5 More Cheap Date Ideas (Winter Edition)

My last post on inexpensive date ideas met with quite an enthusiastic response and I got tons of great feedback.  Unfortunately, I realized most of those ideas shared a common flaw:  they require decent weather!  A picnic in the park isn’t quite as much fun when it’s 15 degrees outside. Since it wouldn’t be much fun to only date in the summer, I’ve compiled this list of cheap date ideas you can do any time of year regardless of the weather.  These may sound a little crazy but trust me, it’s the most fun you’ll ever have on a date.

1. Test Drive A Ferrari – This is one I did once, although not on a date.  Still, it was incredibly fun.  What you do is you both dress up in your Sunday finest (the preppier the better) and head down to your local Ferrari (or whichever exotic you prefer) dealership.  On the way, you’ll need to make up a plausible back story about who you are and what you do that allows you to afford such an expensive car.  This is important because if they don’t believe you, they won’t take you seriously and might not let you go for a test drive.  My cover story was that I was a “wealthy industrialist” in the machine parts business.  Don’t ask me what that means exactly, but they bought it.  Then you go in, haggle a bit, and convince them to let you both take it for a test spin, preferably on the open road.  It goes without saying that the decision is a joint one so both of you will need time behind the wheel.  Few things will get your adrenaline flowing like driving a car that costs more than your house.  Furthermore, the charade is a surprisingly-strong bonding experience and makes you both feel like you’re getting away with something, which adds excitement.  And trust me, nobody has ever taken her on a date like this before.  She’ll be telling her friends about it for years.  Plus, it’s probably the only way you’ll ever get to drive a car like that.  And it’s free!
2. Go Engagement-Ring Shopping Together - Since you’re all dressed up anyway from your Ferrari-driving experience, why not stop by your local jewelry store for a little engagement-ring shopping?  You can either keep the same aliases as before or try something new.  Pretend you are recently engaged and that you want to buy her the perfect diamond.  Have the attendant size her up and let her try on all different kinds of settings, etc.  Make a show of it.  Refer to each other as “snookums,” “babycakes,” and other disgusting pet names couples have for each other.  Women love this stuff and since you both know it’s fake, it’s completely non-threatening.  And after all nothing breeds comfort and camaraderie like sharing a little secret with another person and isn’t that the point of a first date to begin with?
3. Crash A Wedding – Okay, so I’ve never done this one on a date but as soon as I thought of it, I couldn’t get over how incredibly awesome an idea it is.  Again, this is one of those things you know for sure she’s never done on a date before.  That alone should score you points.
4. Go On A Scavenger Hunt - This is one you can do together, but you’ll need a favor from a friend.  Have your friend set it up the hunt and write the clues.  Sure you could do it yourself, but it wouldn’t be as much fun for you if you already knew where everything was.  Just be prepared to do your a favor in return in the near future.  Probably a big favor.
5. Go Sledding! – Okay, so this one only works in the winter.  But who doesn’t like sledding?  If it’s too warm where you live, just go someplace with a lot of leaves.  It works just as well (trust me, I grew up in Georgia).