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Date night on a budget
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items Use this list for inspiration to plan a fun date night within your budget- because it doesn't need to break the bank!! These ideas are true and tested (by yours truly) and I'm happy to inform you, they work! I'd love to hear about your favorite ideas...
Sections
5
Places to go
Staying in activities
Games to play
Shows to watch
Movie night
Places to go
Get out and change the scenery a bit! These are a mix of free and affordable places to check out. I hope this list can help spark some inspiration for you! Which ones do you like?
This site helps you find a Zoo or Aquarium near you. Most places aren't too expensive (I look on Groupon to see if they have discounted tickets) and it's honestly so fun to walk around and see some cool animals! Let out your inner child with your fav...
Aquarium / Zoo
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You'd be surprised how many trails are out there! It's so nice to get outside when you can. I know it's not for everyone, but even a short walk around your neighborhood can be nice to just get out of the house. You can walk to a restaurant or a local...
10 Best Trails and Hikes
Have a picnic!! This is a list of everything you'll need for a perfect picnic with your favorite person! Surprise them, or have them help you pack & pick all your favorite snacks together. You can even do this in your back yard!
Essential Picnic Checklist
Cooking classes can be so fun! I'm not a chef by any means (I pretty much lived on pasta before I met my boyfriend lol) this website helps you find local cooking classes and they have a TON of options so you can pick your favorite class. I recommend ...
Cooking Classes, Food Tours & More
My family and I would have pizza nights growing up, and it was so fun! It's a cool ‘project’ to make your own pizzas! This website walks you through how to make the dough and everything - I normally buy dough from a local Italian shop and make it fro...
Homemade Pizza Night
Going to the art museum is a fun and typically free date night activity! There are some really cool things to see and it's fun to walk around and point out your favorites to each other or make stories up about the art. You can learn about the art or ...
Art Museums
My boyfriend and I have gone to a walk-in massage place for about $25/per person and it was so nice. You for sure pay for what you get when you go to the nicer places though. It's important to plan time & relax! - enjoying it with your favorite p...
Find a Spa, Salon or Fitness Class Near Me | Spafinder
We went Go-Karting a few times and it's so fun! Especially for those who enjoy being competitive! Bragging rights are well earned here - You can add an extra challenge and say loser pays for dinner (or make it a *spicy* bet if you want!) 😉
Go Kart Racing Locator
We booked through Vrbo for our anniversary and it was actually very affordable! There are more expensive options obviously, but they have rentals all over the world - so the options are practically limitless! Have you booked through Vrbo? I'd love to...
Vrbo | Book your vacation rentals: beach houses, cabins ...
Romantic date to Costco for some free food samples anyone?! - This is truly so fun because you'll try things that you may not have otherwise. You can decide if you like it and want to get some to make for dinners later in the week or simply make it a...
Costco Sample Day
A rage room is a great date night! Get some yummy dinner and go let out any anger or frustrations you have! It's so fun to have a safe space to let it out and you two can destroy things together and you'll have something fun to talk about forever! Le...
Nearest Rage Room - RageRoomsFinder
I love a good escape room!! We've done this with a group of friends, but you could also find rooms designed for 2 people. It's so fun - a little stressful, but it's cool to play detective and try to solve whatever the case may be for that room. Most ...
#1 Escape Room Locator - escaperoom.com
We love kayaking and it's pretty affordable from what I've seen and experienced. Find a local place that rents out kayaks and have yourself a great time! Bring snacks, water, sunscreen, 'gardening' tools if you partake, and your favorite person (or p...
Kayaking Near Me - Locations Map
There are treasures at the thrift store! There are SO many things you can do with this one - I've gotten plate drip trays for my plants for CHEAP, I've seen people pick each others outfits for their date night, you can get paintings and add your own ...
National Thrift Store Directory Listing
Watching the sunrise and/or sunset is so beautiful and it's perfect to spend with your favorite person! Make it a date by adding a little picnic or watch the stars after sunset.
Watch The Sunrise / Sunset
Incorporate this with your hike, find a park, or a spot in the back yard with a few good trees. You can get hammocks from Amazon or Target! They make it so easy nowadays with the beginner friendly straps. I recommend bringing snacks and a water bottl...
2 Person Travel Hammock
People get rid of some treasures in these sales - and typically very cheap! You could drive around to find one, but Facebook allows you to search in your local area. Happy shopping!! Bonus points if you share your finds in the comments 🤓👉🏼
Marketplace
Staying in activities
I'm a home-body and I'm all for saving money when I can (as you can tell from my other lists!) these stay at home activities are perfect for a date night on a budget!
Build a fort!! I'm telling you - this is honestly so fun! This website walks you through some of the best fort night essentials and I have some movie recommendations below! - Bonus points if you put a photo of your fort in the comments!!
Perfect Indoor Movie Night Fort
I recommend looking on Pinterest for inspo on what to make, but it's fun to get your hands a little dirty sometimes! Help each other or make your own individual masterpieces! - This typically takes about 24 hours to fully harden and once it does, you...
Air Dry Clay - DIY
I can't be the only one who's seen that trend where you get beads the color of your eyes and the color of your partners eyes (and your pets if it applies) and make matching bracelets! Minimal required materials (beads & string of your choice) and...
Make matching bracelets
We love our puzzle nights honestly. It's cheap, easy, and typically takes us at least a day or two to finish! Order a pizza or your favorite takeout and enjoy a relaxing night with your favorite person. I've seen people frame their puzzles - we don't...
Puzzles
I love love love our paint nights! We put on a movie that we've already seen or play some music and swap canvases every 5 minutes. It's so cute to see how you and your partners creativity and imagination come together to make some beautiful (or crazy...
7 Pack 11" x 14" Canvas - Paint Night
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There are tons of things you can spray paint together (just be careful you don't spray a building that you may get in trouble for lol) but you can add your own personal touch to wood furniture like end tables, bed frames, night stands, dressers etc. ...
Spray Paint date
This can be SO fun! Add your own twists to it by adding some safe candle decor (leaves, sticks, etc.) or gluing your own labels on the containers! If you have pets- please be sure to use safe scents (most essential oils can be toxic for cats and dogs...
DIY Candle
We loved tie-dying shirts together! This kit comes with gloves, a variety of colors, and all the rubber bands you could want! Pick out shirts, pants, socks, whatever you prefer and see what you come up with. There are tons of tutorial videos on YouTu...
Tie Dye Kits | Michaels
Shower together! This is so fun and you get 2 birds stoned at once! Get some action and come out squeaky clean - plus, you got someone to help wash your back ;)
Shower Filter
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It's so fun to cook together! Find each others strengths and build on that. He chops while I cook the pasta and whatnot haha - Tasty kept me alive when I was newly-adulting in college.
Tasty App - FREE food videos & recipes
Make pickled foods! It's a cool process and have fun with it! There's no instant gratification, but you can plan your next date night when it's done pickling (about 3 weeks) and enjoy your creation then!
Pickled Garlic
I’m better at organizing the pieces and setting them out for him to build haha but you two can take turns OR get matching pieces so you both can build together!
Build Lego’s together
Games to play
Perfect balance of games you can play with OR against each other! These are my favorites that we've played so far! Please share any games that you enjoy playing too! I also have a separate list with games for 2+ players with more recommendations - Ch...
We spend hours playing the switch! It is an investment at first, but once you download a few games, you'll be hooked! This one comes with the Mario Kart game which is really nice because the game itself is $60! They have game vouchers in the store wh...
Nintendo Switch + MarioKart 8 Deluxe Special Edition Bundle
I'm accident prone when it comes to video games and this game was PERFECT for us! Playing this multi-player allows player 2 to be a jelly blob of Luigi and it's SO fun!! It took us about 6 months to fully finish this game and it was by far my favorit...
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo Switch
We originally started playing this on his Playstation, but it was super cheap to get it on the Switch and I honestly like the controls better on the Switch. This game is so fun - you're essentially fighting people and kicking them off the island. You...
Brawlhalla - Nintendo Switch
This game is so funny - you two are geese just walking around being a menace to society. You get a list of objectives (ex: steal a man's shoe off his foot) you and your partner can work together to check everything off the list and giggle along the w...
Untitled Goose Game - Nintendo Switch
I love Mario Party games! There are a few versions out there. We have the Superstars one and there's never a dull moment. It's competitive af and it's anyones game up until the very end!
Mario Party Superstars - Nintendo Switch
This game is so funny honestly! You're a blob person trying to accomplish these missions and it's so entertaining.
Human Fall Flat - Nintendo Switch
Playstation has a ton of games and it's nice that you can digitally download most of them! My boyfriend has the PS4 and we play a ton of games on there. It's another one of those ‘investments’ but it's a one time purchase for a lifetime of fun game p...
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Console (Slim)
Jackbox has a few game packs, but this one is my favorite. The games are so fun and it's perfect especially when you have guests over! Everyone plays on their own phone. What's your favorite Jackbox game?
The Jackbox: Party Pack 3 - Nintendo Switch (Digital)
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Also available on the Switch, but we played on the PS4 and it was so fun! Literally a perfect game for couples!! We had so much fun playing this game together!
It Takes Two - PlayStation Store
I absolutely loved this game!! You and your lover are in a spaceship trying to accomplish all these wild missions and there are a few crazy obstacles in your way! The ultimate test to see if you two can work together - have you ever played it??
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
This has become one of my all time favorite games! We made our base so cute and I love going around blessing our followers and dancing with them haha if you've enjoyed any of these games on this list, I highly recommend checking this one out! Let me ...
Cult of the Lamb – Nintendo Switch
This game can be so suspenseful! These two are faced with some interesting adventures and it's a pretty good sized game - it has a solid storyline too!
Knights and Bikes
*Switch & PlayStation* You're a blob person fighting other blobs and it's so funny! The body dynamics crack me up. This game is similar to the Human Fall Flat game in the character style.
Gang Beasts
I love pushing R2D2 over the edge and hearing him scream haha I highly recommend any Lego game like this, honestly.
LEGO® Star Wars | Video Game
Great game! You get to customize your ship and pick your weapons and characters - they all have their own perks. I highly recommend checking it out!
Ship of Fools | Nintendo Switch
You essentially create your own obstacle course with this game! You can make it as easy or challenging as you want and you're competing for the best score. You can play with friends too!
Ultimate Chicken Horse - PlayStation
*Playstation* Perfect split screen game! This is a shooter game (for sure not for the beginner level player, but if you've enjoyed other games on this list, you'll like this one too!) There are a ton of side missions and it's taken us a long time to ...
Borderlands 3
I'm lowkey obsessed with this game haha we've played all the way through at least 3 times now, but it's different every time! We unlock new characters and new weapons and it's just one of those ‘never gets old’ games for me.
Castle Crashers - PlayStation
*Playstation* This is another fun multiplayer game! We were hooked on this game for a while! The animation style is so cute!
LittleBigPlanet
Another perfect 2 player game! I had about 4 friends recommend this game for us!! Have you ever played?
Chained Together
A perfect 2 player game! This story is so interesting and the missions these two guys go on are crazy! We had a ton of fun playing this together.. I literally cried when we finished it (IYKYK) - No spoilers, but have you played before?!
A Way Out - PlayStation Store
This was another really cute game! You two are string people and you can swing from each other - which is a fun twist, but I would pull at the wrong times and make us both die lmao (sorry, Tommy!)
Unravel 2 | Nintendo Switch
*Card Game* I love card games! This game is called 10s & 2s - this video walks you through how to play. It is a little confusing at first, but I promise it's a lot easier once you get past the setup. - We deal 3 cards face down, 3 face up, 3 more...
10s and 2s card game
*Card Game* This is another fun card game we like to play! This video shows you how to play and it's a lot more straight forward than 10s and 2s (I still recommend playing 10s and 2s)
How To Play Kings Corner (Card Game)
*Card Game* This is another easy card game that we enjoy! This video does a perfect job explaining the game and how to play.
How to Play Trash - Card Game
*Card game* This is a fun game to play with 1+ people and it's pretty simple to learn! The link will take you to the instructions / how to play info! - Have fun & let me know if you play!!
Egyptian Rat Screw - Card game
*Phone game* We take drives around the area to find gyms and raids! It's such a fun time! - Sometimes we stop to get ice cream or treats on our adventures
Pokémon GO
*Phone game* This game is similar to the tank game everyone knows, but you can make your own lobby and play with a friend! There are tons of fun weapons and maps! - and it’s a free app!
Boom! - Apps on Google Play
*Phone game* My boyfriend and a few of our friends play this and it's addicting!! You can do so many things with this game! Let me know if you play - I can share our empire name for anyone interested!!
Hempire - Plant Growing Game
*Phone game* This is a free game you can download on your phone and play with friends (or your significant other) I highly recommend if you enjoy shooting games!
Modern Ops: Gun Shooting Games
*Board Game* We just played this game for the first time and it was so fun! There is some strategy involved, but it's fairly quick to learn honestly. Have you ever played?
King of Tokyo | Board Game
*Table top* This game is so fun! All you need are 2 boxes, a sharpie, shot cups, and alcohol of choice!
Battle Shots
Make it a little spicyyyy if you want lol this can be a fun one!!
Twister (game)
Shows to watch
Finding a good movie or show to watch is my kryptonite and I hate it with a passion lol - this list is created of all the shows and movies that we have watched and enjoyed. I have an other list specifically dedicated to shows and movies if you're loo...
This show had us HOOKED! This random guy who works at an electronics store somehow receives an email with extremely classified government information and it completely changes his life. I love having a good show to watch with my boyfriend and this wa...
Watch Chuck Season 1 | Prime Video
Outer Banks was another show that we really got into! Perfect for those who enjoy adventurous and mysterious shows. I think it's only on Netflix - at least for now.
Outer Banks
I have a love/hate relationship with this show honestly, but the storyline is so good! Lots of nudity tho just a heads up lol - they also have a spinoff called House of the Dragon
Watch Game of Thrones Streaming Online | Hulu
This show is a little creepy, but so good!! It only took us about a week to watch it all lol - I think the first 2 seasons were the best.
You
This show keeps you on your toes! My boyfriend cracks up a lot with this show, but he has told me he really likes it (it's definitely a drama!)
Watch One Tree Hill
This is pretty much a zombie apocalypse show. Warning - it's a *little* gory, but a great storyline! I've only seen a few seasons so far!!
The Walking Dead | Netflix
This was SUCH a good show. We loved it and honestly, I'm sad we can't watch it for the first time again…
INVINCIBLE | Prime Video
GUYS! I'm telling you right now, if you like ANY of my recommended shows/movies - do yourself a favor and watch this show! It's so cool to think about how these people can manipulate the elements how they do in this show. Truly a 10/10 show in my opi...
Avatar: The Last Airbender | Netflix
Such a funny show! Based in college years and it follows the football team and all their wild adventures. We watched it on Netflix, but I believe it's on other streaming platforms too.
Blue Mountain State
Movie night
Finding a good movie is like finding a needle in a haystack! It can be so dang tedious! Here are a few that we've watched and enjoyed - please share your favorites too!
A classic!! I have loved all the Spider Man movies. We like to make it a multi-day date where we watch all the movies in a series and it's so fun! Easy for those couples who live together and never know what to watch!
- Peter Parker's relaxing European vacation takes an unexpected turn when Nick Fury shows up in his hotel room to recruit him for a mission. The world is in danger as four massive elemental creatures -- each representing Earth, air, water and fire --...
- Peter Parker's relaxing European vacation takes an unexpected turn when Nick Fury shows up in his hotel room to recruit him for a mission. The world is in danger as four massive elemental creatures -- each representing Earth, air, water and fire --...
Watch Spider-Man™ | Disney+
I quite literally loved this series and I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys Marvel movies! I just love Groot haha who's your favorite?!
- Brash space adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the quarry of relentless bounty hunters after he steals an orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain. To evade Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with four disparate misfits: gu...
- Brash space adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the quarry of relentless bounty hunters after he steals an orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain. To evade Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with four disparate misfits: gu...
Guardians of the Galaxy | Disney+
The Avenger movies had us hooked! They're long movies, but I recommend grabbing some snacks and your favorite beverages and enjoy these crazy movies!
- When Thor's evil brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), gains access to the unlimited power of the energy cube called the Tesseract, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D., initiates a superhero recruitment effort to defeat the unpreceden...
- When Thor's evil brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), gains access to the unlimited power of the energy cube called the Tesseract, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D., initiates a superhero recruitment effort to defeat the unpreceden...
The Avengers - Prime Video
The fact that this movie is set in space is so cool honestly. What a wild movie!! Let me know if you've seen it!
- On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions. As Jim and Aurora face living the rest of their lives on board, with every luxury they ...
- On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions. As Jim and Aurora face living the rest of their lives on board, with every luxury they ...
Passengers | Prime Video
This movie is so funny! Highly recommend for a funny movie night!
- Always looking for action, five over-enthusiastic but under-stimulated Vermont State Troopers raise hell on the highway, keeping motorists anxiously looking in their rear-view mirrors. Between an ongoing feud with the local cops over whose you-know...
- Always looking for action, five over-enthusiastic but under-stimulated Vermont State Troopers raise hell on the highway, keeping motorists anxiously looking in their rear-view mirrors. Between an ongoing feud with the local cops over whose you-know...
Super Troopers | Hulu (Free Trial)
What a solid cast honestly! This movie is another funny one - especially if you're a Will Ferrell fan
- After discovering his girlfriend (Juliette Lewis) has been participating in group sex, attorney Mitch (Luke Wilson) feels his world come undone. He moves into a new place, which happens to be near a college campus, and tries to get his life back to...
- After discovering his girlfriend (Juliette Lewis) has been participating in group sex, attorney Mitch (Luke Wilson) feels his world come undone. He moves into a new place, which happens to be near a college campus, and tries to get his life back to...
Old School | Prime Video
What a mind-fuck lol this was such a good movie! Have you seen it?!
- When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, an unlikely hero must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
- When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, an unlikely hero must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
Everything everywhere all at once - MOVIE
My boyfriends favorite movie! So suspenseful and eventful.
- Following world war, London is a police state occupied by a fascist government, and a vigilante known only as V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressors of the world in which he now lives. When V saves a young woman named Evey ...
- Following world war, London is a police state occupied by a fascist government, and a vigilante known only as V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressors of the world in which he now lives. When V saves a young woman named Evey ...
V for Vendetta | Prime Video
A great vampire movie!! We really liked this one. It's hard to find a good vampire movie!
- When author Ben Mears comes back to his childhood home in search for some inspiration for his next book, he discovers that people in his home town are mysteriously turning into blood-sucking vampires.
- When author Ben Mears comes back to his childhood home in search for some inspiration for his next book, he discovers that people in his home town are mysteriously turning into blood-sucking vampires.
Salem's Lot - Max
An absolutely WILD documentary! Have you seen it?
- A determined mother embarks on a relentless quest to uncover the truth behind the 1989 disappearance of the daughter Aundria Bowman who was once placed for adoption
- A determined mother embarks on a relentless quest to uncover the truth behind the 1989 disappearance of the daughter Aundria Bowman who was once placed for adoption
Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter
Absolutely WILD movie!! These two girls (who are polar opposite personalities) reconnect and the journey they go on is not what I expected!
- Childhood friends Lily and Amanda reconnect in suburban Connecticut after years of growing apart. Lily has turned into a polished upper-class teenager who has a fancy boarding school on her transcript and a coveted internship on her resume. Amanda ...
- Childhood friends Lily and Amanda reconnect in suburban Connecticut after years of growing apart. Lily has turned into a polished upper-class teenager who has a fancy boarding school on her transcript and a coveted internship on her resume. Amanda ...
Thoroughbreds
This movie is so chaotic and I loved it! You can also watch it on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Let me know if you've seen it!
- Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes sh...
- Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes sh...
The Lost City | Streaming
What an intense movie!!
- Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), a teenager, arrives in a glade at the center of a giant labyrinth. Like the other youths dumped there before him, he has no memory of his previous life. Thomas quickly becomes part of the group and soon after demonstrates a ...
- Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), a teenager, arrives in a glade at the center of a giant labyrinth. Like the other youths dumped there before him, he has no memory of his previous life. Thomas quickly becomes part of the group and soon after demonstrates a ...
The Maze Runner | Streaming
We just watched this one again and it was still as creepy as the first time!
- Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) say goodbye to their mother as they board a train and head deep into Pennsylvania farm country to meet their maternal grandparents for the first time. Welcomed by Nana (Deanna Dunagan)...
- Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) say goodbye to their mother as they board a train and head deep into Pennsylvania farm country to meet their maternal grandparents for the first time. Welcomed by Nana (Deanna Dunagan)...
The Visit | Netflix
Yacht passengers encounter mysterious weather conditions that force them to jump onto another ship, only to have the odd havoc increase.
Triangle - JustWatch
This was such a crazy movie! Natural disasters are really interesting, so this movie really got my heart racing!
- Fifty years after it was buried in a time capsule, a schoolgirl's cryptic document falls into the hands of Caleb Koestler, the son of professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage). John figures out that the encoded message accurately lists every major dis...
- Fifty years after it was buried in a time capsule, a schoolgirl's cryptic document falls into the hands of Caleb Koestler, the son of professor John Koestler (Nicolas Cage). John figures out that the encoded message accurately lists every major dis...
Knowing | Prime Video
We just started watching Star Wars and I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying it! I'm not big on over-hyped movies, but my boyfriend said he had watched a few of the movies when he was younger - and part of my love language is watching movies together, ...
Star Wars | In Order