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Cheap Date Ideas

You might have been together a year, a week, or just a day. Maybe you’ve only just got around to asking out that certain special someone. Interest is high, but budget is low. Don’t worry. There’s no need to cancel Cupid. Romance doesn’t have to mean restaurants, roses and robbing a bank to pay for it all. Here’re some cheap date ideas.

  •      Cycle. If you don’t own a bike, borrow or hire a couple. Or, if you want to crank up the cheesiness, opt for a tandem. Maybe avoid main roads and pedestrians.
  •      Sing. Karaoke is guaranteed fun – even if you’re hopelessly out of tune. And it’s a great ice-breaker. Suggest a duet. But maybe avoid the heavy metal.
  •      Relax. Recreate a swanky spa experience at home. Get out your fluffiest (cleanest) towels. Light some candles. Stick on some mood music. Run a bubble bath. Maybe offer a relaxing massage.
  •      Sweat. Sign up for a free taster session at a local gym. Avoid being competitive. The aim is to have their head in a spin, not their limbs in a knot.
  •      Laugh. Get some tickets for a local amateur comedy club night. There’s usually some great banter and you’ll discover the whereabouts of their funny bone.
  •      Pitch. Have you forgotten how much fun ‘pitch and putt’ or crazy golf is? Most courses charge just a couple of pounds for a round, which can take hours. You’ll soon see who comes closest to par.
  •      Quiz. Sign up for quiz night at your local. You can impress with your random knowledge about music, fashion and sport. Or not, depending on how many questions you get right.
  •      Ponder. Visit local art galleries and museums and take in a little culture. Time it right and there’s often free wine and nibbles to launch the latest exhibit.
  •      Picnic. Tried, tested and truly romantic, as long as you avoid boiled eggs. Never a good idea. Pack some nice food and drink and a blanket, head for your local park and just people watch.
  •      Watch. Have a movie marathon or a box-set binge. Choose something you’ve both been waiting to watch, turn the lights down low, cuddle up on the couch and share a pizza or some popcorn. Bliss.
  •      Bake. Agree what you’re going to make, who’s bringing what, get in the kitchen, roll up your sleeves and start slicing, splicing and dicing together. Then tuck in.
  •      Reminisce. Get a box of old photos out and find out more about each other. That ridiculous perm. Those weird glasses. The not-so-cute baby pictures. There’s no such thing as over-sharing.
  •      Play. Board games. PlayStation. Xbox. Cards. Jigsaw puzzles. Whatever floats your boat. How does that old expression go? ‘The couple that plays together, stays together’! Not sure it was referring to Monopoly, but worth a try!

Above all else, keep it simple. And cheap. And have fun!