Last weekend, I took in a movie with my family while we were out celebrating my sisters 31st birthday. After paying $10.50 for the movie, I then purchased a medium popcorn, a bottle of water, and a medium soda for a total of $18.75. I’m not a cheapskate at all but I did think to myself “Damn, I could’ve gotten soda, popcorn, and a bottle of water from my neighborhood convenience store for about $4.00”. No wonder I see less and less people on dates, a trip to the movies is definitely becoming an expensive form of entertainment.
Most of the $1.00 theatres close to me have closed, I miss the days when I could see 3 movies for a mere $3.00. This prompted me to write this post on cheap and chic dates on a budget.
Part of the dating experience is going out as a way to get to know each other better. Once the dating stage has passed and you’re now in a full blown relationship, it’s still important to have date night where the two of you can go out and enjoy each other’s company in a public setting.
Picnics – I’m really into nature and the beauty of it, why not pack a picnic basket with goodies and go find a nice shady spot. Either you can make goodies at home or stop by your local deli and pick up something. Bring along your favorite game or a deck of cards and enjoy each other’s company. In Chicago, we have Movies in the Park in which several parks show movies for free. A stroll through a beautiful park works equally as well, you get to spend time with your boo and get a great workout at the same time. Just make sure you bring insect repellent.
Go Bowling – Some of the bowling alleys in Chicago are very hip with laser lights and music videos playing to entertain you while you wait for your turn. Even if your local bowling alley doesn’t have these amenities, it is still a fun and inexpensive thing to do. The food is also still quite reasonably priced depending on what type of bowling alley you go to.
Festivals- there are a ton of festivals that are held during the summer time. Most of them are free and some charge a small fee to get into. Most festivals offer free activities, live music, and reasonable priced food. Grab your local newspaper and check out what’s going on in your city.
Museums – Museums are still a relatively budget friendly activity. If you’re into learning about interesting things like I am then this could prove to be a great time. Spend the day at an Art Museum or learn about a culture other than your own.
Local Film Society – Check out your local film society and see what movies they’re featuring. An older guy I was dating took me out to see an old film (My Sister Eileen, 1955) at the Bank of America Cinema. I like old films so I had a great time. The cost of admission was $5.00, popcorn was $2.00, and soda cost $1.00. I know that most people are use to the modern technology that is now used to create movies, however, I found it entertaining.
Dinner & Movie Night at Home – Cooking together can be fun, choose a theme or find new recipes to cook and try out together. This also includes a new drink, find a new drink, mix it up, and enjoy. If you don’t want to cook check out Groupon and see what restaurants are being featured. I have purchased a few of them in which you get dinner for 2 for the price of 1. One of my prized possessions is a Blu Ray player that streams Netflix movies. I love some of the old classic movies from the 80’s like Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, and Just One of the Guys…etc. Stream some old movies or go to Redbox and pick up a few flicks to enjoy. One of my all time favorites is Dirty Dancing it’s an awesome movie with an equally awesome soundtrack. I once watched that and danced with my ex to every song trying to recreate the moves on the movie. Having someone attempt to lift me over their head……..priceless!
What are your suggestions for a budget friendly date?
