![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2011\/07\/dance.jpg\" "\\"1950s")
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Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Joe Weber of Dappered.com.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n ‘Cause I don’t care too . . . much for money, money can’t buy me love. \u2014The Beatles<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n If you’ve decided to take on the challenge of dating women instead of simply hanging out with them<\/a>, there’s both good news and bad news.<\/p>\n The bad news is that you’re going to have to overcome your nervousness and fear of rejection<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the good news is that taking women out on dates doesn’t have to be expensive. It simply takes a little more thought.<\/p>\n Too many men make the mistake of believing they can buy their way out of thinking. But creative, cheap dates are often the best kind. They’re more memorable than the standard dinner and a movie, and when a woman sees that you’re thoughtful, she won’t care how much dough you spent on taking her out (if she’s a keeper, that is).<\/p>\n So here are 10 fiscally responsible options for when you\u2019re short on cash but still want to impress her with a terrific date.<\/p>\n Wineries can be found most everywhere and many of them allow wine tasting for free or for a very small price (and often times, those that charge let you keep the glass). Go and learn about the different wines, what they pair well with, and keep mental notes on which varietals she enjoys the most. Knowing a woman\u2019s preferred type of wine isn\u2019t as important as knowing her eye color, but it helps. As counter-intuitive as it may feel for those of us who see wasting alcohol as a mortal sin, make sure you use that spit bucket. You\u2019re driving, you need to be responsible, and if you swallow every taste you\u2019re not going to be fit to drive her home. You don\u2019t have to spit every taste, but showcase some restraint. She\u2019ll notice and appreciate it.<\/p>\n Unlike antique shops, flea markets seem geared for the young and not as affluent. The merchandise is almost always more interesting if not downright weird. Same goes for the people in attendance and those who are selling the goods. You can watch people barter, look over pieces of furniture that are probably haunted, and maybe pick up some small gift for your date if something inexpensive catches her eye. If it\u2019s jewelry? Who knows, it might not even turn her skin green. (Or it could end up being some awesome treasure.) Try and stick to outdoor flea markets that have a good reputation rather than those once-in-a-blue-moon indoor sales which charge you an arm and a leg before you even get to lay eyes on what\u2019s for sale.<\/p>\n Going for a meandering walk with no real destination can be fun, but hiking to the top of an easy-to-get-to peak to watch the sun go down gives you purpose. Keep it to under 45 minutes. You don\u2019t want to go on some epic journey only to end up stumbling through the dark. Reward yourselves with a beer or glass of wine afterwards at a cozy pub. This works terrific in the fall when you can see all the changing leaves around you.<\/p>\n File this one under the category of two birds\/one stone. Most of us have relatives in other parts of the country (or world) and you never know what to get them for their birthday or the holidays. Go on a photo hunting expedition in your hometown for the places and scenes that best represent where you live. When you\u2019re all done, pick 12 of the best and hit one of the many websites that allow you to upload photos and create wall calendars. There\u2019s your gift for Grandma and Grandpa who live a few time zones away and would love a reminder of what it looks like where you live.<\/p>\n Picnics are always at the top of everyone\u2019s list for cheap and romantic dates. But mixing in a leisurely long bike ride can make a nice difference. It\u2019s relaxing, you get to enjoy some scenery on the way, and it\u2019s far more romantic and engaging when compared to fighting through traffic and finding a place to park. Keep the menu simple, know any open container laws that might apply to your eventual picnic destination, and make sure you\u2019ve got a backpack and bike gear rack that can handle your load. Take a bike lock with you because you might just end up taking a detour on the way home for ice cream.<\/p>\n Almost always free, historical walking tours actually make you stop and appreciate the history that most of us drive by every single day. We\u2019ve got our own point As and point Bs, and most of us rarely spend time focusing on the places in-between. Usually these tours are led by volunteers who can be real characters, and the buildings and their stories are never boring. Both (the guides and history) will provide for plenty of conversation at the cafe or bar afterward. Nostalgia, history, architecture, an appreciation for the past . . . it\u2019s all wrapped up in one of these on-foot freebies.<\/p>\n For the cost of one cheap seat at most major league games, you and your date could watch one of the hundreds of local roller derby clubs duke it out with a rival. Usually a ticket will let you see a couple of bouts, and the speed and spills are the real deal. It\u2019s something different but still sports related, with just enough adrenaline, which doesn\u2019t involve sweaty guys for once.<\/p>\n There are two options here. First, if you\u2019ve just jumped into a relationship, skip the new romantic comedy that just hit Netflix, and instead go with a classic like Casablanca<\/em>, To Catch a Thief<\/em>, or even the goofy-as-all-get-out original Ocean\u2019s 11<\/em>. Grab some takeout, make a meal, or have some cocktails on hand that line up with the plot or location of your chosen old Hollywood story. Set an upscale mood by dressing up a bit. You don\u2019t want to look like you\u2019re settling in for a night on the couch. Just because you\u2019re at home watching a movie, doesn\u2019t mean you shouldn\u2019t dress up for her.<\/p>\n For those that have been in a relationship for awhile, consider reenacting your first movie date. We all (should) know the first movie we saw with our significant other. Find it for cheap on DVD, grab a basket from a craft store, dress it up with some tissue paper, and load it up with popcorn, M&Ms, and other movie theater snacks. Deliver it to her and ask her over for a movie night. Should cost you less than the arm and a leg you spent on just the popcorn and sodas alone when you two first saw it in the theater.<\/p>\n Staying in and making dinner together<\/a> is as romantic as it gets, but use your dinner date as an excuse to hit your local farmer\u2019s market that morning. Stroll past the different vendors, and eventually you\u2019ll start assembling a pile of fresh local ingredients that you can use that evening. You don\u2019t have to get everything at the market. Maybe just the foundational items for each course \u2014 perhaps a couple bunches of kale to saute with olive oil and garlic, a couple of local organic chicken breasts that will be plenty easy to stuff, and some berries to pair up with shortcake for dessert. Get creative, then use the middle of the day to find some easy recipes and pick up the rest of the ingredients you\u2019ll need.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t scoff at board games (or cards<\/a>). They can make for a terrific evening in. Put a friendly couples-related wager down on the outcome (dinner, drinks, I\u2019m sure your imagination is wandering to other places). It\u2019ll make the game all the more interesting. Skip Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit. Those can get too mentally competitive. Monopoly has enough chance involved that no one\u2019s feelings will get hurt (yours included) if someone completely dominates the other. And dominate Monopoly you will if you nab those orange properties (it\u2019s true, they\u2019ve done studies<\/a>). If you win and the prize includes a night out on her dime? Then this cheap date idea just produced another. Well, for you at least.<\/p>\n _______________________________________________<\/p>\n\n
1. Go Wine Tasting<\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2011\/07\/wine.jpg\" "\\"wine\\"")
<\/p>\n2. Hit a Flea Market<\/h3>\n
3. Take a Sunset Hike<\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2011\/07\/couplehiking_d.jpg\" "\\"couplehiking_d\\"")
<\/p>\n4. Enjoy a Photography-Filled Afternoon<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Have a Bicycle Picnic<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2011\/07\/bike.jpg\" "\\"bike\\"")
<\/p>\n6. Take a Historical Walking Tour of Your Town<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Cheer on Your Local Roller Derby Girls<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2011\/07\/roller.jpg\" "\\"roller\\"")
<\/p>\n8. Have a Non-Traditional Movie Night<\/strong><\/h3>\n
9. Go to a Farmer’s Market in the Morning, Make Dinner Together That Evening<\/strong><\/h3>\n
10. Play Monopoly (Loser Buys Dinner or Drinks)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2011\/07\/cards2.jpg\" "\\"cards2\\"")
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