Budget date night ideas for cheap fun in the city…

Hey Rockstars,

A first date can be nerve-racking. If the date goes sour, you may never have a chance to redeem yourself. You are most likely nervous about picking the location and the activity, but you may not have a enough money to feel confident.

Fortunately, you can enjoy many affordable activities with some creativity. The important parts of a date are the connection and the chemistry.

Here’s a list of five inexpensive but high-caliber & affordable ideas for a great first date:

1.   The Java Date.

Abiola’s Note: Many guys have complained that meeting women online gets expensive if they keep investing in elaborate first dates with people they have no chemistry with. Afternoon tea, coffee or drinks solves this problem.

Meeting at a coffee shop is excellent for a first date if you’re meeting someone in person the first time from an online dating site. It will give the two of you the opportunity to get amped up and break the ice. Most coffee shops have quiet tables set up.

You and your date can grab some seats in the corner and talk about everything from family to hobbies to your next date. The expense for the java date should be between $5 and $10. If the two of you do not click, no one has suffered much of a financial loss.

2.   The Hideaway Hike.

Abiola’s Note: Hiking can be fun or sexy. Just don’t ever spring this date on a woman. We need to know in advance so that we can be dressed appropriately. Stilettos and hikes don’t mix. Also, unexpected sunburns and mosquito bites are no fun either.

Finding a nice trail in the woods to walk through is an excellent idea for a first date. This is almost always free and the two of you will definitely have peace and quiet. In addition, if you really click with one another, you might be able to sneak in a first kiss in the woods.

3.   The Night Rider.

Abiola’s Note: Either have a destination in mind or say, “let’s get lost together” and take off for points unknown.

There is an element of excitement in driving around aimlessly with no destination. Riding in a car is very comforting and the setting is just right for chatting. In addition, the two of you will have a perfect view of the beautiful night sky. There is nothing quite like a star gazing date night while cruising and getting to know someone. The total bill for this activity is approximately $3.50 per 20 miles of travels.

4.   Couples Touch Roller Derby.

Abiola’s Note: I grew up in NYC so I actually had no  idea what a roller derby is. Here’s what Wikipedia says it is: 

Photo: Kenneth Lu/Wikimedia Commons

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups (“jams”) in which both teams designate a scoring player (the “jammer”) who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to assist their own jammer while hindering the opposing jammer —in effect playing both offense and defense simultaneously. 

If the two of you are dead set on excitement or physical activities, couples touch roller derby is an excellent choice for your date. All you have to have is a set of roller blades. The helmet is optional but highly recommended.

It’s very simple: the two of you roller blade around town and take turns chasing each other down the street, around the corner, and so forth. If one person catches up to the other person and touches him/her, the captured party must give the captor a kiss. The type of kiss depends on your level of comfort at that time. All you need is approximately $50 for two sets of blades – or less if you can borrow, barter or find some in your closet.

5.   Don’t Forget The Buffet.

Abiola’s Note: I don’t recommend a buffet date of any sort unless you are both in school or officially a committed couple. It would be much more classy and cost effective to pack a picnic lunch and go eat in the park with your sweetie.

This is a tricky date idea. You will have to feel your date’s personality out a bit before suggesting the all you can eat buffet. Buffets are excellent penny-pinching activities. You can eat whatever you like for the same low price. You can sit and talk to your date as long as you like as well. The two of you will still be served by the waiter or server who brings the drinks. It depends on your date’s attitude, but you should be able to pick that up before your first meeting.

Your first date is all about getting to know one another. It has little to do with the venue or the cost of the event. As long as you have time to speak and come closer to each other, the night will be fantastic!

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This post was written for Abiola’s Passionista Playbook blog by the fab Sheila Jones who knows all about first dates. She likes to make sure that her first dates are fun and safe so she checks up on potential blind dates at backgroundcheck.org.

You may also want to check out “Who Pays On Dates,” “First Date Ideas: Unique Fun Dating Ideas in NYC” and “What To Wear On A First Date.” I also wrote: “First Date Conversation Ideas” for Yahoo Shine.