39 Free, Budget-Friendly, and Fun Date Ideas For You and Your Significant Other
Looking for date ideas that don’t come with a budget and are easily accessible? Well look no further! We've compiled 39 yes, that's thirty-nine!) free date ideas that will keep the romance alive and your pocket heavy. Covering a wide range of things to do, this list will supply you with outdoor activities, ideas to explore your community, date night in, and many more! All it takes is a creative mind and the itch to try something new. Ideally, you and your significant other will come to realize that neither of you needs to spend money to have a fun date night with each other. Building your relationship takes communication, planning, active listening, and having fun with each other!
Let's get into our ideas!
Game Night at Home
Everyone seems to have a few board/card games that sit on the shelf and collect dust. See what you have at home and bring back the fun in playing games. You might even up the stakes and make a dare or consequence for the loser of the game!
Create a Bucket List
Every couple has some sort of bucket list floating around in their brain! Make it legit and put those wishes to paper. Hang up the list on your fridge or bathroom mirror to watch items gradually get checked off.
Movie Night at Home
Microwave some popcorn, put on your comfiest pajamas or sweats and have yourself a relaxing night in together. Explore a new genre of movies or rewatch a childhood favorite!
Cook a Creative Dinner
Challenge each other to see who can create the best meal using only the contents from your pantry or fridge! Split the cooking between entre and side dish or appetizer. Get creative and rank each item out of 10 based on taste and look!
Backyard Camping
Camping is fun but sometimes there isn’t time for a full weekend get-away. Put up your tent or sleeping bags in the backyard and let the creative mind takeover. Maybe you even make it off limits to go inside until morning!
At Home Yoga
Get on YouTube and find some couples yoga poses to try together. It’s best to start with a slow warm up and then progress. Try a pose you think looks really difficult; you might be surprised at the ease of the pose or the laughs that come from trying!
Take a Stroll Through Memory Lane
Pull out some old scrapbooks or go to the beginning of your photo album. Take turns showing each other different memories over the years and get lost in the past. You might even learn something new about each other!
Comedic Movie Night
Movie night but make it funny! Go back to a comedic movie you watched as a child or find something new. You could even look up funny videos on YouTube – “Try not to laugh...” is always a great place to start.
Paint Night
Dig up some of those old crafts you or your partner has put away in a closet somewhere and see what you can create with it! You might even find something in your house you can paint, like an old picture frame that needs some life.
Play a Video Game
Whether you have a game console or not, playing a video game is always a fun alternative date night option. If you don’t have access to any kind of console, download a free game on your phone you can play together or find something online!
Create a Spa Night
Set the mood with some candles and soft music! All you really need is some lotion and hands ready to work. Trade off with each other and take turns massaging sore areas on the body. Listen to relaxing music or an interesting podcast, or talk about your relationship goals.
Create a Fort
Remember the excitement as a child when getting to build a fort in the living room? Get together all the extra blankets and pillows you have and see what kind of fortress can be built. You may need some heavy books or chairs to help hold up the blankets.
Bake Off
Time to get your bake on! Using the ingredients that you already have, bake something together that is different than what you have done before or add something extra to a cookie or cake recipe that will give it a fun twist!
Re-arrange a Room in the House
It can be refreshing to re-arrange a room or bedroom in your home, but it can also be a hassle. For this date night, pick one area together and see how you can re-organize or decorate to give it a new look!
Play Truth or Dare
Truth or dare – the go to game when discovering juicy secrets or making friends do silly things. So how will you turn it into date night? Whether you are in for the night, or out in public, this game can always bring a new aspect of fun or romance on a perfectly normal date night.
Learn a New Card Game
Do you own a standard set of playing cards? There is a crazy number of different games you can play with just a single deck! Maybe you already know a few that your partner doesn’t. Teach or learn a new game and see how many you can discover. Speed, War, Slapjack, King’s Corner, and Egyptian Ratscrew are just a few options.
Play 20 Questions
Oldest goes first! Think of a person, place or thing and then allow for the other partner to ask up to 20 questions to guess what it is. After 20 questions has been asked or the correct answer has been guessed, switch roles and play again!
Write a Poem
Whether you believe you are a poet or not, challenge each other to write a poem. It could be a love poem, a funny poem, a nature poem; the list goes on and on. Then read aloud to one another in your best poetic voice!
Go For a Hike
Hiking is always a great outdoor, free of charge activity that will get your body moving! Check online or download the free “AllTrails” app to discover nearby hiking trails.
Take a Scenic Drive
Get in the car and go for a drive. Listen to some new music together and be on the lookout for a new discovery. Roll the windows down and let yourself relax. You might be surprised by the beauty of just going for an afternoon drive.
Go Camping
If you have access to camping equipment, find a place nearby and set up camp for a night. Some campsites have a fee, but you can usually find options that are very cheap or free. Get out of the house and relax by the fire with some s’mores.
Stargaze
Don’t have access to camping gear? That’s ok! Get away from bright city lights and set out a blanket for you and your partner. Lay back and see what kind of constellations or stars you can see. It’s even fun to search for hidden figures formed in the stars.
Go Sledding
Yes, snow would be ideal with this particular date night, but let's see how you can get creative! If there is snow near you, grab a sled or any makeshift item that may work and find a big hill! No snow? Maybe this is your chance to try ice blocking!
Build a Snowman
Bundle up and get out in that snow! The fundamentals of building a snowman are quite easy. Challenge each other to see who can build the best snowman!
Walk on the Beach
Head to a beach, lake, river or trail near you and go for a walk. Not much can beat a walk along the beach with your significant other. Whether you choose to walk in silence or have a conversation, just getting outside is a beautiful thing.
Bike Around the Block
If you have access to a bike or two, this can be a great activity for date night. Ride around the block or have a fun destination in mind. Only have one bike? Try putting someone on the handle bars and see how long you can go for!
Go For a Walk in the Park
A walk in the park may sound cliché, but it can be such a great resource to use. Try a new park you’ve never been to before and do some people watching. You can also play truth or dare or 20 questions while you walk around!
Watch the Sunset
Whether you watch the sunset from your front porch, or you drive to a scenic viewpoint, watching the sunset is always a good idea. Snuggle up close and listen to your surroundings; the earth is often so peaceful at sunset.
Watch the Sunrise
Didn’t catch the sunset? Or maybe you’re an early riser! Make this date one for the books and get up early before the sun rises. Drive to a lookout or go for a quick hike to catch the sunrise.
Volunteer Together
Hop online and check out the different volunteer options in your community. It's great to do something for the community while also spending quality time with your partner!
Attend an Event
Get back on that online browser and see what kind of events are free to you in your community! There are often free concerts, fairs or small events that provide an evening full of fun with little to no charge! Text a friend and make it a double date to up the excitement.
Visit an Open House
More often than not you can discover an open house or two near you. You don’t have to be on the market to attend. Grab your date and see how many homes you can look at. You might even jot down design or layout ideas that you want for a future home!
Attend a Farmers Market
Saturdays are for farmers markets, and they are most always free! Help each other pick out a cute outfit and bring a tote bag or two. Try to see how many different stands you can go to and discuss your favorite ones.
Visit a Free Museum
Most museums offer a free admissions day at least sometime within the month or year. Browse online to find a date that works for you and your partner, and make it your next date night activity!
Window Shopping
Establishing a date night just for window shopping can be so relaxing and take the stress off of spending money. Check out different stores and talk about the things you might buy or would buy if you could. It might even give you a future gift idea!
Free Craft Class
Know of a local art shop or cooking store? Stay active on their website and look for a free class that is being offered. Check bulletins in your local coffee shop for other free classes that would be a fun date night idea.
Learn About Your Town History
Challenge one another to each present 5 new facts about the town you are currently living in. Make it more of a challenge to then quiz each other on the newly presented facts to see who’s got the better memory!
Visit the Local Library
Going to the local library may seem like a bore, but make it a date and discover a new book to read. Sit down together and spend the afternoon reading, exploring new authors or even a secret game of hide and seek!
Create a Scavenger Hunt
You can do this in your home, backyard or even around town! Come up with a list of things for your date to follow as they begin the hunt. You could even have them on a hunt to find you and a final destination for ice cream or a coffee.
As you can see, there is an endless amount of inexpensive date ideas, and most of the ideas presented here are free of charge. Write down some of your favorite ideas and get brainstorming. The most important thing when discovering new ideas is to take the next step and actually make it happen. Get creative and don’t be afraid to try something new. You might surprise yourself and find the love of your life along the way.
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Thanks for reading and we’ll see you on the next blog!