“Let’s Go On A Date That Costs $10.” How I Discovered True Fun On Cheap Dates With My Frugal BF.
Cheap dates that are full of love
As someone who grew up watching countless romantic K-dramas, I always imagined going on cute dates with my future boyfriend. Most of which require a lot of money. Dining at fancy restaurants or going to LOTTE World aren’t exactly cheap dates.
However, as I grew older, I realised that this was not feasible. Being an adult means being more frugal with your money. After all, the cost of living in Singapore is increasing and I need money for my future BTO and wedding. My boyfriend is a very practical and frugal person. He’s the type of person who looks for ways to save money. On the other hand, I’m the type of person who thinks it’s important to treat myself every now and then.
However, just because we’re spending less money doesn’t mean we’re not having fun on our dates. With Christmas just around the corner, here are a few cheap date ideas that prove that fun always happens when you’re with the right person.
Picnic At Siloso Beach
Both of us are university students. Despite having internships and part-time jobs, we don’t think we are financially capable of spending money to celebrate every monthsary.
Therefore, our six-month anniversary was the first one we celebrated. We decided to have a picnic at the beach. This was because one of our first dates before becoming a couple was a picnic. Both of us love watching the waves as they break onto the shore. He also loved how relaxing it was to enjoy each other’s company as the sun set.
Most people usually prepare a decent feast for picnics. We, on the other hand, decided to explore VivoCity’s basement and get bread from BreadTalk. After all, it was one of the cheapest and most filling options.
For drinks, we got our Flash Coffee for $0.99 because we paid using PayLah! It was his first time trying Flash Coffee and he felt that $0.99 for his flat white was definitely worth-it.
I brought shovels and a bucket, so we decided to compete against each other by building a better sandcastle. As you can see, I clearly won.
Because quality time is one of our love languages, a simple activity like this makes us happy because we get to have fun together while taking a break from work.
Our total spend: $6.98
Home-cooked meals
A great way of saving money for a Christmas date is to cook for one another! My boyfriend doesn’t know how to cook. “The only thing I know how to cook is cup noodles. Even boiling water is hard for me,” he said. However, It’s always fun to look through recipes online to experiment with.
Once, he came over and we made spam and egg rice with Kewpie mayo. My couple’s to-do list includes going grocery-shopping together. So I was extremely excited when I got to do that. We got spam, a tray of eggs, and Kewpie mayo from NTUC FairPrice.
You do not have to be a master chef to make this simple meal. We really enjoyed the whole process of cooking together, laughing at our mistakes, and helping each other learn new things.
Our total spend: less than $10
Hawker dates
You might be wondering, “How can eating at a hawker centre be romantic?”
It might not be the most romantic for some because of the loud uncles and humidity. I, on the other hand, love it. One day, my boyfriend took me to a hawker centre near his house for dinner. He wanted to eat pig’s trotters in black vinegar, but I refused because it was high in fat. I ordered meatball pasta instead.
However, he kept persuading me to try it.
“It’s collagen, good for your skin. Later, I’ll have better skin than you.”
So I gave it a try. And I immediately fell in love with the tender pork and its addictive acidity. From that day onwards, I’ll always have this pork trotter for dinner whenever I visit his house.
“What! You are not sick of it?”
“Never!”
And I learned that love is feeding each other while enjoying good and affordable food.
Our total spend: $11
Love can be found even on cheap dates
Being in a relationship is not about eating at fancy restaurants or receiving expensive gifts. It’s about helping one another become better versions of ourselves. Sometimes, that means sacrificing our wants for our shared future. Simple dates don’t mean that we’re not having fun. Fun can be found anytime and anywhere when you’re with the right person.
Do you have a special memory with a loved one? Tell us that story below!
