Frugal date ideas

I found another frugal Seattleite's blog today!

She talks about trouble thinking of frugal date ideas.







So here, as promised, is my set of ideas:


1. Cheap movies

• My Coke Rewards and MyPoints offer free tickets or gift cards for AMC.

• The Entertainment Book has discount ticket opportunities.

• Check local newspapers for movie preview opportunities.
  

1. Sometimes you can stop by and pick up a pass (they go fast)
2. Sometimes you have to mail in a form. But that's still under $1.
3. The day of the movie, show up plenty early so you can be sure to get in.

• Work one or two days a week at a local movie theater. Free movies plus a little extra $$
  

2. Cheap theater

• Entertainment Book has 2-for-1 coupons for a lot of theater companies

• Plenty of plays have pay-what-you-can nights

• Tim and I know some people who work in plays. They give us discount tickets

• Volunteer as an usher for part of the run. Get in free another night.

3. Cheap events

• Again: volunteer. Some companies will let you in for free if you clean up afterward, take tickets before, etc. (Especially true of music festivals.)

• Matinees (cheaper tickets, plus cheaper meal before or after)
  

• Go to the concert even without tickets

1. If it's open air (Seattle has concerts at the pier each summer) you have a picnic.
2. Buy tickets off someone.
**Someone may have friends who flaked out.
**If it's not sold out, the tickets may be reasonable.
**It's not scalping so long as you pay box office prices (or less)
3. In case of open seats, box offices sometimes release tix at a discount 1/2 hour before.

• Be a tourist in your own town.
  

1. You have a better chance of finding good deals.
2. Entertainment books are great for this (full of 2-for-1 coupons)
3. Lots of residents never get around to stock attractions (for me it was the Space Needle)
4. It's fun to rediscover your town.

• Know thy happy hour

1. Many bars have an early and a late one
2. You can afford to order more food and there's often a special drink of the day
3. Some have standing specials, so you can plan around them



4. Take advantage of free

• A lot of museums have a free-to-the public day once a month.

• Consider art openings: Free wine, snacks and interesting discussion

• Enter all the contests you can find

1. Pay attention to call-ins on the radio.
2. If you like the symphony, listen to the classical music channel

**Fewer people listen and/or call in
**My mom won a night of classical music and an after-concert gala with champagne



5. Mystery shopping

• Offers lots of choices
  

1. Free meals

**From fast food to casual sit down to full-on upscale dining
**Two of the shops were so expensive, I was sent a $100 gift card

2. Free night of fun

**I've shopped arcade-like stores before and had the meal & night reimbursed
**There are even bar shops, though as least one person needs to limit drinks

3. Free hotel stays

**These take a little more work to get but are fabulous
**Free night in a hotel, meal or drinks plus room service

• Two drawbacks

1. There is work involved, so it's not a completely worry-free night
2. It can take up to two months to get reimbursed


6. Cheesy date stuff

• Picnics in the park

• Go window shopping

• Go "vacillando" -- spend the day hunting for something you aren't likely to find

• Go to the fair

1. Pay-one-price bracelet for rides
2. Eat beforehand so you can spend on the good stuff



I'm sure I've left some things out. Help me out folks! (Don't forget every comment you leave will be an extra entry for "Pay It Down")