For the more adventurous, blindfold or “kidnap” your date, only with consent of course.

Get some cheap but tasty munchies and beverages that can be comfortably consumed in a car. Then go to a drive-in movie or simply park overlooking city lights or a lake at sunset.

Go fishing, hunting or fruit-picking if your date is into that sort of thing.

If you have similar musical tastes, make a mixed tape and play it while taking a drive, playing a game or having dinner at home.

Take a boat ride or hire a horse and carriage.

Plan a scavenger hunt, possibly with other couples, family or friends. Seek treasures you can get for free like a pink spoon from Baskin Robbins (darn it, you’ll have to taste one of the 31 flavors to get it), a bag from a local grocery store or a mustard packet from a fast food joint. Give the winner a tacky homemade trophy (macaroni, popsicle sticks and glitter anyone?) and perhaps some non-material reward or a $5-$10 gift certificate.

Park by an airport and watch the planes take off and land. Bring airline food like peanuts, pretzels and canned soda. Have dessert inside the airport if convenient and watch people at the baggage carousel if allowed. Ride the escalators or moving sidewalks.

One guy got my attention by politely asking for a kiss before the movie while were sitting in his car in a theater parking lot. Let’s just say it got him further during and after the movie than if he hadn’t surprised me with the unexpected.

We’re lucky enough that in our city, we can usually then just take the train back home again – or we can walk again, if we feel like it.

These games are pretty expensive to get unless you are pretty sure you will like them and they will meet the need you have.

Want to make sure your getting the best deal on those coupons? Check out http://www.dealcatcher.com/restaurant-coupons

For instance, sorry for the short notice… there’s an 80% off coupon that expires today (Oct 15th), but there’s also another coupon that should still be valid for a little longer that seems like it’s 50% off the normally low Restaurant.com prices.

Stock up and save!
Jeff

dance lessons, art lessons, water-balloon fight, lazer tag, hiking, cook dinner together, quiz night, sporting match, hookah bar, picnics, people watching, shopping, wine tasting, rock climbing, planetarium, ice skating, bike riding, zoo, arcade, ice skating, vintage clothing store….

I have used Restaurant.com many times, and it has always worked perfectly. The only caveat is that the git certificates cannot be used on alcohol. Other than that, it’s our preferred choice to go out to eat! Every restaurant that we had tried from Restaurant.com was fantastic food to boot!

http://www.onemillionbucks.net/2008/10/frugal-father-in-law-driveway.html

Maybe I’m too trusting or something, but I went to my date’s house for our third date, where he made me dinner and then we ‘watched’ TV shows we both liked (I say ‘watched’ because I’m pretty sure we talked through two hours of TV and had no idea what had happened in any of the shows that were on!). Three and a half years later, he’s my husband.

Of course, I was the kind of date who wouldn’t bother going out with someone again if I got a weird vibe about them on the first. So I wouldn’t go on a *first* date to a guy’s house, but I would (and did) certainly go on subsequent dates.

So the moral of the story – guys, invite the ladies over for dinner. If she’s not impressed (or at least appreciative), I’ll be surprised :)

This year we did dine out at the restaurant where we got married (that was a frugal bit of wedding-ry, itself), but last year I was doing a one-month break from restaurants, and my husband cooked dinner at home. I almost wish we’d done the same thing this year–the veal saltimbocca that my husband made at home last year was better than the one I had at the restaurant last night!

Another good one I like is if you know the date will be up early one morning – bring her a coffee or donut or something. Or make it a date and go garage saleing.

But I don’t think I’d bust out a discount coupon until I’d dated the person for a while….!

And, “Play board games: My wife and I do this all the time after the kids go to bed.” .. WOW !! I would consider myself as the luckiest man if I get a wife who plays board games. You are lucky indeed.

I especially like the entertainment ideas, as I am a complete wreck in bars and clubs (can’t dance, hate crowds, hate loud music, can’t get bartenders to pay attention to me).

Thanks!