Budget Cupid is here to help put a little romance in your life for less this Valentine’s Day with 10 cheap date ideas!

 
 
 
 
 
Enjoy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Champagne by the Fireplace
How romantic, just like a scene out of the movies! Take it one step further and make the chocolate dipped strawberries together:

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 Revisit Your Wedding Album
Cozy up by the fireplace and rekindle the flame as you look though your wedding album! How’s that for a FREE DATE NIGHT!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Dine In, Not Out
Cook a nice dinner together and don’t forget the candlelight! Try a some new recipes or recreate a meal you saw on Food Network.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Scenic Drive
My all time favorite date with my husband was when we took a scenic drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hiking, picnics and sunsets…how romantic is that?
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Walk on the Beach
If you live in a warm climate, and you’re near the beach – take a walk, hold hands, collect shells and enjoy a glass of wine.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Wine Tasting at Home
Ask your local wine store to recommend a few cheap wines then cover the bottles in brown paper bags, taste and rate. You just might discover a new favorite cheap wine! Don’t forget to pick up a nice loaf of French bread from the bakery and a couple of deli cheeses.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Couples Massage
If you’re looking for a cheap date, the $200 couples massage at the local spa is most likely out of the question, but a massage at home can be much more romantic! Check out an instructional book or watch an instructional You Tube video together, take turns giving each other a massage and RELAX!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Half & Half
If you can’t decide what to do for Valentine’s Day, each of you should plan an activity. Maybe you plan dinner and your spouse picks a movie? Celebrate the entire weekend, and you can each be in charge of a day. Add to the romance by surprising each other with your plans.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Movie Night
There’s nothing better than curling up together on the couch with a warm snuggly blanket and watching a romantic movie! My personal favorite? Love Actually!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 Celebrate Early
If you have a Bank of America credit card, check card or ATM card, you can enjoy FREE ADMISSION to more than 150 museums, zoos and botanical gardens the first weekend of every month. Cupid really won’t know if you celebrate on February 5th or 6th, and Budget Cupid will be thrilled because it’s a FREE DATE NIGHT!
 

So, there it is – 10 Cheap Date ideas for Valentine’s Day, but if you’re just a traditional flowers and dinner kind of gal…please let your husband know about discounted gift cards at PlasticJungle.com. He’ll save up to 30% on restaurants, flowers and gifts!

Please leave a comment to share your favorite cheap date ideas and Valentine’s date ideas with Budget Cupid!

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You don’t need money; you need creativity for a perfect Valentine’s Day!

On Valentine’s Day, it isn’t the budget that creates the romance; it’s the intimacy! You don’t automatically have to choose the more expensive options—especially if doing so will hurt you financially.

Here are some ideas for creating a fantastic date that won’t empty your bank account.

Go Small or Go Home

There are certain traditions associated with a romantic Valentine’s Day: roses, a shiny piece of jewelry, a fancy dinner. There is no reason that you can’t still do these things—just do them on a smaller scale. For example: Instead of a dozen red roses, bring one. Instead of actual diamonds or gemstones, order a custom piece of jewelry from one of the talented artists on Etsy. Rather than a five-course dinner at the fanciest restaurant in town, have starters there at the bar on your way to something more fun.

Personalize It

The trick to genuine romance on Valentine’s Day is to give your date what you know he or she really wants. If, for example, your girlfriend is really into hockey, give her tickets to the next game or a jersey with her favorite player’s number. If she really loves gourmet food, instead of spending possibly hundreds of dollars on a fancy gourmet dinner, buy her one of Julia Child’s cookbooks and then make a few of the recipes from it for her. If your date loves movies, give him a book of movie tickets. You get the idea.

Make It Yourself

Sometimes the best gifts are those that you make yourself. Grow the flowers you give her on Valentine’s Day in your yard or on your patio. Make the fancy dinner yourself. You’ll get bonus points if you make the person’s favorite food (even more if it is a food you normally loathe). If you are able, make the gift yourself—especially if you are planning to give jewelry.

Handmade does not mean that you are cheap. It means that you pay attention and are willing to put real time and effort into creating romance for your special someone on Valentine’s Day.

Vouchers are Awesome

You might think that vouchers or coupons are a copout, but if you do them right, they will mean more to your special someone than anything you could have purchased in a store. Vouchers can be for things or actions, and in this case, actions do often speak louder than words.

Set a Price Limit

Make a deal with your date that Valentine’s Day gifts can’t go over a certain dollar amount. This will force you to be creative and find something that you know will tickle your date’s fancy. It will also help you relax because you won’t be worried about whether or not the value of the gift you are giving matches the gift you are being given.

Stay Home

A quiet evening at home can be far more romantic than a night spent out surrounded by Valentine’s Day clichés. Make your own dinner or order in. Watch your favorite movies. Snuggle on the couch.

Money does not automatically equal romance, care, or attention. In fact, often it can feel like quite the opposite. Use these suggestions to create a memorable and romantic Valentine’s Day that you’ll both remember forever!

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written by:  Erin Steiner

Erin Steiner is a freelance writer who is well versed in living on a shoestring budget and writes about a variety of topics for a number of websites include Reputation.com.

Did you know that our National Parks offer FREE admission days?

Mark your calendar, plan a getaway, and enjoy the free fun! Visit nps.gov to find a park near you!
 
 
 
Free Admission Days for 2013

• January 21
• April 22 – 26
• June 8
• August 25
• September 28
• October 13
• November 9 – 11

 
Don’t miss a moment of free family fun or a cheap date!

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Tickets for a family of four to the circus $200.

Tickets for a family of four to a baseball game $100 – plus parking, plus concessions!

Fun on a budget?

Priceless!

15 Ways to Have Fun for Less

1. Groupon.com is a great source for huge savings on fun things to do in your area like 62% off admission at the Houston Museum of Natural Science! Sign up to receive the best daily deals!
2. Try a high school football game or theatre performance for a cheap evening out.
3. How about breakfast and a movie? AMC theatres offer $6 movies before noon.
4. Watch your old wedding video and family videos.
5. Pull out your wedding album on your anniversary.
6. Have a wine tasting night at home and discover your favorite cheap wine. Simply cover a few bottles with brown paper, taste and rate!
7. Host a cooking school for your kids – it’s time to stop watching the Food Channel and start cooking!
8. Game night is a great family tradition to start! For a fun twist, add silly bets like loser does the dishes!
9. Create your own Wii Family Olympics by playing a different sport each night – ideal for winter break.
10. Check out FactoryToursUSA.com for a state by state listing of free tours.
11. Pizza Taste Test – buy assorted frozen pizzas, taste, rate and choose your new favorite.
12. Start a family tradition of having ice cream sundaes on Saturday!
13. Try Minute to Win It challenges at home, click here for a list of challenge ideas.
14. Bring back home birthday parties! You really don’t need to spend $300+ for an ice skating party or Build-A-Bear party. The Budget Diet’s party index has ideas for all ages.
15. Enjoy the outdoors – take a hike, go for a bike ride, watch the sunset! Mother Nature has a lot of free fun to offer.
16. If you’re a Bank of America customer, enjoy free admission to zoo’s and museums the first weekend of every month! Check their website for a complete listing of participating museums and zoos.
17. When’s the last time you went to the library? Check out books, movies and more.
18. Don’t forget about organizations like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4H for affordable fun!

 
How do you have fun for less?

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Image courtesy of: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Looking for something fun to do this weekend that won’t break the bank?

It’s the perfect time to enjoy some fall traditions for frugal family fun or a cheap date.

Let’s start your Friday evening at a High School football game…the game, the band, the cheerleaders, the halftime show! Football is a great fall tradition!

Wake-up Saturday and bake my favorite Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling – it’s the best! The aroma will fill your home and help you declare the start of fall!

If you live in a part of the country where the leaves are changing, a scenic drive and picnic would be delightful! I’m envious since leaves don’t change in South Florida.

Apple picking anyone…it’s a fun fall activity if you live in the right part of the country! Bring home your harvest and make an apple pie!

Roasting marshmallows on a campfire or fire pit is a wonderful way to enjoy the first cool, crisp nights of fall.

How about a campout…even if it’s in your own backyard.

Why don’t you enjoy a fall festival? Fall festivals abound this time of the year no matter where you live!

If you haven’t enjoyed any fall traditions this year…it’s time to get started!

Which fall traditions are your favorites!

Happy Fall Y’all!

You don’t have to spend $180 to make a great first impression!

Her name was Katie and she was an exceedingly attractive 24-year-old admissions director in New York City. We’d met at a party of a mutual friend and I was enamored from the first joke until she left with friends close to midnight. Luckily in a moment of brilliance I’d gotten her number and asked if she’d wanted to meet up that next Friday night for dinner. “I’d love to,” she told me through her grin.

“Where to go?” It was all I could think about all week. Each place I chose seemed either too fancy, or too causal, too fishy or too meaty. I’d thought this would be the easy part, that the location would play secondary to our interaction, but it wasn’t, it was driving my decision. Finally on Thursday I chose a small upscale fusion restaurant in the East Village.

The date went well but the meals ranged from $18 to $30 and bottles of wine were $50 and above. Toss in an appetizer and some desert and my bill was a staggering $180. I’d been making enough money to cover the meal, but the shock of that bill had thrown me off for the night. There were no drinks afterward, and though it could have been for any reason, there was also no follow-up date. Katie was gone.

What I realized later was that a first date should NEVER be expensive. Cheap and fun first date ideas…picnics in the park, an afternoon at the beach, local burger joints or appetizers and drinks should be maximum paid on a first date. You have financial goals that started well before meeting this lady and they shouldn’t be compromised in the hopes that she’s impressed. If she is smitten with your wallet you might be facing a trend of paying for expensive meals that might eat away at your savings, or worse yet, put you in debt.

The idea of the first date is to make acquaintance and be yourself. I’m not sure about other men, but I always feel uneasy when I have to tuck in that shirt and make a fuss over my hair. I’d rather start casual then work our way up to better restaurants as the dating progresses. I feel like many women might agree. That said, men should still pay for the first date, it doesn’t need to be explained. Some things are unchangeable and footing the bill on a first date is as old as the Bible.

Stay smart and remember that if you want to impress a woman (or man) do it with your personality, NOT your pocketbook!

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written by: Jake Albright

After spending his post-collegiate years living like a bachelor in NYC, Jake spent his late twenties in LA in a loving and committed relationship. Now bi-coastal, and once-again single, Jake has used his experiences to become the lead writer for DatingWebsites.com. A former college athlete, he now spends his extra time traveling to visit friends and take new adventures.

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Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

College is a lovely time in a person’s life. Setting loans in the back of your mind, you happily make a few bucks flipping burgers while trying your best to pass every class. Somewhere in there, you have to have a social life. That can be hard when you’re barely scraping by living paycheck to paycheck. Even if you’re depriving yourself of a social life, you are bound to meet up with someone who sparks your interests at work or in class. Don’t let your budget woes prevent you from asking the cutie out. Try these cheap dates on for size.

The Freshman Date
You could both be freshmen or you may find yourself interested in a freshman. If you have a large campus, the perfect cheap date is to offer them a tour. The college staff can only show them so much, but a student who knows his or her way around will be able to add more detail and context. If you are both freshman, explore the campus together. Have fun discovering all the best study spots and hidden cafes while you flirt to your heart’s content.

There may be some cost involved if you stop by one of those lovely cafes and pick up a bite to eat, but that can’t cost you more than five or 10 dollars. If it cost more, don’t buy it. Most colleges have cute little stores or cafes tucked in the library or student union.

Every college has something interesting to discover. At the University of Iowa, one of the main buildings is home to a state history exhibit and a giant sloth. That’s certainly something to see when you stumble upon it.

Walking around campus can also be a great time to share your dreams and plans for college and beyond. Whether you are doing to showing or are both exploring something new, you’ll never run out of something to talk about.

College Events
Events are all over campus. Some are fun showings of movies or documentaries; others are cultural or club events. Assuming you have had at least one conversation with your date, you can probably think of a few things they may enjoy. Earn some extra brownie points by inviting the person you are interested in to something you’ve heard them talk about before. Most events don’t cost anything to attend.

Maybe something that specific isn’t happening anytime soon and you don’t want to miss your chance. Pick an event neither of you know anything about that is happening soon. It may sound ridiculous, but you can talk about the craziness together. Who knows, you may even discover a new passion together. Some college events even offer free food. Don’t miss out!

Volunteer
This is not a crazy idea. Colleges are full of fun volunteer opportunities. It’s pretty hard not to care about someone who shows such passion for the animals at the animal shelter or the starving children of the world. Find something to get involved in, if you aren’t already. Discover something new together. Just like attending an event, you may volunteer for something completely out of the norm and laugh about it later with your date or you may find a new passion together.

There’s no cost here, unless you’re volunteering your money to the organization as well. Depending on the volunteer opportunity, you may help out some people in your community or make posters and fundraise for people far away from you. Either way, you are sure to come off as a wonderful person. People rarely imagine selfish or self-absorbed people as volunteers.

The Lazy Date
What is it? Are you too busy, sleepy, hungry and stressed for any of the above options to work for you? Well, even for you, there is a solution. Invite the cutie over to your place to hang out. Normally this is a horrible idea for a first date because it’s not in public. For all they know, you might be a serial killer.

If you live in a dorm with roommates, inviting your crush over can be the perfect money saving date. There are people in all the other dorms. Your roommate(s) may even be home to hang as well. It’s very important that people be around on the first date even if they don’t participate.

There is the problem of what to do in your dorm or apartment. Be creative. If you have a video games system, think about popping in a game. Everyone loves Mario Kart. You may even be able to interest the cutie in a combat game like Soul of Calibur. Don’t have any awesome two player games? Head to your college library. Many libraries have started offering video games for check out. No money there.

If you want to get your roommates involved, find an awesome board game to play. Seriously, don’t doubt the fun you can have. I once stayed up until 3am playing Apples to Apples with friends and the man who I have been dating now for 3 years. That was the night we discovered each other!

Remember to have fun on whatever date you choose. College campuses offer so much. You really have no excuse for not asking the cutie out. Just ask already!

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Written by: Tonya Vrba

Author Bio: Tonya Vrba is a passionate writer. Her work has been published in newspapers and blogs. She writes frequently about health, career and dating issues. Tonya currently writes with Dating Sites Online. Learn more about her work at her personal website

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image courtesy of Glamour

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