8 Ways to Enjoy Great Dates on a Budget

You want to do something great for your sweetheart? Aren't you sweet? You are limited in your cash flow at the moment... I definitely understand that. There are still ways you can enjoy the third Saturday in October without taking out a loan. Consider the following ten ways you and your sweetheart can have a great day with little pay.

Go to a matinee movie. If you catch a movie before noon it's usually discounted at your local movie theater. On Saturdays after 12noon prices are regular fare so you may have to get up early for this one. If your city has a dollar show, then I'd recommend going to the dollar show and seeing a movie. If they let you take food in, then get food before the movie starts so you won't miss anything.

Go to a local coffeehouse. Enjoy each other in the beauty of conversation and caffeine. Most local coffeehouses are great ways to catch up and get high on sugar and caffeine. Try a drink you don't normally get, just be sure you won't regret it on the following Sunday.

Go to a grocery store together and shop for dinner. The bigger the store is the better. If there's one in your town, go to a Super Walmart. It's a grocery store and retail store wrapped up into one. If you don't have a Super Walmart perhaps you have a Meijer. They're open 24 hours too I believe. If you want to start your Sweetest Day festivities early, go shopping at midnight or 1am. This works well if you don't have children. The only problem with going to grocery stores late at night is that there are usually a lack of employees and a lack of things in stock. The deli, seafood counters, nor meat shops are usually option so you may run into an obstacle there unless you get something already put out.

Crash someone's house. My wife and I have done this a number of times and it's so fun. People are always saying, "You should come over sometime." Take them up on it! You can call them when you're five minutes away, or when you're parking, or just ring the doorbell. Some may not mind, but if you think they might mind... give them a little bit of notice. We don't want to ruin any friendships over this.

Go to a mega-store and window-shop. I'm thinking of an IKEA-type store. Something where there's a lot to see and you have to have a map to find your way around. Go somewhere that inspires you to do better, be better, or buy more stuff... but don't buy any of it!

Take a walk in your city's downtown. If you live in a big city (or are near a big city) then this shouldn't be too hard to do. Most cities' downtown is the main attraction. Museums, art galleries, restaurants, specialty stores, and more are usually found in, or near, the downtown area. If you, nor your sweetheart, have ever explored your city, make Sweetest Day the day to do so.

Go to a farmers' market or an orchard. The farmers' market is a great place to buy fruit and vegetables and other commodities (depending on where you go). You can usually find organic as well as all-natural items here as well. Herbs and spices are usually available too. You may be able to see cooking demonstrations, food ideas, sample foods, and learn something about food or agriculture you didn't know about before. I'd also recommend going to an orchard to pick fruit fresh off the vine or the branch. I haven't done it before, but from friends I've heard that it's really fun and I intended to do it soon - maybe this year.

See if there's a fair or carnival in town. Some smaller towns may have fairs or carnivals for a period of time that you can go to and enjoy different rides and amusements. This is great for children, young or old. Check your local newspaper or online local media to find out what may be near you.

Remember, you don't need hundreds of dollars to enjoy each other... you just need some creativity. These may be the times where memories are born, so make the most of it. Don't focus on the money, focus on each other.