Anyone who’s been on more than a few dates knows that they can get very expensive very fast. A meal out and tickets for two to a movie can run you a hefty chunk of change these days, and you can’t always be picking up the slack. Sure, you can split the bill or take turns paying, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t still dealing with a lot of cash. If you want to keep up an active dating life, sooner or later you’re going to have to do cheap things without looking like you’re broke. These great ideas should get you through any low cash period with your dignity intact.

Free Days at Museums and Art Galleries

If you want to wow your date with a classy display, pick a historical site, museum, or art gallery. These places don’t lose their charm after multiple viewings, so even if she’s been there before, another trip is just the thing to brush up on her sophistication and style. Most museums and community minded organizations have free days every now and then, to allow locals to enjoy the beautiful things they have. A quick look on their websites should show you when they are, and then all you have to do is ask your girlfriend out that day. When you get there – oh, what a lovely surprise, everything’s free. Lucky for you two, isn’t it?

Berry Picking, Mushroom Hunting, and Outdoor Adventure

If you live in or have access to the country, an afternoon spent hunting wild berries can be as sweet as any sugar-dipped treat. All you need is a basic beginner’s guide to berries (any internet web search can show you the right pictures) and you two are off to comb the woods to eat what you find. Maybe you’ll collect enough berries to make a pie, or maybe you’ll eat everything you find right then and there. Either way, you’re enjoying yourselves out of doors at no cost to you.

If you are both confident, when you have the time to invest, you could take a mushroom identification class. This is incredibly important: don’t eat wild mushrooms until you’ve learned to identify them beyond a shadow of a doubt. Though it may cost money up front to take a class, when both of you are certified, a trip to look for delicious mushrooms would be free by itself.

Cook At Home with Things You Have

Presentation matters more than content when it comes to making a meal romantic. Pasta tossed in canned tomato sauce can be romantic if you light some candle stubs and gaze into each other’s eyes while soft music is playing. Glasses of beer can be romantic if you put on a chick flick on Netflix and settle in for the evening with your arms around each other. Set the atmosphere right and you won’t have to buy a single extra ingredient to make a night memorable.

You can’t keep up a string of free dates indefinitely, but for a perk, a pick me up, or just a favor to your wallet, keep on top of the free events in your area and invest in learning and activities that will be free in the future. You’ll be glad to have that extra spending cash one day.