Can you recall the last time you went back home after a date and you have to gobble on bread for the rest of the week? Spending quality time with your boyfriend or girlfriend is important, but sometime you don’t really have all the luxury of the cash because of the recession or maybe you’re still a student.

Imagine you still can have the benefits of a great date without having to burn a big hole on your pocket. Now I would like to help you to experience these ideas for great cheap dates or you can combine a few together and have fun this Valentine!

Do what you love and the money will follow.” -Marsha Sinetar

Back to the Old School Date Ideas

• Kite Flying
  Kite flying may sound bored but it actually a good game to enjoy with your partner. Fly a kite in the park, in a field or even at the local school yard. Make your own love kite or buy a cheap one from at the discount store.
• Playground Playing
  Buy your favorite childhood candy and head to the playground. You could also purchase some sparklers and hide your present for her at the playground. Chase each other around at the playground or sit down together and draw in the sand. Share your childhood memories with each other till the morning. The evening is an ideal time for this kind of date as most children are home, tucked in their bed so they will not be much of a disturbance.
• Museum Visiting
  Wait for those free days, late afternoon or student specials to take maximize your advantage. You’ll be amazed how much fun viewing and discussing the works of those contemporary arts.
• Free Live Music
  Big book store with latte bars often have live bands on weekend evenings at various other times. You can enjoy to the music for free meanwhile have some coffee and cookie. You will definitely pay less than you would at a nightclub.
• High School Musical or Drama Events
  This is probably one of the best and cheap entertainment you could get. They are usually entertaining and affordable. You could be doing a great deed as their admission mainly goes to a good cause.
• Campus Events
  There are lots of events around your universities or other schools or colleges. Be it like movies screening, artistic performance or student productions, they are often free and open to the public as art and music majors are often required to give shows of recitals as graduating requirements. Keep your eye on campus posters, announcements and the campus newspaper for listings.
• Dance Lessons
  Pick up a type of dance together at your local community centre. You could try something different like the ballroom dancing. It will be an enriching experience from those usual techno-pop dances.

Home Date Ideas

• Home Sweet Home
  There nothing better than home right. If you’re too broke or tired to go out, you could have a quiet evening at home and cook dinner together. Buy ready made cooking for and easy home baked dessert or have a simple romantic barbecues for two.
• Home Movies
  Catching a weekend flick can be costly with the extra admission cost, goodies and popcorn. Instead, rent a DVDs or borrow one from the library for from a friend. Make your own popcorn or finger food and watch the movie in your own private home theater. You could try a movies marathon if you have the time.
• Music Night
  Play your favorite CDs or share your favorite tunes from your IPOD with each other by making some mixed songs. Play retro music and have your own little dance party.
• Home Activities
  Jigsaw puzzles, scrabble or chess are some activities that can get both of your brains on the same wavelength. Cards games also do the trick. Play outside if the skies are blue and be sure to ring some chips and salsa or dip. For a cheeky side, suggest strip poker!

Outdoor Date Ideas

• A Simple Walk
  A leisurely stroll in the park or around the neighborhood, or a brisk walk in the evening is refreshing. End off with an iced drink or hot cocoa or hot cider depending on the weather.
• Photos Extravaganza
  Start snapping away to make your walk more fun and adventurous. Take photos of each other, classic or candid, and get people walking by to take pictures of you together. If you so choose, you can do a photo album, frame or collage with those pictures mixed with others each of you has.
• Classic Window Shopping
  Window-shopping in different types of shops where you wouldn’t normally shop such as antique stores and flea markets. Go to the thrift store or local discount department store and amuse yourself in there — the toy section can be quite fun!
• Charitable Dates
  Take the focus off yourselves and put together a donation box to a charitable organization or volunteer some local charity works together, like helping out at the old folks home.

As you read over all the above mentioned date ideas, you would realize that all it takes is a little brain bending and creativity to drum up an endless list of affordable dates.

Hopefully you’ll have just as much fun dreaming up your ideas as you’ll have on the date itself. Have any great cheap ideas to share? Share with Lovebirds Now!