Tired of searching for date ideas only to come up with expensive, run of the mill outings?
If so, you’ve come to the right place.
As great as museums and a night of lights at fancy garden spots sounds, sometimes the best kind of date is the one close to home.
If you’re tired of feeling like you have to break the bank to have a good time, join the club! Who can really get to know one another when you’re staring at a movie screen or yelling over people at a theme park?
Check out these cozy date ideas and get excited to get to know someone without all the mileage on your car (and wallet).
1. Host a game night for two
This isn’t an average game night where you invite a house full of people over, but a low key just the two of you one.
Pick some games that you both like, or maybe some you’ve never played.
Pop some popcorn, put on a good playlist, and have fun laughing, exercising your mind, and getting to know each other better.
2. Hold a private wine tasting
Sound expensive? Not if you buy the right wine!
Pick up a couple of $5 bottles of wine (some are actually really good!) and make a cheese and cracker tray.
You can even print off some fun facts about wine and how it’s made and use it as a conversation starter.
While a glass of wine out will cost you at least $6, enjoying a glass or two at home is cheaper and more relaxing.
3. Karaoke
So you like to sing, but maybe you don’t want to belt out tunes in front of a room full of people. However, it can be a lot of fun to sing with a friend.
Want to have a date where you’ll learn a lot about each other? Sing together!
Singing is a great way to connect and it can be a lot of fun to do it when you don’t have to worry about other people listening in.
There are a lot of fun karaoke apps that you can use, so don’t worry about having to use an expensive karaoke machine.
4.Watch a comedy
When it comes to great date ideas, this will always be my personal favorite. Pick a movie that is guaranteed to evoke laughter and put it on for a laid back evening in.
To make things easy, set out hors d’oeuvre style food so that you can snack during the movie.
This will make things feel cozy and relaxed, which usually leads to open and honest conversation and sharing.
5. Make fondue
Fondue tends to sound expensive and fancy, but it doesn’t have to be. When thinking about date ideas, people often forget that simple is best!
Dessert fondue is a fun, easy and cheap way to enjoy treats together without making a huge mess or dipping too far into the budget.
Cut up some of your favorite fruits and dip them with skewers or toothpicks into melted chocolate. Many stores sell the chocolate in microwavable dishes all ready to go.
It doesn’t get much easier than that!
6. Have a bake off
With baking shows becoming more and more popular, bake offs and cupcake wars are popping up everywhere. While entry fees are usually really steep, you can share in the same kind of fun for almost nothing from your own kitchen
Invite someone over for a few hours of treat making madness! Cookies, cupcakes, whatever you choose, set a timer, turn on some music and have a go at it!
Ask a neighbor to come over and taste test or call up a friend who can be a judge for an evening.
On a scale of one to ten this date idea gets an eleven!
7. Play the question game
One of the best parts about having a date night in is intentionally getting to know each other. When you carve out time to ask each other questions, you’ll find that you learn a lot about a person quickly!
With date ideas like this one, you can create the night however you’d like.
Start the question game over a simple meal or sit on the couch and use index cards to lead the way.
Whatever your style, it’s sure to be a great date.
8. Workout together
Maybe it’s been a long week and you haven’t gone to the gym. Or maybe you’re both fitness enthusiasts and like being active.
Why not workout together?
There are all kinds of workouts with no equipment needed that are perfect for doing at home.
Why not incorporate health and wellness when looking at good date ideas?
9. Schedule a book club for two
If you like reading and you enjoying talking this may be one of the best date ideas yet. Choose a book that both you and your guy or girl can get on board with.
Set a deadline and then plan a night to have your own book club.
You each can bring a dish to share while you discuss the questions about the book.
Most books have questions created specifically for the purpose of a book club. Do a little research online and have them printed off and ready to go!
10. Test your trivia skills
Watching Jeopardy is fun, but it’s even more fun when you watch it with someone else. Jumping up and celebrating about a correct answer is just better when a friend is there to witness your genius!
For this date idea, settle in for a trivia show like Jeopardy and Family Feud and have fun seeing how many answers you can get correct.
11. Play video games
Grab your favorite snacks and game together!
Pick whatever games you already have and enjoy playing against and with each other.
Sometimes after a long week, the simple act of unwinding together can be both bonding and fun!
12. Learn a new craft
Thanks to Youtube, it’s possible these days to learn how to do almost anything. Talk with your partner about something you would both like to learn and then set a date for it.
This is a top pick of ours when it comes to date ideas because it really reveals how well you work together as a couple. As a bonus, in the end you come away with a new skill!
Cozy, intentional dates
The best date ideas are sometimes the simplest ones. Grandiose plans aren’t always (or even usually) the way to really unite two people.
If you want to get to know each other, keep it real.
Set the scene in a place where you are you and there are no pretenses.
Be comfortable, relaxed and open to who both of you are.
Dating is, after all, about getting to really know one another.
