Guide to Dating on a Budget | 2019
Is it date night soon? Whether you like to spend quality time with your hubby or have a first date coming up, it can be hard to find romantic things to do when on a budget. And, let’s be honest, dinners and cinema’s just aren’t cutting it anymore as we want creative and fun date ideas.
If there’s one thing we at Bookado know how to do, it’s getting out and do things for little money!
Read here about our top cheap date ideas, most of them cost less than a tenner and we reveal ways to save even more money.
From romantic classics to new trendy and action-packed activities, our guide has it all.
Under £10 per person:
Roller Disco
No date is complete without some dancing! Don’t miss out on a bargain night out filled with laughter, good tunes and crazy dance moves. Arriving at London’s famous indoor roller skating hall, get your free-for-hire skates and twirl around your date on the dancefloor. Afterwards, check out the bar and roller diner for some post-dance nibbles and drinks which can be accessed without taking off your skates!
Location: Seven Sisters, London
Prices: £10 on Thursdays
Combat paintball
Isn’t this a fool-proof way to land in the friendzone, you might ask? Not necessarily. Whilst the uniforms are surely not the most flattering first-date outfit, Paintball gives you the chance to see if you two work well as a team. You can even bring along your mates for a group discount. Paintball is action-loaded activity evoking all kinds of emotions and, who knows, a kiss might be in the cards?
Location: Crawley Down, Sussex
Price: from £7.99 on Saturdays
from £3.99 on Sundays (off-peak)
Footgolf
Meeting a football or a golf fan? Or are you one yourself? Taking them to a match might sound tempting, but also expensive. Instead, opt for something more fun and active with a round one of the UK’s quirkiest activities; footgolf. Work your way through the 9-hole course at the edge of London and enjoy the stunning views over the city.
Location: London or Bristol
Price: £7.20 pp
Under £30 per person:
Archery
Aiming its love arrows at clueless strangers, cupid has made archery the poster child of romantic activities! Try your hand at archery with a fun, relaxed Have a Go session at the Archery centre in London or Bristol. Find out who has better aiming skills and turn this shooting experience into a little competition to establish who is paying for drinks afterwards.
Prices: from £22.50 per person
Boating on the Thames
Floating on the river in your own, private boat surely is one of the top romantic things to do. Explore the charming Hampton Riviera, just moments from the hustle and bustle of London, and bring some bubbles and snacks for a picnic.
The boat is self-driving meaning you have more time to focus on your partner and fully savour the moment. Think it might be a little cold for that? If you can stretch your budget you hop into a hot tub boat instead. On the water whilst your in the water… winning!
Location: Hampton Riviera, London
Price: from £15.00 per person
Trampolining
Show your date your silly side? Let your inner child out to play as you bounce to your heart’s content in a trampoline park. With one hour of exhilarating, fast-paced fun there really is no time for boredom or awkward silences. Try the array of different games on offer and explore all three floors of the indoor trampoline park.
Location: Stratford, London
Prices: £12.00 per person; students get 50% off
Virtual Reality
It’s hard to surprise your date with something new and different if you live in the oversaturated capital. Invite your date to an immersive experience in this London VR playground. The hyper-realistic worlds offer 16 VR adventures to embark on and, guess what, they are best explored together! There’s also great, exotic food as well as beers and cocktails available.
Location: Haggerston Overground, London
Price: from £14.00 per person
Escape Rooms
Solving puzzles and collecting clues with the only enemy being the ticking clock, Escape Rooms give you that certain buzz. Feel the blood pumping through your body and your brain cells working as you uncover the mystery and escape before the time runs up. Choose from an array of locations and plots, such as the pitch-black Dark Magic or quirky Deja Brew Hangover experience, two of our London Escape Rooms.
Location: London, Bristol and Brighton
Prices: from £18.00 per person
Bookado’s Top Tips to Save on a Date
We understand that dating isn’t cheap and maybe you think that just going for a drink is enough; this might be true but we’ve come up with a few tips and tricks to help you save in every way possible. Some might seem obvious but you’ll be surprised how many people oversee the obvious!
1. Don’t go on a date for the sake of it!
Sounds ridiculous right? But think about, nowadays it’s so easy to find a date through a dating app and sometimes you just want to go out even if you don’t think they’ll be the ‘one’. Once you’ve done this a couple times you’ll realise how much you’ve spent!
So if you are still looking for “the One”, we think we’ve found a great solution! If you’re on the lookout for a serious, meaningful relationship, sign up to OldStyleDating, an online dating service designed to help you find genuine, like-minded and long-lasting love. All members are over 25 years and hand-selected meaning there is no catfishing or fake profiles to waste your time. Start a 7-day trial for free.
2. Do your research!
Ok ok, by reading this you are well on your way of some good research, go a step further. There are deals, discounts and absolute steals out and we’ve provided you with a great selection so far. If you’re wanting that quiet drink or to head to the cinema, do your research. Picturehouse in London do HappyMondays which is nearly 50% off, plan your date so it works for you and your budget!
3. Double date?
Don’t just double dates to go with a pal for a laugh, use it to your advantage = group booking discounts! You’ll be surprised how much you can save, including travel, see your Uber has suddenly halved with the additional couple! Also, some activities have a minimum booking number of 3 or 4.
4. Use Coupons/Vouchers!
They are out there, dive deep into the web and I’m sure you will find a coupon and voucher that works for you. Whether it’s VoucherCloud or Wowcher, in the words of Tesco’s “Every little helps”. We would highly recommend ‘Honey’, one of Google Chrome’s extensions which automatically scans the website you are on for discounts/promo codes to be used instantly!
5. Make an Effort with No Effort!
Dare I say it… it’s ‘Netflix and Chill’ with a twist, this one is a winner for all, ok maybe not a first date but good effort if you manage!. Jazz it up by getting some cheap £1 candles from FlyingTiger or PoundLand, grab some popcorn, crisps and dip and if it’s within the budget a bottle of Pino Grigio. The film is almost as important as the food and drink, make it a classic – something to remember. Now I might be biased but if you were to watch it anytime it would be now… ‘Love Actually’ – you can not go wrong, unless you’re like me and have watched it twice already this winter…
