Woman

Man

Couple

How to Date on a Strict Budget

how-to-date-on-a-strict-budget01

Dating can get very expensive. You are constantly going out to dinner or to the movies and trying to find new and fun things to do so that your partner is not bored. You also want to find something that will impress them so that you can make fun and interesting memories and experiences. This is especially true in modern dating, people are always looking for new crazes, events, and restaurants to try out which can make it easy to overspend and overextend your financial limits. While everyone would like to have an unlimited budget and be able to spend however much they want on their partners and themselves, thisis not realistic. It might seem daunting to try to date without spending a lot of money but it is actually very easy to do as long as you are willing to put in a little work and are not afraid of being creative.

If you want to save money while dating, you should consider having a budget for dates. A budget is a limited amount of money that you are allowed to spend on a specific thing. Although a lot of dating advice does not recommend having a budget if you are going on a first date or are in a new relationship because it could send the message that you are stingy with your money, there are still ways that you can save money without looking cheap. Although it might seem difficult to date on a budget, it is not impossible as long as you are able to use all the resources available. This includes coupons, credit card points which help cut down on costs and offer some relief. Changing the times and days for dates that you go out or staying in and having a home cooked meal are all ways that you can keep a strict budget when you are dating. Also, having alerts on your phone or email for free or discounted events that are happening in your city can make fun date ideas as well as save you money.

There are plenty of interesting and free things to do on dates without spending too much like festivals or free concerts especially when the weather is warm. Many of these events will have discounts or coupons that you can use to save yourself some money. You can also plan to take a day trip which is great if you have a car. If not, it might be better to choose some new places in the city to visit instead. This can offer yourself a change of location and it can be fun to discover a new neighborhood in your city by planning a fun day out. Walking around and exploring your city can be an interesting date idea and it is very cost-effective if you are on a budget.

Go For Lunch

Dinner might be the popular choice for first dates and one of the staple dating ideas but it is also the more expensive one. Many people will choose to impress someone by getting dressed up and going to a fancy restaurant. Since restaurants and bars are usually very busy after 6 pm, they tend to put their prices up at these times which makes them a more expensive choice for someone on a budget. It is also unlikely that you will find deals or discounts on your meal during dinner times. If you want to save money, go for lunch instead of dinner. Many places offer lunch specials which are a curated menu of food and drinks that are discounted especially compared to dinner prices. These deals typically last from 11 am to 3 pm. Some restaurants will even have less expensive drinks during brunch.

how-to-date-on-a-strict-budget02

Brunch is becoming very popular for dates but depending on where you go it can either be very expensive or very cheap. Typically, restaurants that are located in the downtown area or near the city center are going to be more expensive than restaurants that are further out. However, diners and smaller restaurants typically have very good brunch specials, especially during the weekends. Many places will offer all-day breakfast deals which include complimentary coffee or tea to go along with it. Breakfast specials are also very common so if you want to save money, you need to skip dinner and instead go out earlier in the day to get the best deals.

Take Advantage of Specials and Coupons

how-to-date-on-a-strict-budget03

Another way that you can save money when you are dating on a budget is to go out for happy hour. Happy hour refers to the period of time after work but before dinner and it was created to bring people into restaurants and bars during the weekdays when they are not usually busy. Happy hour deals usually start from 3 pm to 7 pm although some places might have reduced hours depending on the day and the location. Happy hour deals are usually available on the weekdays and are designed to bring people out and make the restaurants and bars busier during the week. It is the perfect option for people who are looking to save money. If you are planning to go out for drinks during happy hour, many restaurants offer free appetizers to customers.

Technology can be very useful if you want to save money while dating. Online coupons are becoming very popular for modern dating especially through the use of apps that let you access lots of coupons and specials based on your location. You can even select your preferred location and many of these coupons do not expire for months which means you never have to worry about wasting your money. These apps and websites can give you deals for new restaurants as well as excursions and events around your city. It is a good way to introduce some new activities into your relationship without spending too much money. Also during certain times of the year such as the holidays and summer months, there will be lots of free events available. Deals and discounts are not always limited to specific times of the year. Many movie theaters will have certain days of the week where they offer half-price tickets so if you want to see a movie, save it for those nights instead.

Stay at Home

Eating out all the time can get very expensive which is why stay at home dates are great if you want to save money. A home cooked meal is always cheaper than one that you buy at a restaurant and you can save a lot of money by watching a movie on Netflix instead of going out to a movie theater. Whatever you are doing, make sure that you are doing it together. It can be tempting when you stay at home to just sit around in your sweats and stay on your phone but make an effort by treating it like any other date. Put away your phone for the night, get dressed up and put on some music while you are cooking. This will help get you into the right mindset for date night and turn a stay-at-home date into a fun and special evening. These types of dates are very intimate and are the perfect option for people who want to have a romantic date.

Staying at home all the time can get a bit boring especially for long-term relationships so you need to make sure that you are doing something interesting even when you are just staying inside for date night. You need to find some activities and things that you can do to add some excitement to the evening. If you want to switch things up, try a themed cooking night where you can make some new dishes from a certain country. To add some extra, you can even listen to cultural music, or watch a television show or movie from the country that you are cooking dishes from. If you are not a great cook, turn off the television and try a board game night. If you do not have any board games available, you can go to a thrift store and choose the worst game that you can find and then try to play it. It will bring you some of the best memories and it does not cost very much.

Know What Is Going On

People who are dating on a budget tend to fall into the same patterns and repeat the same dates. They become very comfortable with either staying at home or going to the same places all the time. Finding out how to keep a strict budget while you are dating means that you can be more creative about the things that you can do. They think that because they do not have as much money to spend that they are limited to the types of dates that they can do and the fun that they can have. It is important to be creative when you are dating on a strict budget. You do not want to get stuck going to the same places or just sitting at home so you need to find new things that you can do that are not going to cost a lot either.

If you want to save money and date on a strict budget you have to know what is going on in your city. Doing a quick online search for free events in your city will bring up a lot of fun date ideas that you can do. Many museums and galleries will have special days or events that are free or reduced for people but they do not always advertise it. Some of these events are time-sensitive so the more you know about them, the more money you will save. There are also lots of festivals and fairs and markets that take place during the warmer months that are a fun way to explore the city and also to experience something new. These places will even offer coupons or discounts for people to use but you will have to look on their website or on your city's calendar so that you can find them. If you are looking for a specific place or type of activity, you can put an alert on your phone that can tell you when there are discounts available.

Start a Date Fund

Although there are lots of ways to keep to a budget while you are dating, you can also choose to save your money for a fun date night. If you want to treat yourself, consider starting a dating fund. A dating fund is a collection of money, usually loose change, which is placed in a jar. This money is only for date nights. If the loose change is not enough, try putting $5-$10 away from every paycheck so that you are spreading the expenses over a longer period of time rather than paying all at once. If you are in a long-term relationship each partner can put some cash in the jar which will help you save faster and does not put the financial pressure only on one person.

The purpose of the date fund is to help you save money so that you can use it where it will make the most impact for your dating life. This also means that you can spend your money where it matters and help you know where to spend your money and where to save it. For instance, special events like anniversaries or birthdays you will want to splurge and treat yourself and your partner to a special night out but a weekly date night might just include watching Netflix on the couch. The date fund can even help the two of you save for a romantic getaway or a staycation at a hotel. Saving your money for important things will help you stick to a strict budget when you are dating.

Get The Best Dating Advice Only At XXXConnect

Did we answer all your questions you needed on this subject? If so, then why not check out our other extensive dating advice guides by CLICKING HERE?

What is the new dating trend, Greggsing? Find out now by reading our article HERE!

How To Date On A Strict Budget - XXXConnect

Dating can be hard on the wallet. If you are looking for the best dating tips and tricks for dating on a strict budget, XXXConnect.com can help you out.

How To Date On A Strict Budget - XXXConnect