PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

Just because things are tight in your checking account doesn’t mean that you have to board up all of the windows and turn down dates. Dating with little or no money is easy if you keep an open mind. Sure you could throw yourself at the mercy of the person that you are dating, but expecting your date to pay your way takes the excitement out of flying by the seat of your pants. Besides, some of the most romantic dates can transpire with very little money.

Got a gas card? Make a trip to your local service station and fill up on gas and snacks. Pop a fun cd into the player and then pick up your date. Just driving around the city exploring new neighborhoods and developments can make for a good time. Consider looking for a nearby town with a funny name and making it your destination point. Lots of laughs can be had as you mug for the camera at the state highway sign outside of Hot Coffee, Mississippi.

Making a trip together to one of the larger mega grocery stores on the weekend is a cheap way of sharing a meal together. Most of the larger places will host cooking classes in the deli section or offer free samples passed out by cheerful volunteers on every aisle. It may not be the most romantic meal you two will ever share, but trying a new concoction of yogurt and cereal is an adventure.

Another low cost dating option is a garage and estate sale pilgrimage. Look on line or scan your weekend paper for a list of addresses hosting sales. Create a make shit scavenger list of some of the items that could be found at such sales: silly coffee mugs, vintage National Geographic magazines, plastic ducks. Make it your mission to find everything on your list. The great thing about these kinds of sales is that looking is not only free, but it is wiser than purchasing.

Going on nature hikes or panoramic bike rides are an option, but don’t forget about your basic neighborhood stroll. Meet up at your place or his and take a left at the driveway. There is a certain voyeuristic thrill to be found by looking at other people’s yards and houses. The likelihood that you could come across neighbors doing silly things is high. Sharing a quiet chuckle over the homebody mowing the lawn in socks and sandals is a quaint way to bond.

One of the best and cheapest dates is staying in. Virtually every simple moment of your life can be turned into a low cost or free date. Invite you date over for a laundry night or a movie night. Videos can be checked out for free at most local libraries. Also don’t thumb your nose at movies of the week or biopics on the history channels. You can make your own popcorn for much less than the tub you’d get at the cinema and snuggling on the couch is certainly more private and less painful than attempting it in a sticky theatre.