20 Summer Date Ideas for Less than $20 (no movies at home)

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Who has money to date?! When you have bills to pay, kids to drive around, and the car breaks down every 5 seconds, how do you go out on a date? Well, summer is a great time to get out there with your significant other for as little as $20 bucks! Don’t believe me?! Check out my list of 20 summer date ideas for less than $20!

Summer Date Ideas for Less than $20

Money may be a little tight from time to time, and dates can usually go out the window. However, dates with your significant other are a necessity not a luxury. Research suggests that couples who date stay together because dates enhance your friendship as well as your emotional connectedness. The key to a date is doing something together without the stress of children or other people.

So, if you want to keep your love life thriving, here my favorite 20 summer date ideas for less than $20:

Go on a picnic. Picnics will only cost you the food in your fridge. Pack up some PB&Js and spend time relaxing in the park. Make sure you find a spot away from the playground so it’s a little quieter.
Go primitive camping: You don’t even need a tent if you really want to rough it up. Some places will only charge you $10 a night to go camping. This is a way to get away from everything and just be a couple for a night.
Go get ice cream. You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Take a romantic walk, get some of your favorite ice cream, but be sure to eat it all before you get home especially if you have kids.
Enjoy the music in the park. Most parks will have free outdoor concerts. Go to your cities’ website to see when they will have freebies in the park. This is a nice way to do something together while learning about upcoming artists.
Go to a movie in the park. Another thing parks tend to offer throughout the summer are movies in the park. You can totally make out in the back, too just like when you were teenagers. These movies are usually PG or G, so just be careful of the kids running around.
Go to a Matinee’ show. If you have a morning free during the week or on a Sunday, you can go see a movie you really want to see on the cheap. Matinee’ tickets are usually less than $5. Stuff some candy in your purse along with a soda for a date for less than $20.
Head to the beach. Most beaches only charge you for parking, so you can go to the beach for around $10 if you live close to one. If you don’t want to pay for parking, you can always try to walk.
Go wine Tasting. This may seem like an expensive endeavor, but I just love Groupon because it makes this totally affordable. Just type in your location and find Groupon coupons offering wine tasting for two for $10 bucks!
Watch the sunset together. You may not be able to get out of the house to do anything, but you can surely enjoy the beauty of the sunset while holding each other close. This is a great time to talk, relax, and rejuvenate from the stresses of the day.
Play Pokemon Go. This is a great way to get out and exercise as well has have a little healthy competition. Who does it better you or your significant other? You could also work together on this and see how well you do.
Explore your neighborhood. I know there are tons of places I have never found the time to visit. Use your date as an opportunity to find the hidden gems in your area.
Sing your hearts out. Go to a bar or club that has karaoke night. Sing all the cute couple songs together. Even if you both suck at singing, at least you will get booed off the stage together!
Take a road trip. Visit a local city you haven’t ever been to. Put $20 in your gas tank and see how far you can go and still get back. You may find something you didn’t know existed. Don’t forget to get out of the car and do some exploring.
Visit a State park. State parks are usually free to get into unless you pay the few dollars for parking. And, you can usually rent paddle boats, canoes, or other water boats for just as cheap.
Go on a fishing trip. Fishing can be fun and relaxing. If you don’t have any poles, you can always make your own, or get them at a local store for less than $20 bucks.
Go out for coffee. This is my idea of a perfect date! My two loves: coffee and my significant other. This is also a great time to sit and talk. Get to know each other and reconnect.
Go geocaching together. This is an app where you search for a specific item based on its GPS location. It’s a lot of fun, but you have to work together. It’s like a grown up scavenger hunt.
Go star gazing. This is easier away from the city lights. Lay out on a blanket looking at the stars holding hands and talking.
Build a campfire in the backyard. You may want to get some s’mores, but otherwise it is virtually free to cuddle around the campfire. To add a little more pizazz, you can bring out the guitar for some campfire songs.
Groupon it up! If you can’t find anything you want to do, check out Groupon for great deals on things to do in your area. From comedy shows to eating out, you will find it all.