Having the perfect romantic date can be a great opportunity to express love to your partner and show how much you care about them. But sometimes, the cost of taking your sweetheart on a date can be a problem, especially when you don’t have a ton of money sitting pretty in your checking account. Notwithstanding, if you are familiar with several cheap summer date ideas, you won’t have to worry about not having enough money.
Whether you’re stuck at home or you actually want to bask in the warm sun on a Saturday morning, this post already has a long list of the best summer date ideas on a budget. Although these date ideas are cheap or mostly free, it doesn’t mean you won’t have fun and enjoy a romantic experience with your partner.
During my days in college, I relied on some of these date ideas to keep my love life blooming and my bank account intact.
Is It OK To Go On A Cheap Date?
Going on an expensive date when you can barely afford it simply shows you’re desperate to make an impression at the expense of your finances. Cheap dates don’t mean you have nothing to offer. Instead, it actually suggests that you aren’t willing to sacrifice your financial security for a day’s experience. So it’s perfectly OK to go on a cheap date.
35 Cheap Summer Date Ideas That Are Fun And Romantic
Whether you are married or not, you have to do whatever it takes to protect your finances. Making the right decisions when going on dates with your partner would do your bank account a lot of good. Hence, it’s high time you explored the amazing cheap summer activities for couples briefly discussed below.
Best Cheap Summer Date Ideas
Looking for affordable date ideas that can still ignite the spark of love between you and your partner? Here are some interesting options for you:
1. Attend A Sports Game
Whether it’s soccer, baseball, or golf, outdoor sports games are events where you would find a lot of couples and families having a good time.
If you really want to cut down costs, you don’t need to attend professional games. Just go to a minor league that doesn’t need pricey tickets.
2. Play Games At A Local Carnival
When was the last time you spent a few hours at a local carnival? I used to attend a lot of them with my college girlfriend at the time. You should give this a try.
It can be fun, especially if you are an extrovert who loves to be among lots of people.
3. Go For A Drive
This obviously looks like a causal thing to do with your partner, but it’s one of the cheap summer date ideas I remember. Mind you, it’s not just about going for a drive. It’s about what you do while on the trip. You could play your favorite classic RnB music while reminiscing on the beautiful moments you’ve shared.
4. Pool Party
Do you have a pool at home? This could be the perfect cheap date for you and your partner. Get a drink and splash some water on each other. This even makes more sense when it’s sunny. You could just cool off in the pool.
5. Have A Picnic
This is pretty common, but you can spice it up to make it an outstanding experience for you and your date. Prepare some delicious sandwiches, grab a few bottles of sodas, and head to the nearest beach or public park.
Cute Summer Dates On A Budget
Do you want to do something cute for your partner on a special date? Here are some cute summer dates on a budget:
6. Breakfast In Bed
This will always come as a surprise to your partner, especially if you aren’t even married. Prepare a sumptuous breakfast and place it in the bed right before your sweetheart wakes up. Your heart will thank you for this.
7. Make Homemade Ice Cream
I’m not assuming you already know how to make ice cream at home. However, with a few YouTube tutorials, you will do just fine. Join your partner to prepare a delicious bowl of ice cream, and of course, enjoy it together while watching a movie or reading magazines.
8. Have A Patio Dinner
This is one of the inexpensive summer date ideas enjoyed by a lot of Spanish couples. If your home has a paved outside area you could use for dining and recreation, then nothing should stop you from having a patio dinner occasionally.
9. Eat Popsicles Outside
Sometimes we do the cutest things when we choose to act like kids for a while. Move out with your partner and put a frozen popsicle in your mouths.
10. Have A Photo Date
Trying to take pictures of your partner as an amateur photographer is a cute love language. You don’t need a professional camera for this. Your smartphone is the only tool you need to go on a photo date.
Cheap Summer Date Ideas That Are Romantic
You don’t need to spend the evening at an exquisite restaurant to show how romantic you are. Here are some top affordable summer date ideas that are romantic:
11. BBQ At The Lake
Growing up, barbecue meetings were an opportunity for family members to spend time together. But having a BBQ with only your partner makes the whole experience more intimate. More importantly, it becomes romantic when you have it by the lake.
12. Visit The Aquarium
I had a spectacular experience the last time I visited the aquarium. Holding hands with your partner while watching how these fascinating aquatic animals behave is simply beautiful and romantic.
13. Paintballing
Paintballing is usually done as a group. Well technically, you and your partner are a group, so why not have a little paintballing competition?
14. Horseback Riding
Not everyone loves horses, but if you do, jump on a horse and take a trail through the woods. If you have never ridden a horse before, bear in mind that horseback riding lessons are quite affordable.
15. Bike Riding
Riding bikes together in early summer is perfect for a romantic date. You get to see all the fresh new green foliage coming in. This fills you with positive energy as you enjoy each other’s company.
Fun Cheap Summer Date Ideas
Do you want to have fun with your partner without breaking your budget? Here are some of the best cheap summer date ideas that are fun:
16. Visit A Water Park
Experience real fun at a water park with your date. Don’t be scared to try all the slides. Even if they look a little scary, what’s the worst that could happen? The slides were made for fun, so just do your thing until you’ve had enough fun.
17. Make A Beach Collection
Now this isn’t something you see every day, so I bet it would be fun and interesting for you and your date. Go to the beach and collect shells, rocks, starfish, and any other beautiful thing you can find around.
Create this collection together and take it home. Each time you look at it, it would remind you of that beautiful date.
18. Nature Walk
Wouldn’t you want to enjoy summer beauty in the shade while taking a walk on a natural trail? Nature walks are actually quite fun. You can take pictures of wildlife and landscape while at it.
19. Fly Kites
No, this is not for kids alone. You can fly kites as adults while on the beach. It’s always fascinating to see how your kite is suspended up in the air like some tiny aircraft controlled by a remote pad.
20. Write A Story Together
If you have spent some time with your partner, then you both definitely have some interesting stories to talk about. Write and use pictures to illustrate the fun adventures you’ve had together.
Cheap Outdoor Summer Date Ideas
Some couples prefer spending quality time together in the open. If that’s what you want, here are some cheap outdoor summer date ideas for you:
21. Adult Scavenger Hunt
Go scavenging with your date on a beautiful morning. You never know what you will find. But even if you can’t find anything interesting, it’s the experience that counts.
22. Backyard Campout
You can have a date outdoors without leaving your home. Turn your backyard into a camping spot. Most of the things you would need to pull this off should be in your home, so you don’t have to spend money unnecessarily.
23. Make A Bonfire
This is also another great outdoor activity for you and your date. Get a fire going on a cool evening, roasting marshmallows and watching those sparks fly. This is a perfect time to tell stories to each other while holding your roasting sticks.
24. Go Berry Picking
This is one of the cheap summer date ideas for couples who want to spend time outdoors. Go pick up some berries while enjoying the gentle wind from the trees around you.
When you get home, you could choose to make a delicious pie with the berries you gathered.
25. Outdoor Movie Night
When was the last time you saw a movie with your partner? I don’t mean some regular TV show you watch in your sitting room.
On a beautiful evening, take your date to the nearest movies to see the latest action film by DC or Marvel.
Cheap Summer Date Ideas At Home
If you want to create beautiful memories with your partner right inside your house, here are some cheap summer date ideas at home, and cheap summer date ideas indoors for you to explore:
26. Karaoke Night
Everyone loves to sing their favorite songs even if they don’t know the lyrics. You can have a Karaoke night in your sitting room. Prepare a playlist of both commentary and classic songs that put you in a happy mood.
Singing for hours together with your date is an experience you’ll be thankful for.
27. Ballroom Dancing
Ballroom dancing with your partner doesn’t really mean you have to be in an actual ballroom. You can have your own ballroom dance in your home, especially if you are too shy to be among a lot of other couples.
Dress up in nice outfits like you’re supposed to go out and get some music playing.
28. Decorate Your Living Space
This is one of the perfect cheap summer date ideas for couples who want to stay indoors. If you aren’t satisfied with how your living room or bedrooms are looking, you can switch things up a little bit. Rearrange your space and add a few decorations.
29. Create A Photo Album
Pictures are meant to be reserved for as long as possible since they often hold memories we don’t want to lose.
Creating a photo album together is one way to preserve your pictures and organize them together. But more importantly, this a great idea for a date indoors.
30. Prepare A Meal Together
This is one of the cheap summer date ideas for married couples who want to spend quality time together inside the house.
Look for an interesting recipe and prepare a meal you haven’t eaten in a long time. Enjoy your meal together while discussing your marriage and family.
Cheap Summer Date Night Ideas
Looking for a romantic nighttime activity for you and your partner? Here are some of the best cheap summer date night ideas:
31. Stargazing
Staring at the stars and telling your partner they are as bright and beautiful as these heavenly bodies would simply melt hearts. Whether it’s at the beach or in your backyard at home, stargazing is definitely one of the ways to spend a romantic time with your sweetheart.
32. Attend A Free Concert
Is there any free concert coming up soon in your neighborhood? Think of it as an opportunity for you to enjoy live music with your date and sing your heart out at no cost at all.
33. Make Your Sitting Room A Restaurant
This is one of the cheap summer date ideas I still can’t forget. It doesn’t matter if you have a large sitting room or not, you can turn it into your own 5-star restaurant just for the night. If you have grown-up kids, they can help you as waiters.
34. Go Bowling
Bowling is perfect at night. Of course, you don’t have to be a professional to enjoy the game. Just roll the ball down the alley and watch what happens next.
35. 4th Of July Festival
Nobody wants to miss out on the fun of Independence Day. Buy some fireworks and light them off with your partner. If you don’t want to spend a dime, you don’t have to. Your neighbors would get fireworks as well. All you have to do is pull up a couple of chairs and watch.
Final Words On Cheap Summer Date Ideas
Don’t let “money” stop you from having that perfect date with your partner. The cheap summer dates mentioned above are fun, romantic, and exciting.
Summer is here and it’s a great time to create lasting memories with the person you love. Besides, if you think some cheap date ideas for summer were not mentioned in this post, you are welcome to share your thoughts in the comments.
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