24 cheap first dates

Love transcends financial boundaries. or at least it should. We show you how to woo a potential partner for next to nothing.

Finding love can be an expensive business. Recently, we showed that the most popular UK dating websites typically cost £15-£30 per month to use. And that’s before you’ve spent any money on the dates themselves!

If you’ve found a potential soulmate - but don’t have much cash to flash - never fear. We’ve rounded up 24 cheap date ideas that will have them falling for you, regardless of your bank balance.

Theatre and film

1. A night out at the theatre needn’t cost a fortune. Some productions sell tickets to the preview week (or even the dress rehearsals) for a fraction of the normal price. If you know a show is about to open, it’s always worth checking whether this is an option.

2. Remember that you can get free tickets to many popular TV and radio shows when you visit TVRecordings, or the BBC’s own ticket site.

3. And if you’re an Orange customer, remember to take advantage of the long-running Orange Wednesdays offer, which lets you get two cinema tickets for the price of one. Even better, you can also get a 2 for 1 deal (plus free starter) at Pizza Express as part of the offer.

4. Finally, dodge the most famous theatres and cinema chains and hunt down smaller, independent alternatives. For example, the Prince Charles cinema - right in the heart of the West End - sells tickets from just £1.50.

Culture

We all know about the free national museums and galleries, but think outside the box and you’ll be able to have a free ‘culture vulture’ date with a difference.

5. For example, check out a local art gallery opening and you’re likely to get a free glass of wine or two.

6. Alternatively, find out when art school end-of-year shows are on. These are usually of a very high standard, and you’ll be able to demonstrate just how ‘cutting-edge’ you are!

7. If your date is interested in architecture, plan a visit to a particularly interesting church, cathedral or other outstanding building. You could even take a picnic and make a day of it.

8. And keep an eye out for live music events in your area. Many universities and churches hold free lunchtime recitals and concerts - and of course there are whole festivals that are free to attend, such as the Brighton Live Festival.

Out and about

If your date is a fairly active type, there are dozens of ways to have cheap fun outdoors (no, not that!).

9. You can learn new things about your own home town by booking yourself onto a professionally-led walk that interests you. Tickets should cost under a tenner each. As a Londoner, I’ve used London Walks - but there are equivalent companies in several other UK cities.

10. A trip to the seaside can encompass all sorts of activities, from collecting sea shells and skimming stones to fish and chips, swimming and playing about in the penny arcades. None of it needs to cost very much, and you can both contact your inner child!

11. Trips to zoos and wildlife parks can be quite expensive. For a cheaper alternative, each grab a camera and head into the countryside for some nature spotting - then compare the pictures afterwards.

If this sounds a bit ambitious, just have a potter around your local park and feed the ducks or squirrels.

12. If you’re thinking of visiting a stately home or historic building, get better value for money by finding one that’s hosting an event at the same time.

For example, English Heritage’s Whitby Abbey is hosting a Swinging 60s weekend later in the month - and the ticket price includes entry to the event and the abbey.

13. Farmers’ markets, community fairs and craft fairs all provide good conversational fodder, and are affordable days out (as long as you browse more than you buy!).

You can use this website to find a farmers’ market near you; and the WhereCanWeGo website is a mine of information for everything community-based.

14. Finally, remember the big festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe and the Thames Festival. Although you’ll have to pay to get into some events, many others are completely free.

Be a sport

I think the key to a successful sporty date is not making it too strenuous… ‘sweaty and gasping’ is rarely a good look. However, some gentle exercise can be a great, cheap way of getting to know each other without having to talk all the time.

15. For example, what about flying a kite somewhere beautiful?

16. A bicycle ride to a nearby beauty spot could be a winner, especially if accompanied by a nice picnic.

17. Ice skating can still be done for under a tenner each (as long as you avoid the mercenary Christmas period) and provides lots of opportunities to fall into each others’ arms…

18. Or if that all sounds a bit too active, you could even go for a game of pool or darts in a nice country pub!

Learn something new

Learning something new can be a good way to bring two people together, particularly if you get to compare results at the end.

19. For example, check out the affordable painting or ceramics classes in your area. There’s lot of potential for (at worst) laughing at each other’s creations, and (at best) some ‘Ghost’ style smooching.

20. If your date is the cultured sort, attend a poetry or book reading, and then go for a drink afterwards to swap opinions.

21. You could even go cloud-spotting together (armed with The Cloudspotter’s Guide of course!). Or alternatively, get a book on astronomy from the library, find a good place to look at the stars and see what constellations you can spot.

Do your bit

I once came across a date suggestion that was essentially ‘give blood at the same time!’. I’m not sure quite how romantic that would be (especially if one of you faints) but giving something back to the community is certainly something a couple can do together.

22. For example, you could go on a conservation day, planting trees or maintaining an area of natural beauty.

Food and drink

Related blog post

• Serena Cowdy writes:

  Frugal Food - 17 September 2010

  Welcome to this week's edition of Frugal Food. We’ve got new and extended restaurant deals from Zizzi, Azzurro, Auberge, Pizza Express and ASK. We’ve also got a new Dine In deal from M&S, a free Jack Daniels, free Duchy Originals chocs,half-price ketchup, 2 for 1 on Muller Fruit and Crunch Corners, half-price Haagen Daaz, and cashback at thousands of UK takeaways!

  Read this post

Finally, meals out needn’t cost the earth, especially if they’re a different take on the old ‘dinner and drinks’ routine.

23. Avoid alcohol and you’ll immediately save a packet. That means breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea dates can all be good frugal options.

24. And it’s always worth checking out restaurant discount websites such as Toptable and 5pm. Toptable special offers currently include 50% off deals, treats for £10, and various celeb chef special offers.

Do you have any more ideas for good, cheap first dates? Leave a comment here and let us know.

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