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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

Everyone’s broke, so how do we date in this economy? If you’re on a budget and want to stick to it, here are some ways you can date on a budget and still have an amazing time together. 

Have a movie night, but make it grand

Make popcorn, set up the room with all kinds of pillows and blankets, get some Dollar store candy and watch a movie the two of you have never seen together. It might sound plain, but sometimes relaxing together is the best form of dating. If you really want to spice it up, build some kind of fort that makes the TV seem like a big screen, turn off the lights so the room is dark and add some candles. Bonus points if you have surround sound speakers. 

Enjoy a nice picnic in the park

Grab a blanket, a book, headphones, some cheap snacks and call it a date. Boys, if you can find wildflowers, pick some of those for her too. To some, this is the best date idea in the world and to others, it might seem boring. If you want to change it up, add some board games or cards to the mix too. You could also just lay in the park on a blanket and talk. Either way, you’re spending great quality time together for free.

The St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market has something for everyone

Yes, this might end up being more expensive than an at-home movie or the park but if you’re smart with your money, it doesn’t have to be costly. Just walking around and experiencing the market together can be a date in itself. There are all kinds of vendors and sometimes even free samples to try out. That way, you’ve spent a minimal amount of money and still managed to spend a whole afternoon together. 

Pin Up Arcade Bar

This venue has the perfect vibe for a great date night in Waterloo. Located at 247 King Street North, Pin Up has lots of old arcade and video games for approximately $10 a person. This low cost is for an unlimited amount of games and all-night fun as they don’t close until 2 A.M. on the weekends and 11 P.M. during some weekdays. If you get tired of the games, you can sit at the bar or at one of the tables and order some food or drinks to end the night. If that’s still too expensive for your budget, get some water and stick to the games. 

Date nights don’t have to mean dinner and a movie at the theatres. You can be romantic without spending loads of money on each other every time you see one another. So next time you aren’t sure what to do for a date night, try one of these out!

Bailey McIntyre

Wilfrid Laurier '25

Bailey is in her fourth year of English literature at Wilfrid Laurier University. From a small town, she escaped when she could by writing whenever possible, as well as reading all things Sci-fi and Romance. She loves Snowboarding, Baking and watching early 2000s movies with hot chocolate. Bailey has a passion for all things writing and reading related. Wishing to pursue publishing post grad, writing is her main creative outlet.