20 Low Cost Date Night Ideas for Couples You’ll Actually Want to Do
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Celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a huge, extravagant expense. Instead of the fancy dinner and new clothing for your Valentine’s Day date night, swap it out for one of these low cost date night ideas that are perfect for celebrating love on Valentine’s Day!
I’ve had the same Valentine for almost 20 years…and we didn’t always have enough money for fancy dates. Our first date was dinner and a movie…and by dinner I mean McDonald’s! After the movie we finished the night at our local Starbucks and to be honest, it’s my favorite date ever, because it’s the one where I found my person. Money or not, we’ve always made date nights fun and memorable.
What Makes a Great Low Cost Date Night?
A great date night consists of three things: you and your partner and a good activity. Date nights are supposed to be a time for you and your partner to reconnect and truly be with one another in an intimate way. and While you can reconnect while spending money, it’s not necessary.
When you thinkabout the best date nights you have had with your partner,what did you do? I know some of my favorite nights with my husband have been ones where we didn’t spend much money at all, but instead focused on a bonding activity.
Now I’m all for big, extravagant dates (I’ll never turn down an opportunity to dress up and go out to a fancy resteraunt), but is it necessary for a great night with my person? No. truly don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a great date night. Here are 20 low cost date night ideas that are worth the time spent!
Low Cost Date Night Ideas for Couples
1. Explore a Bookstore Together
Taking a stroll around the bookstore can be a truly intimate date night idea. You could each pick out a book for one another to read to make it extra romantic, or simply walk around the bookstore and list down books like you’d like to add to your TBR. I love this idea because it is a great way to get inside of one anothers minds and get to know each other on an even deeper level as you find what books interest them.
Here are some popular booktok recommendations:
2. Have a Picnic in the Park
This is such a classic and cute date night idea that’s affordable! You could splurge a bit and grab some picnic gear (this option works for low cost as the more you use it the less expensive it gets),or you could just stick tupperware from home into a backpack and have a lovely time sitting on a blanket in a park together! Pro Tip: Want to stay close to home? Have a picnic in your backyard!
3. Walking the City
This is the time for some hand holding, friends! Grab your partner's hand and stroll around the downtown area of your city, or one that you’ve wanted to explore. Maybe grab a coffee or ice cream for the walk from a new spot that you have yet to visit together.
4. Listen to Your Old Favorite Music Together
Talk about a way to connect! Even if you’ve been together forever like my husband and I have, it can be nice to sit down together and play one another your favorite songs from your childhood. You might just find that you two had similar tastes and can rock out together to some of your old favorites! Singing and reminiscing with your partner is always a lovely, low cost date night idea!
5. Head to the Museum
Most museums are either free or low cost, so choose one in your area that you have wanted to visit and go! Check out Facebook to see if there have been any local popup’s around you that might be of interest. I know that the pop up Van Gogh museum has been popping up all over the US for a while now. Might be worth checking out!
6. Cook Dinner Together at Home
This intimate low cost date night idea is perfect for couples that love trying new foods together. Browse Pinterest and find a recipe that you haven’t cooked together before and get into the kitchen! This is a great way to bond and spend some special time together.
7. Go on a Hike
If you two love getting outside, a hike might be a great low cost (nearly free) date idea for you to try out. I wouldn’t suggest going at night, but check out the AllTrails app to find some good hikes in your area. Browse through the difficulty rating and reviews to see if it is one that both you and your partner are up for! Remember to bring plenty of snacks and water.
8. Watch the Sunset or Sunrise
The oldest low cost romantic date night (or morning) in the book. Pick a pretty and intimate spot around your city to watch the sunset or sunrise together for a beautiful date night with your partner!
9. Stargaze Together
There is nothing like looking up to a sky full of stars. Check out the dark sky map to find places near you where you can best view the night sky and fall in love again under the stars!
10. Have a Game Night
This is such a fun low cost date night idea! Sit down for the night with some snacks and your fave drinks and battle it out. Maybe make things interesting with a wager for whoever wins the most rounds!
11. Visit a Public Garden
I bet your city, or somewhere around it, has some beautiful public gardens that you can stroll through with your partner. Take a look and head out! This is another great opportunity for some hand holding.
12. Learn a New Skill Together
Brainstorm together. What is a skill you’ve always wanted to learn? How to make bread? How to paint flowers? Head to YouTube and find some low cost options for learning!The opportunities are endless here!
13. Go Through Old Photos Together
Talk about a walk down memory lane! Go to the top of your photo album and start reliving your cherished moments.. If you have a lot of memories together, you’ll surely have a great time! But for newer couples, it can also serve as a fun way to share your own memories with your partner.
14. Feed Ducks at the Pond
Have a pond nearby? Grab that bag of bread that has been sitting around and go feed the ducks together!
15. Host a Movie Night In
Is there a movie series that you two adore? One that you’ve wanted to watch? Break out the snacks and get to watching! Make it even more fun by turning the living room into the coziest place in the house.
16. Take an Online Quiz Together
This can be another great way to get to know one another on a deeper level. Personality type quizzes can make this interesting, with ones like the love languages test or the enneagram test. Head to Google and simply search “personality test” to find some for you and your partner to do. The questions might even bring up good conversation starters for you two!
Just figured out your partner's love language? Read up on great gift ideas by love language in this blog post!
Click here for some quizzes for couples
17. Make Drinks Together
Another great low cost date night idea is making some drinks together. We’re talking cocktails or mocktails! Head to Pinterest and search for some of your favorite drinks. Or, if you are in the mood for something new, search for creative drinks or themed drinks!
Here are some creative drink ideas from Pinterest!
18. Go to a Coffee Shop
An oldie but a favorite of ours! It’s where it all started for us! . When was the last time you went to a coffee shop together and just talked? Now is the time! Head to your favorite, or one you’ve wanted to try for a while, and order coffee and snacks to share!
19. Eat Dessert at Your Favorite Restaurant
Skip dinner at the restaurant and instead… head out for dessert! This can save you a ton of money and make for a pretty low cost date night for two!
20. Take a Drive
The last on this list of low cost date night ideas is pretty low cost considering it just takes come gas and a few snacks and drinks from the fridge! Head out on a drive together. Get out of town. Drive the backroads or head out somewhere nearby that takes an hour or more to get to and just enjoy one another’s company!
Which of these low cost or free date night ideas will you be putting into play this Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear about them! Find me on social media @eclectickurves
Need some Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Check out this post of Love Language centered gift ideas for Valentine’s Day!
Enjoy today!
xo-Sierra
