Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can pay a fortune at a restaurant and with-in a week or two, you’ve forgotten what it was you had to eat? Some of my best moments and/or meals have been totally unrelated to how much they cost. This is true of a date – it doesn’t have to be expensive to be fun and memorable.

Here is a list of 10 of my favorite cheap dates:

1. Explore the great outdoors. Google “find a hike near [insert your location here]” and you will probably find many nearby trails to explore. Pack a picnic lunch and some water – I’m fond of a loaf of bread, a hunk of great cheese and some fruit – but you need to float your own boat. I’d take a camera – there’s always something I want to preserve on film. You and your partner will get some exercise and some fresh air!
2. Volunteer. Check out www.volunteermatch.org and other volunteering websites for your area. You will find many opportunities to assist others. You might be asking yourself – “How does this become a cheap date?” When I volunteered with my partner to sell tickets at a lacrosse tournament it provided us with a sports event to watch, and when we were ushers for a local ballet company, we got to see the ballet!
3. Try a new sport. Notice that I’m suggesting that you try a new sport, though old sports might work just as well, depending on the personalities involved. With a new sport, it is less likely that you or your partner will have great expertise or preconceived notions of your abilities. This puts both people on an even playing field. So borrow a couple of racquets and some tennis balls, and go hit at the high school.
4. Make a meal together. This can be such a great bonding experience. You plan the menu, buy the food, and cook to your favorite music. The reward is a fabulous meal, or a disaster that you can laugh about later. Invite friends! Play a game while you’re waiting for the Beef Wellington to burn.
5. Check out a fitness center. I haven’t been to a fitness center yet that doesn’t offer a free pass for at least a couple of days to check it out before you become a member. So take your partner with you to evaluate the facility. Take advantage of any offers to have a personal trainer show you around, or read up before you go for some ideas of things that you can do together while you’re there.
6. Work on a home project. I’m sure that there is some project at your home or apartment that needs to get done, but just need a little push or help. This can be a great bonding experience (or if it isn’t, maybe he/she isn’t for you!).
7. Go to a museum. There are so many strange and wonderful museums out there for you to discover. Again, if you Google “museums near [insert your location here]” you will find numerous options.
8. Check out programs at your local library. At local libraries there are often many interesting events to take advantage of. I have been to lectures by local and sometimes national authors on various topics. There was a cooking demonstration by an author of a new cookbook. Often there are free films being shown at our library. I have attended free musical events sponsored by the library – check it out!
9. Go to a crafts festival. Depending on the event, you will find craft fairs that have little or no cover charge. For me attending a crafts fair is like going to a museum where the creators of the objects sold are usually very happy to share the secrets of their creative process. Inevitably I find myself spending the most time at a booth where the items sold are humorous – great for a guffaw or tee-hee.
10. Go to a local or state fair. This was my absolute favorite cheap date of recent history. There was so much to see, and smell. I have hundreds of photos of farm animals, large vegetables, and people. There were horses pulling huge, heavy crates competitively, animals dressed in their finest (or funniest) for a parade, bake sales, etc, etc. Oh, and of course, my personal favorite, the pigs.

So get out there with your date and explore the many free and/or inexpensive dating options that are available to you. What have you got to lose? – not money!