For most parents, date nights are not easy to come by. We have to arrange babysitters, coordinate schedules, and hope no one gets a fever two hours before we are scheduled to leave. All of that before we even consider the cost of going out.
Don’t stress over date night, or the lack of, anymore! These cheap date night ideas are fun and affordable. If you are stressing over a babysitter for date nights, try swapping nights with close friends. Give each other one night per month as a swap, so you both get free childcare from someone you trust for a date night, and your kids have fun with friends! These cheap date night ideas will make date nights possible again!
Fun and Cheap Date Night Ideas
Check Your Local Library for Old Movies
Have fun picking out old favorites together, and movies you have never heard of that you want to give a try. Take them home and pop some popcorn!
Setup a Sports Challenge
Grab your basketball, soccer ball, baseball bat and any other sports equipment and head to the park. Challenge each other to some games.
Use a Coin to Explore Your City
Jump in the car with some coffee and snacks, grab a coin and start flipping. Heads means you turn right, tails means you turn left. Explore new parts of your city or town and see where you end up. Getting lost together can be a lot of fun!
Have Dessert Out
Make dinner at home together, and then head out for dessert! You’ll still get to go “out”, but the bill will be much cheaper.
Let Groupon be Your Guide
Look for local deals through Groupon, and try new things based on whatever sales they have going on.
Take $10 Worth of Quarters to the Nearest Arcade
Unleash your inner child and have fun at the arcade together. See how many tickets you can win to earn each other some prizes.
Volunteer Together
Find an organization in your area that needs volunteers, like serving meals at a local soup kitchen. Not only will you leave feeling great about how you spent your time, but it will be a bonding experience.
Check Your Local Community Calendar
Take advantage of local festivals, concerts, and other community events that are free or cheap to get into.
Challenge Each Other to a Kitchen Showdown
Head to the grocery store together and see what you can get for $10 each. When you get back home, the kitchen showdown is on! Cook together in the kitchen, even against a timer to make it more fun, and see whose meal comes out better.
Find a Wine Tasting in Your Area
Many wine tastings (not the tour, just the tasting) are less than $10. You will get to try lots of wines and usually keep the glass as a souvenir.
Go for the Goodwill Challenge
Visit your local Goodwill with $10 each, where you will find outfits for each other that you must wear for the rest of your date night. Once you’ve changed, take a walk around your city and explore!
Scrabble / Game Night
Grab some wine and pull out all the games. If you want to make it competitive, keep track of who wins the most games, because the other one has to give a back massage at the end of the night.
Put Together a Puzzle
Stay in with some hot cocoa or order Chinese or pizza delivery, and conquer a puzzle together.
Have Dinner Picnic Style
Grab a pizza, subs, or pack a picnic at home and find an awesome location to enjoy. It could be the beach, a mountaintop overlook, a hilltop spot after a hike, a local park, or even your own backyard.
Dance the Night Away
Wine may be important for this one. Choreograph a synchronized dance to your favorite song or a popular hit. Make it even more fun with costumes, and if you want get really crazy record your finished product and share on YouTube to keep the laughs coming from this fun memory.
Date night doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy to be special. In fact, getting creative and out of your comfort zone is often times more memorable and less stressful. Save this list of cheap date night ideas, set up the babysitting swap with friends, and start checking these ideas off your list!
WANT TO READ MORE?
For more date night ideas check out 10 At Home Dates for After Bedtime.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
