(Living)

5 Budget-Friendly Fall Date Ideas

by Erin Bunch

Fall is inherently romantic, with the temperature dipping, leaves falling and the feeling in the air that something is about to change. It’s the time of year when people chose to trade their summer flings for a more steady partner—and the joys of hibernating à deux until the spring thaw. Whether you’re among those preparing to give away your final rose or you’re already in a relationship, fall is the perfect time to (pumpkin) spice up your dating life. Here, 5 unique date ideas that will stoke the flame without burning out your wallet.

@cwgeere

You’re the Worst-esque Sunday Funday

If you’re not watching You’re the Worst yet, you need to start ASAP. The main characters have a standing Sunday Funday date, which requires the completion of checklists including locals-only activities that range from the obvious (brunch) to the less obvious (shopping-cart races). Try yourselves and for added oopmh, make each activity a competition between you and your beau, ie. whoever eats the most pancakes, wins.

@gerihirsch

Pick Something

This is like farmers market perusal for advanced fresh fruit and produce lovers. Go to PickYourOwn.org to find an orchard near you and go home with baskets full of whatever’s in season: apples, cherries, etc.

@thecraftbeergirl

Host an At-Home Craft Beer Tasting

Grab a sampling of craft beers—a light, a wheat, an amber, a stout or just some locals. Prepare 2 flights, one for each of you, and serve them with beer-friendly appetizers such as meatballs, sweet potato fries and chicken wings.

@teslamotors

Win the Jackpot

Buy a lottery ticket and make a list of all the things you would do if you won. Then, pretend you did. Take turns test driving the cars you would buy if money were no object, pop into the nice restaurant you’ve always wanted to try and split an appetizer at the bar, or stop by the open house for a mansion you could never afford.

@villarreal96

Get Spooked

Halloween might be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t engage in a little paranormal activity. For example: “Ghost Hunting,” which entails going to a place with no known paranormal activity (like a local graveyard) and trying to record something spooky or “Ghost Investigating,” which entails going to a place known to be haunted and recording data (video, audio, etc.) to prove or disprove previous accounts. Here’s a directory of haunted places to get you started.