Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know the economy is going through a rough patch but yes people are still dating. Yet with the average movie ticket being $10 a pop now, dating is no cheap affair or is it?
Its my personal belief that you can have some pretty fantastic dates without having to spend a fortune, all you need is the right setting, a fantastic date and a little bit of cash. (In fact some of these dates don’t even require you to spend anything!)
So since my new book ‘The Guys The Roses & The Regrets’ is all about dating the right way, I decided to share with you guys my TOP 5 dates on a budget. Enjoy!
1. A Day at the Beach or A Midnight Stroll at the Beach
Ahh, the warm sun on your back, the cool waves crashing against you and your date in next to nothing, not bad huh? The beach is a great fun filled day or few hours with your date and the plus side, it hardly costs anything! Of course there are opportunities to spend like renting tents, chairs surf boards and there are plenty of restaurants at the beach but you don’t have to! You can just as easily bring your own stuff and bring a cooler with your own food in it. The beach during the day is awesome (just don’t forget to use your sunscreen) but it’s also just as awesome at night.
For me, night time strolls on the beach with the gentle sound of rolling waves, the soft sand between your toes and the moon shining is quite simply magical! Its also costs nothing to walk on a beach of course if you want to spend a little, you can always have a meal at the beachside restaurant then go for your nighttime stroll, either way its pretty special and costs next to nothing!
2. Picnics
If of course you don’t happen to live near a coast or beach, there is always the classic picnic. Now I know hardly anyone does picnics anymore and some might find them a tad cheesy but I still love them. You see if you pick the right day, it can be beautiful, fun and you actually get to connect with your date. I mean any guy can take you to the classic dinner/movie combo but really do you get to talk, to connect. In the restaurant its busy crowded and you’re more concerned with when you’re meal is getting there then your date and then in the movie well you’re watching the movie you don’t exactly have a heart to heart during Watchmen.
So even though it’s a little old fashioned I think picnics are a great low budget date that allows you and your date to talk and truly connect.
3. Movies in Unusual Places
So where I live in Orlando, Fl there are places like an amazing garden called Leu Gardens where they show classic romance movies on a screen in the middle of the gardens and it is very inexpensive but really special.
There is also a movie house which shows movies that are a few months old and on certain days (like Tuesdays) the cost of a movie ticket is a grand total of $1.50
That’s what I mean by Movies in unusual places, they might not be the current blockbusters but they are still entertaining awesome movies and so much cheaper then going to the regular movie theatre.
All you have to do is a little internet searching to find somewhere in your hometown where they are showing a movie for next to nothing in an unusual place. It’ll make for a special one of a kind date and it won’t hurt your wallet.
4. Weekend Festivals
Now to ensure both people have fun on this low budget date make sure you know what kind of festival you’re going to, after all your guy probably won’t be too crazy over a craft fair and your girl probably won’t go crazy over a monster truck rally. But if you can find a weekend festival in your town that’s on neutral ground, there are a great way to spend a few hours relaxing looking at interesting vendors and having fun.
But beware at Festivals there will be a lot of people wanting you to buy their product but to keep the date low budget don’t give in. Just smile and move on, I would also suggest eating before you go to your festival since a hot dog at a weekend festival can run up to $6.
5. Battle of The Bands
If you’re a lover of music and you’re strapped for cash this is the perfect date for you! Most small clubs at some point host a Battle of The Bands, I know in Orlando there is one every couple of weeks in a bar or club. Well generally these Battle of the Bands feature new up and coming local talent who are giving it their all for a grand prize whatever it may be and for the price of an admission ticket you get to watch them battle it out.
Some Battle of The Bands are all day affairs and cost from $10 - $20 for the whole day or some are just for the night and can be as low as $5. Either way for fantastic music, great atmosphere and the chance to say I heard them first it’s not bad. This is one of my favorite dates because I get to spend time with an amazing guy listening to some amazing music, what could be better?
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So that’s my top 5 (in no particular order) low cost dates. A bad economy shouldn’t be a reason to stop having great fun filled dates and I hope this little blog gave you some good ideas for any future dates you may have. If you want more of my relationship advice or dating ideas please watch this blog for more posts but also check out my new book ‘The Guys The Roses & The Regrets’
Until next time, have fun boys and girls on your low cost economy friendly dates,
God Bless,
Grace Hatton - Teen Author
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