Top 10 Dating ideas if you are getting broke

For broke people, such costs are unthinkable. And yet many people don’t realize that there are plenty of fun, romantic, or engaging things one can do that cost next to nothing. Here are ten date ideas for broke people which are sure to put the zing back to their dating life.

Head for the outdoors
In times of good weather there are a host of things you can do at zero cost. Take your bikes and set off for a romantic ride through the woods or the countryside. When you come upon a shady nook or an opening by a stream, you can take a break and refresh yourselves. Alternately you can spend a day at the beach if you are lucky to live by the sea. Use the time spent together to talk to each other, find out about your partner’s dreams and aspirations and the at the end of the day you will feel connected to him/her in a way that would have been impossible if you have settled for an evening at the nightclub.

Picnic in the park
Put together a picnic basket with a few sandwiches, a carton of juice, muffins or any other dessert that is lying in your kitchen. Then head for your favorite local park and enjoy doing things that are as romantic as totally free. Swing on the swing set and you will find it therapeutic and calming. Climb a tree or Throw a frisbee around to go back to the carefree days of childhood. Or feed the ducks in the pond and admire the view of the setting sun behind the trees.

Do the culture circuit
Most cities and big towns have an arts district which can make for the perfect setting of a low-cost date if you both are the arty kind. Browse through the block, check out paintings and other creations of local artists and wind down with a cup or jasmine tea at one of the quaint cafes. On your way back you may even be lucky to catch a free performance put up by local musicians and if you get the chance maybe even jam with an encouraging band.

A walking tour
This is a variation of the above idea and ideal for those interested in history and culture. In fact a walking tour of you city or town can be a wonderful date idea when you are having nice weather. You could contact your local authorities for a walking tour map of your town and then set about to (re)discover the sights, architectural highlights and the museums along the way and maybe get to know each other even better while you do so.

Cook a nice meal together
This is for those days when bad weather may prevent you from taking advantage of free outdoor date venues. It won’t be completely free, but remember that you have to eat anyway. And what better way to cook than to explore a feast of senses with your beloved. To keep costs down and yourself stress-free, avoid planning too many dishes. Rather make any single item of the menu the highlight of the dinner, like a casserole if your partner is the meat and potatoes kind of guy or perhaps the rich chocolate truffle pastry if your girlfriend has a sweet tooth. Do take some pains with the setting though - with soft music playing in the background, muted lighting from candles and flowers on the dining table, even someone broke like you is sure to have the most romantic of dates.
Creativity night
For those evenings when it’s freezing cold out there and you cannot afford the warm interiors of a movie hall, do something creative to bond with your date. You can put together used material or stuff lying around to make something cool together. How about a collage from magazine photos or stencil T–shirts with spray paint and re-purposed cardboard. A great idea would be to build a kite with your partner and fly it on the next windy day which would also a convenient excuse for a second date.

Go tobogganing
If you are snowed in and yet don’t want to be shut indoors, call up your date and ask her/him to come over. In the meantime, ask the neighborhood kids where they go tobogganing once your date arrives, head for the “slopes”. It will not only be great fun to go back to the games of childhood but can even be hugely romantic with both you and your partner frolicking in the snow together. Follow it up by stopping at a café for a hot cup of joe or some other warm beverage and you are sure to have the perfect ending to a most amazing date.

Meet at the library
College students are among people who are broke more than just now and then. If the same is true of you, ask your partner to meet you at the library at a certain hour. Sit across each other, play footsie under the table or even hold hands surreptitiously. And above all don’t forget to whisper sweet nothings to each other, all of which can be hugely romantic and fun to indulge in.

Get naughty
For a sizzling date idea that will not cost you a dime, how about arranging for a strip show for your partner with you as the star performer, of course. Rehearse the steps a couple of times before the performance and on the actual night, have your partner sit back and enjoy the show.

Window shopping
If you are on the tightest of budgets, you and your partner could just browse through a large shopping mall together on a casual date. Here there are a variety of easy-going, non-competitive interests you could choose from like window shopping, having a latte at a coffee shop, listening to music or just sitting and watching others. You are certain to get a peek into the kind of person your partner without the need to come too close. And all this, without spending a bomb too.