Five dollar dates: A frugal night out

July 8, 2:02 PMPortland Fatherhood ExaminerPerry P. Perkins

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The weather was perfect yesterday, we had no plans for the evening, and I had to get out of the house. It was time to take my sweetie on a date anyway, but here was the rub…I had a budget of about five bucks. So, I sat down and made a plan…

Step one: Travel
Pile into the minivan, load the kiddo’s stroller and head down Main Street.
Cost: $0 (okay, maybe a few cents in gas to drive 2 miles roundtrip.)
Time: 10 minutes

Step two: Dinner 
Cruise through your favorite “dollar-menu” drive-through:
2 – Cheese burgers, heavy onion (yes, we love each other that much) = .99/ea
2 – “Value drinks” 16oz = .99/ea
1 – Medium Fry (split) = $1.59
Total: $5.55
Time: 5 minutes

Step three: A Romantic Setting
Find a local library within driving distance, load the kidlet into the stroller, grab the grub, and walk to the adjoining park. Find a picnic table in sight of the fountain where you can sat and enjoyed the view, talk about your day; feed the baby a couple of French fries…
Cost: $0
Time: 30 minutes

Step four: Make the most of Freebies
After dinner, walk back to the library and peruse the shelves. You can grab a couple of books, and a romantic movie or two.  (If you haven’t been to your library lately, most now have a huge selection of both VHS & DVD, everything from oldies, to documentaries, to the latest Hollywood hits) maybe pick up a favorite CD to play on the way home.
Cost: $0
(This actually saves money, as you have to rent any movies this week. I may even cancel my Netflix subscription.)
Time: 60 minutes

Step five: Enjoy the Sunset
After checking out from the Library, head back to the park and take a leisurely stroll, swing the baby on the swings, watch the teenagers being “cool” (this is great entertainment in itself) and enjoy the landscaping, the water-fountains, just talking and walking hand in hand.
Cost: $0
Time: 30 minutes

TOTAL COST: $5.55
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours, 15 minutes

You know what…we had an awesome date! It’s amazing what you can do with 90% creativity and 10% cash.

No noisy crowds, no babysitting hassles, and no “buyer’s remorse” over a hefty restaurant bill. You get to talk, play with the baby, get a little exercise, and even grab some entertainment for the rest of the week.

All for a fiver and some change…even I can afford that!

More info: For more great “frugal date” ideas, check out this recent article in Portland’s Metro Parent!