outdoors. Couple any of the following activities with a picnic lunch, and you've got a date that can last from 4 to 10 hours.
For instance, take a Frisbee to the park. Toss it around before breaking out the picnic lunch. Then, after you've eaten, spend some more time with the plastic disc.
Touch football is a contact sport. Gotta love that on a date! Or, play some one on one basketball. If that's too much exercise, opt for p.i.g. instead.
Bike riding is a popular date idea. You can ride to a beautiful destination such as a waterfall and have lunch there. Then ride home. A variation on this theme is to rent a bicycle built for two (tandem bike) for the date.
Rollerblading on the boardwalk can be lots of fun if you have any balance at all. You can either go hand in hand or race each other to a destination.
Ice Skating can be fun in the great outdoors during the winter season and can even be enjoyed in the summer if you have an indoor arena. Again, people who have done this before tend to have a better time on a first date!
Take to the water. Going fishing or boating can provide a relaxing way to get to know someone while offering something to do with one's hands.
In the summer, grab some inner tubes and float down a river.
Fill up some water balloons and have a messy fight (gals, wear a white t-shirt for added impact!) In the winter, a snow ball fight serves the same purpose. And, wintertime also brings on the possibility of building the biggest, best snowman in the neighborhood.
In many personal ads, people say they want to find someone to take "midnight strolls on the beach" with. But how many people actually do this? Surprise your date with an evening trip to the nearest body of water for a romantic walk.
Take a Class
If you really want to spend some time with a person, consider signing up for a class together. A class can consist of a one afternoon demonstration on how to make sushi to a year long language course at the university.
Perhaps one of the most romantic date classes is dance lessons. When you learn to dance, you have years of great dates ahead of you. You can choose whatever kind of dancing is interesting to the two of you, but ballroom, tango, and salsa dancing are definitely the kinds of classes where "it takes two."
You may be interested in cooking classes. Generally cooking classes are one to four sessions in length, so you will not be committing to a long period of time. Also, there are a variety of kinds of cooking classes from helping you develop basic cooking skills to advanced sessions on specific kinds of cooking. Some classes are taught by professional cooks in their kitchens. Others are sponsored by restaurants or gourmet supermarkets. There are also cooking classes at junior colleges and community centers.
Community colleges have semester and half semester long classes on a whole variety of liberal arts subjects that don't cost much money. In California, for instance, a 45 hour literature course costs less than $100 plus text books. You can take classes in comparative religion, creative writing, psychology, or any other subject that sparks your interest. Maybe the most romantic class you can take is a romance language. Wouldn't you like to be able to say "I love you" in Italian?
University extension centers have non-credit courses as well. Some of these mirror the content of a normal university course without the homework. Others are related to helping you develop professional skills. But some, are just for fun. For instance the University of California at Berkeley has an extension series in wine appreciation. And, Harvard's extension program offers classes in Folklore and Mythology, Hindi, and Film.
Your Park and Recreation or Community Center probably also offers a range of classes you can take for fun. The Austin, TX Parks and Rec department offers month long classes (once a week) in subjects as varied as sculpture, photography, and short film.
If you are thinking about getting married, a personal finance class could help you bridge the ways you think about money and help you build a more secure future.
One kind of class that could pay dividends is a couple's massage class. This is one class where you won't mind doing your "homework."
When you learn together, you grow together as a couple. Signing up for classes together provides a series of inexpensive and enriching dates.
Do Chores Together
Okay, nobody likes to take out the trash or do laundry. But, they have to be done. One fun date idea that is absolutely free is to do your chores together.
In the morning, go over to his house and together do the things he hates to do. That may mean mopping the floors, doing the laundry, or just picking up the living room if it hasn't been done in months. Do it together with a smile in a spirit of fun.
Then after a leisurely lunch somewhere cheap, go over to her house and do the things she doesn't want to do. That may mean fixing the leaky faucet or doing some yard work.
When you are done, treat yourselves to a nice dinner.
If you do the chores together, you will get a sense of what the other person wants or needs in a partner.
You will also have more fun than if you did these tasks alone.
Don't make this a "regular" date though or you might end up resenting having to do the other person's work. As a once a year event, it can be a lot of fun.
Plan a Vacation
Okay, so you are broke and can't afford to go to Paris. But, there's nothing stopping you from checking a few travel books out of the library and planning a trip. When you get together and dream about the journeys you would like to make, it will bring you closer together.
You can make any "rules" about the trip you want. For instance, some people like to plan a vacation that might actually be possible. They have fun making choices among alternatives to stay within a budget.
Other people take a "if I won the lottery" approach and stay at the best hotels and eat at the best restaurants.
Planning a vacation can be a fun way to spend the afternoon. But, don't be surprised if it spills over into other discussions for the next few weeks. One of you will see a news feature about a museum in the city you're planning to visit and want to "add" it to the "itinerary." The other may hear of a great restaurant that they just "have" to "eat" at.
You can plan a weeklong vacation to a specific city or a longer vacation covering more space. A month with a Eurail ticket or a driving trip covering the National Parks of the west are two ideas.
Go House Hunting
Do you like to see the inside of other people's homes? You can always go on the holiday home tours when they are offered in December, but because these are often fundraisers for charities, they tend to be expensive. A cheap date (that you can do year round) is to go "house hunting."
Now, you're not going to be seriously considering any of these houses. To make it fun, visit houses that are outside your reach. When you go in, you can marvel at the fact that someone actually put a bidet in the bathroom or wonder what it cost to have a stained glass window installed.
Plan your furniture and figure out what works of art you would need to buy to make the space complete. Figure out which imaginary child would get what room. Plan the parties that you could have at the home.
This kind of "dreaming" can work for other events as well. For instance, you can go dream car shopping. If you dress well enough, you may even be able to convince the car salesman to let you test drive your dream car.
Cook an Aphrodisiacal Dinner
Cook a special dinner for your s.o. and make sure everything on the menu is an aphrodisiac. The term "aphrodisiac" comes from the Greek God of sensuality, Aphrodite. While science cannot confirm that these foods have any effect on your libido, eating foods that are supposed to get you in the mood will at least have the placebo effect of getting you in the mood.
Set the stage by bringing out your best china and crystal. Cut and arrange some flowers. Put on a clean table cloth.
Then arrange the menu by courses.
Start with an appetizer of Oysters Rockerfeller. Oysters get their love-enhancing reputation from their appearance and the mouth-feel of swallowing them whole. However, they are rich in zinc and iron which enhance potency.
Your next course could be a fig and arugula salad. It is said that breaking up and eating a fig in front of your lover is a powerful erotic act. The truffles contained in the vinaigrette in following recipe are said to make your skin more sensitive to the touch.
Fresh Figs, Prosciutto and Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Vinaigrette
(Serves 2)
2 fresh figs, cut into half
2 very thin prosciutto slices
1 cup arugula leaves
2 pieces shaved Parmesan cheese, approx. 2x3 inches
Truffle Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Jerez (sherry) vinegar
2 drops white truffle oil
1 teaspoon minced black truffles
Salt and pepper, to taste
Your main course could be a chicken breast in orange sauce and asparagus on the side. In the 1800s in France, bridegrooms were served three courses of asparagus at their prenuptial dinner.
Desert should be strawberries with chocolate fondue and whipped cream. Be sure to have lots of whipped cream, because you may want to put it to creative use just after dinner is over.
Take a Vacation in Your Town
Most of the cost of a vacation is in the lodging and transportation. If you can eliminate these things, you can have an inexpensive vacation.
Look at your own city through new eyes. What would you do if you were coming into town for the weekend and you didn't live there? Are there sites you would visit? Restaurants you would definitely eat at? Experiences you can only have there?
Too many times we take our own towns for granted and see the greener grass away from home. When we do this, we overlook the gems that are offered right at home.
If you don't have the budget to take your sweetheart out of town for the weekend, suggest a vacation in your own town.
To do this, you have to clear the books. Even though you are staying in your own house, you can't do any chores. Tell your boss that you are going away for a romantic weekend and can't be reached. Tell your family and friends that you are "on vacation" and aren't available for normal things.
Sit down ahead of time and plan out a schedule. If there are things in your town that you love to do but don't ordinarily make time for, do them. But, also explore a little. Do the things you've never done.
I know you are trying to save money, but part of the joy of vacations is not having to cook. So when you go on a vacation to your own town, budget in meals out. Make sure that at least one of the meals is truly special – just like you would on a more traditional vacation.
Visitors spend thousands of dollars coming to your town. You've got it at your feet. Make the most of it!
Go Camping
If staying in your own home for a vacation doesn't seem like such an escape, but you've still got a limited budget for travel, consider going camping.
You can often borrow the tents and other necessary camping equipment from friends and family. The site fee for most camping spots is negligible. Your food costs are limited to hot dogs and marshmallows if you're cheap. So, camping can definitely be done inexpensively.
When you go, you will have the fun of pitching the tent (that can provide a lifetime of memories if you're inexperienced). Then, you can make a campfire and roast weenies and later marshmallows. Cuddle up under a blanket and watch the stars come out as you talk about your hopes and dreams for the future.
Later, you can zip your sleeping bags together for a cozy night.
If you have a couple of days for camping, you can spend the daytime hiking, fishing, or participating in other outdoor activities that are not available closer to home.
Relive Your First Date
Perhaps the most romantic date idea I have for you is to relive your first date. Some first dates are over the top, but most of the time, you don't invest a lot of money in someone you have just met. So, reliving your first date may not be all that expensive.
If you went to a restaurant, go back. If the man brought the woman flowers, get the same kind and give them to her again. Duplicate the event to the greatest extent possible.
Reliving your first date will bring back a wealth of memories that you can talk about. You will also be able to talk about how far you have come and where you are going.
If you are planning to propose to your significant other, one of the most romantic things you can do is replicate your first date, and then at the end, instead of giving her a chaste goodnight kiss, get down on one knee and have a ring handy.
No comments:
Post a Comment