How To Keep Date Night From Breaking The Bank

"Everybody's working for the weekend," a wise man (or boy, as it were) once said, and it is true much of the time. While we slave away throughout the week, it is sometimes for your mind not to wander to thoughts of weekend freedom and frivolity.

For many people, one (or two, if you are lucky!) of the evenings are spent going on a date.

This can mean a major drain on the pocketbook, however. Going out, eating dinner in a nice restaurant: These things add up to big bucks. So, how can you reduce the cost of a date and have it still be enjoyable and memorable? Whether you going on a first date, are married with kids or if you have celebrated your golden anniversary, here are some ways to keep date night from becoming break-the-bank night.

One easy way to keep a traditional dinner/movie date within your budget is coupons. Now, I know that coupons in a restaurant don't really seem like a classy move, but if you do a little bit of your work in advance, you can use them without your date becoming wise to your scheme.

Restaurant.com offers restaurant gift certificates at a sometimes highly discounted price. They are always lower than face value and you can often get, say, a $25 gift card for $20. Quite often, however, this site will offer huge percentages off. Right now, you can find a 70% off orders of $25 or more coupon at coupon and deal sites (like DealTaker.com). Buy the gift cards and use them to pay and your date will be none the wiser.

Another great way to spend a night out on the town is to hit up your town's local cultural district. Museums, botanic gardens, outdoor concerts and events are very often free or require a small donation. Some museums do charge a bit more, so check ahead before you go so that you aren't surprised, but they do provide an interesting setting for a date. First dates especially can benefit from the interesting topics of conversation that the displays can provide as well as ways to fill in the awkward silences.

You know all those touristy attractions in your city? A lot of them are pretty cheap. The historical landmarks, regional oddities or one-of-a-kind destinations that every city tend to get overlooked by the locals. It costs nothing to do a walkabout tour of your city and it can be an interesting change of pace.

Also remember that you don't have to go out to have a good date. Sometimes, staying in can be just as good a time as hitting the town. For these nights, renting a movie (either at your local rental store or using a service like Netflix, where you can get as many movies as you want for the same monthly price) and eating something home cooked can be fun. Pick something that the two of you have never cooked and cook it together.

Have a picnic in the backyard or the living room, the food doesn't have to be expensive and it's a fun diversion that can be quite romantic. Also having a date where you plan one half and your date plans the other half, surprising each other with your choices can allow you to control how much money gets spent as well as finding some fun, creative and inexpensive ways to enjoy each other's company.

The most important thing is to be creative. Having a fun and memorable date doesn't mean that you have to loan your soul to the pawn shop to afford it. Thing about it, come up with some interesting and unique ideas and you'll find that you wallet will stay as full as your heart!

Dylan Biles is a moderator and bargain-hunter for DealTaker.com, an online shopping Web site owned by Media General. E-mail dylan@dealtaker.com.