65 Fun, Cheap Date Ideas for Couples Trying to Save

Yeah, you read that right. Some of these are actually FREE date ideas. That's pretty much as cheap as it gets.

See a Movie

When it comes to cheap first date ideas, seeing a movie is the undisputed champion. It's also a classic for teenage couples (or soon-to-be couples), and it's also one of my favorite cheap date night ideas.

Now you may be wondering, what's so great about seeing a movie?

Well, first of all, it IS cheap. A ticket is max $10 a person and you can skip the outrageously priced concession area and just sneak in some candy instead. No one will really care anyway.

Second of all, seeing movies is a lot of fun and, if it's the first date, awkward silences are filled with movie previews and the movie itself. Once the movie is over, you have something to talk about too.

Note: If you can drive, going to a drive-in theatre at night is a great date experience for first dates and beyond.

Picnic at the Park

This is a great daytime date idea for the summer and it doesn't matter if it's your first date or your 332nd as a couple.

Here's a checklist of things you might want to bring for your picnic day:

• Food basket (preferably filled with delicious snacks and drinks)
• A game (e.g. soccer ball, croquet, frisbee)
• A blanket

Board Game Night

Board games rock and if you disagree you just haven't played the right ones. This date idea is perfect for really any time too: summer, winter, day, night, it doesn't really matter.

If you don't have any board games on hand, I recommend checking out thrift stores near your house as they carry them for cheap. Just make sure all the pieces are there.

Side note: There's this place near me that serves Crepes and lets you play board games while you eat. It's cheap and SUPER fun so I recommend checking to see if anywhere similar exists near you.

Movie Marathon

(Can you tell I like movies?)

This is another idea that's optimally executed at night time, but hey, no one is saying you can't build a blanket fort and spend a whole day watching Harry Potter. I ain't gonna judge.

If you ARE going to do that though, I'd recommend doing it during the wintertime otherwise you might just sweat to death which isn't very romantic.

Stroll on the Beach

For this to qualify as a cheap summer date idea I'd say getting ice cream is a sort of a requirement. You also have to let your partner lick ice cream off your face so you know it's real.

Ok, maybe you don't have to do that. No one wants to see that in public.

Have a Beach Bonfire

I'm pretty sure this is going to be illegal in most places but if it's not where you live, that's lucky! This is another fun date idea for the summer and you can enjoy your fire until the late hours of the night.

Watch the Stars

Something about looking up into a starry night is just romantic. If you're going to do this during the wintertime though make sure to grab some blankets.

Netflix and Chill

All the cool kids are doing it. Seriously though, there's a lot of good stuff on Netflix and it's a cheap subscription so light some candles and binge-watch The Office or something.

Cook a Romantic Dinner at Home

If you can cook a romantic dinner for your significant other there's really nothing better than that. Set up some candles, make it look nice, and you're in for an exciting night… if you know what I mean. 😉

Build a Snowman

Bundle up together in snow gear and go build the best damn snowman your street has ever seen! Trust me when I say it's a lot more fun than it might seem.

My girlfriend and I actually spent a snowy day attempting to build an igloo and, although we weren't successful, it was still a really good time. Plus, we got to drink hot chocolate in a half-built igloo.

Ice Skating

I've yet to do this one because I always sucked at ice skating as a kid, but it's definitely a good one for the wintertime. Y'all can hold hands while trying not to fall and stuff.

Roller Skating

Roller skating is basically the summer version of ice skating so yeah. This is a great one to do at night too, especially if you can find one of those hip roller skating places that play disco music.

Go Thrifting

I've done this one before and it's a lot of fun just looking through the aisles of random stuff at thrift stores. Maybe you'll even find something fun to buy like an old board game or movie.

You could have some extra fun by adding rules to this as well (like this couple did). For example, see who can find the coolest thing in the store for only $5 and then compare items at the end.

Hit up Garage Sales

Just like thrifting but I'd say garage sales are even more fun. If you can find one of those neighborhood-wide garage sales then that's even better.

Chill By The Pool

If you have a pool already or know someone who has one then this could potentially be a super cheap (or even free) date idea. If not, you should be able to find an affordable community pool near you.

Bowling

Bowling is good because you can do it day or night during the summer or winter. It's an all-year-round cheap date idea.

Also, it's just a lot of fun and most bowling alleys aren't too pricey. You could even do a group date if you're into that.

Check Groupon for bowling alley deals near you.

Go for a Hike

Going for a hike can get your blood pumping and even give you a bit of an adrenaline rush which is perfect for a first date. Plus, once you finish the hike and you're on top of the mountain, you should get a pretty romantic view.

Take a Walk

A nice long walk may not feel like much of a date but it can be pretty romantic under the right circumstances! Maybe you can go out on a warm summer night and find somewhere to sit for the sunset.

If you both like a bit of friendly competition you can download these apps that pay you to walk and then see who can earn more! Not super date-like but hey, still a bit of fun. 

Pokemon Go Date

I don't know if many people still play this game anymore but if you both like Pokemon, go catch some together! This could add some fun to your walk date.

Scavenger Hunt

For this date idea, you can either set up a custom-made scavenger hunt for your significant other, or you can look for an already-done scavenger hunt to do together. Just Google something like “Scavenger hunts near me.”

You can also try this app called Let's Roam which has group scavenger hunts available all over the world. I did one of these recently with my girlfriend and it was extremely fun!

To make this date even cheaper, sign up for Let's Roam here and you'll get 300 coins for free once you make your first purchase. Those coins can be used to purchase tickets for scavenger hunts.

Mini Golf

This is a classic date idea perfect for day or night. It's typically inexpensive and good for all ages too. If you have a good minigolf course near you, take advantage!

At-Home Spa

Have a bath, light some candles up for extra relaxation, give each other a massage, and put cucumbers on your eyes for full immersion.

Geocaching

Geocaching is similar to scavenger hunts except with Geocaching, it's more like a treasure hunt (and it's free). To get started, download the Geocaching app and then start hunting for geocaches near you!

Note: In my experience, Geocaching is a LOT harder than doing a scavenger hunt as we talked about above. 

Watch Funny Videos Online

Sometimes you just need a good laugh. Don't get sucked into the Youtube blackhole for too long though, maybe combine this with some of the other cheap date ideas on this list.

Attend a Trivia Night

Trivia nights are usually either free or cheap to attend, and sometimes there are even prizes to be had! Plus they can be a lot of fun and they'll test your teamwork skills (unless it's not a team trivia game).

Play Mad Libs

This is another simple idea that can be really fun. There's even a Mad Libs app you can download on your phone to make this super easy.

Check Local Events

Can't find a trivia night? Check your community for other local events that you can attend!

Build a Blanket Fort

Who says you can't build blanket forts as adults? You could add this to your movie marathon date or you could just try to build the coolest blanket fort ever.

Oh, and make sure to name your blanket fort too. Every good fort has a name, just like Fluffy Town from Community (if you've never seen Community before, you should watch it).

Go Sledding

Nothing more romantic than speeding down a snowy hill together screaming your heads off. Bonus points if you can get air.

Go Tubing

If it's summer instead of sledding season, grab some drinks and hop on a tube together. Floating along a river or in the lake is super relaxing and romantic.

Grab Coffee

This is probably the most basic of cheap first date ideas. There's a reason why it's so common too: it works. Coffee is cheap, it boosts your mood, and coffee shops have a nice atmosphere.

Do a Puzzle

If you're both into puzzles, find a cool one and go at it! You could have a movie playing in the background or you could just hang out.

Make Art

Whether you're doing some craft project or just working on a drawing/painting together, getting creative is always fun.

Camp in the Backyard

If you don't have time or can't afford a campsite, the backyard is all you really need. Make some smores first, check out the stars, and then enjoy the tent life for a night.

See a Cheap Sports Game

Lacrosse, hockey, soccer, have a look at whatever is near you and find something cheap. Or, if you both have a mutual friend who plays a sport, go cheer them on!

See a Cheap Show

Sometimes you can find cheap comedy shows or improv shows in your area just by doing a quick Google search. They could be really good or really bad but either way, it's still a good time!

Go Skateboarding/Rollerblading/Biking

Pick whichever one you would both enjoy. If your significant other doesn't know how to skateboard or rollerblade you can have fun teaching them how!

Visit a Museum

A lot of museums have high ticket costs but if you can find a cheap one, go check it out! Just do a Google search for “Free museums near me” and you should get some good results.

Teach Her Stick Shift

This one doesn't have a real date feel to it but if your girlfriend has asked you to teach her how to drive a manual car, it could be a fun experience. It shows a lot of trust on your part too.

Karaoke Night

You could go out to a bar for this or you could just do it at home by yourselves.

Find a Nice View

There are some “secret” viewpoints near where I live that are great for this. Find some nice viewpoints near you, grab some foldable chairs and snacks, and enjoy the view together.

Play Video Games

There are some great party games out there for couples. Bust out the Wii, blow the dust off, and play some old Wii Sports or something! Just Dance is another good option.

Have a Fast Food Date

Want to go out for food but don't want to spend much? Hit up your favorite fast food joint or pizza place, drive somewhere nice, and have a little fast food date in the car.

Photoshoot

If you want to goof around a little bit, have a fun photoshoot with your significant other. Then laugh at your pictures later.

Go Karting

This is one that some people may be reluctant to try at first, but trust me, it is SO fun. Some tracks even have double carts so you can drive around with your significant other next to you.

P.S. I've found a lot of Go-Karting deals on Groupon.

Wine Tasting

Some wine tasting places can be really expensive but you can also find some for $5-$15 per person. If you find a wine that you really like and you purchase it they'll usually waive the tasting fee as well.

Water War

Having a scorching hot summer? Grab the water guns and water balloons and have a water war!

Snowball Fight

This is just the winter equivalent of a water war. You could turn this into a cheap group date as well and do a couple vs couple game. Keep it friendly though!

Have a BBQ

As long as you already have access to a BBQ this is another fun summer date idea. Could potentially be a group date as well.

Read a Play Together

Acting out a short two-person play sounds like it could be a lot of fun. I haven't done it before, but I'm definitely going to try it in the future.

If you want to give it a go, there's actually a site called Plays2Play.com that has short two-person plays made for cheap dates. Each play has some questions you can ask each other at the end too.

Couples Yoga

Have you seen those photos online with couples doing crazy intricate yoga poses like the one above? Well…you probably won't be doing those right away.

There are, however, some simple couples yoga poses you can do together that are supposed to strengthen your bond. And hey, maybe once you get good at those you'll be able to do some of the more advanced stuff too.

Go for a Swing

Seriously. Find a playground near you, walk to it, and just start swinging. You can either swing together or take turns pushing each other.

Head to the Driving Range

One of my digital marketing clients owns a golf course/driving range and I got some free vouchers so I'm waiting to try this one.

Even if you two don't golf, it can be a lot of fun learning together! Plus, if you don't already have some, you can usually rent clubs for pretty cheap.

Meet at a Bar and Pretend You're Strangers

This one won't really work for first dates (because then you ARE strangers) but for couples, it's a pretty fun idea. Just dress up and meet for the “first” time. You could even make fake names.

This idea is from a scene in a movie I saw called Four Christmases (watch the scene here).

Hit Up the Arcade

Arcades are pretty inexpensive so go play some skee ball and random games of luck together! See if you can rack up enough tickets for a prize.

Go to a Pumpkin Patch

This is a classic cheap Halloween date idea and I STILL have yet to do it with my girlfriend. Before you leave be sure to pick out a pumpkin so you can carve it together afterward.

Find a Cheap Festival

If you're lucky you'll be able to find various cheap festivals near you for $10 or less per ticket. Some may even be free.

Do a Cheap DIY

The ideas here are endless. Just search for “cheap DIYs” on Pinterest, pick one that looks interesting, and get to work together!

Visit a Pet Store

…Preferably one with actual pets in it. I have a pet store near my house with birds, hamsters, reptiles, and other things, and it's fun just to watch them. Some places will let you play with the animals too.

Take a Cheap Class Together

This one is a borderline cheap date idea. Some classes can get pretty expensive. If you're lucky though, you'll be able to find cheap or free classes near you, and you can also check Groupon for deals.

Plan a Dream Vacation

Even if you won't be able to afford it for a while, plan your dream vacation together! Talk about the places you'd like to visit the most, what you want to do there, and how long you want to stay.

Bake Something Together

My favorite part about this cheap date idea is eating the thing at the end. Cookies, cake, muffins, yummm.

Play a Strip Game

People are always talking about strip poker, and while I love poker, why can't you strip while playing other games too? Strip Go Fish, Strip Yahtzee, play whatever you want!

Dance

Sometimes all it takes to have a good time is some music. Have a two-person dance party! You could also find one of those dance tutorials online and try to learn real dance moves, but I prefer to just freestyle dance (that's what I call not being able to dance).

Tour Your Own City

Recently when my girlfriend and I did a Let's Roam scavenger hunt in my city, I realized there's SO much cool stuff that I haven't seen IN MY OWN CITY. Go explore your city as a tourist would and I guarantee you'll have a good time.