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Every few months, the internet finds a new way to argue about how much a date should cost. One of the biggest rounds started with a TikTok street interview in which a woman said that once she’d done her hair and makeup, a man should spend at least $200 on her. Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson had argued the opposite years earlier, when he tweeted that anything over $50 on a first date was a red flag. With holiday flights and gift lists already eating into budgets this month, a lot of couples are probably closer to Ochocinco’s side right now, at least until January.
Fifty dollars doesn’t stretch as far as it did when Ochocinco tweeted it, but it still covers more than most people think. Every idea below comes in at that amount or less for two people. Some are free museum days and light shows, a few are ticketed events happening this week in Chicago, Atlanta and Miami, and the rest work anywhere. They’re grouped by price, so you can skip straight to your budget.
Free, and still a good time
1. The Poetry Desk, Chicago. All it takes is an RSVP. Poet Momentum and bassist Jeff Harris perform at The Poetry Desk on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 6400 S. Kimbark Ave. The series is tied to the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. Seating is first come, first served, and organizers recommend it for ages 18 and up because of language.
2. Studio Sundays, New York. The Studio Museum in Harlem opened its new building on 125th Street last November after seven years under construction, and it’s free for everyone on Sundays. The rest of the week, admission is a suggested $16. This Sunday, Nov. 15, marks one year since the building opened.
3. The Houston Museum of African American Culture. Admission at HMAAC never costs anything, and there’s free parking next to the building at 4807 Caroline St. “Collecting in Color,” a show of works from Keli Goff’s collection, is up through Dec. 10. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, but call ahead before a weekday visit because the website lists two different sets of hours.
4. The National Museum of African American History and Culture, D.C. Every visitor needs a timed-entry pass for the Smithsonian’s museum on the National Mall, and the passes are free. They go out 30 days ahead, with a small batch of same-day passes released online at 8:15 a.m. The museum doesn’t limit how long visitors stay once they’re inside.
5. ZooLights, Chicago. Lincoln Park Zoo’s holiday light show is back this season, and Mondays are free with registration, except Dec. 21 and 28. On other nights, tickets run $7 to $20 a person.
6. The DowntownDC Holiday Market. The market opens Friday, Nov. 13, and runs through Dec. 23 on F Street NW between Seventh and Ninth streets, and walking it costs nothing. Last year’s lineup had more than 115 vendors. If your city has a holiday market of its own, most open around Thanksgiving.
7. A volunteer shift. Food banks need extra help in the weeks before Thanksgiving, and Feeding America’s food bank finder pulls up the closest one by ZIP code. Most list open shifts on their own websites, so you can sign up for the same slot.
Under $25 for both of you
8. The Van Wade Art Exhibition, Chicago. For $10 a ticket, the 5th Annual Van Wade Art Exhibition gets you into Studio15 Chicago Art Gallery, 8509 S. Ashland Ave., on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 6 to 10 p.m. The show features work by Black artists drawing on anime, culture and creativity, and the original pieces are for sale. The artists will be there too.
9. A book swap. Set a $10 limit each at a used bookstore or a Black-owned shop and pick out a book for the other person. Trade over coffee and explain why you chose it.
10. A thrift store challenge. Each of you gets $10 to put together an outfit for the other, and both outfits get worn out to dinner or drinks the next time you go.
11. A dessert crawl. Split one dessert at two or three bakeries in a single night. Three shared desserts usually cost less than two entrees.
12. Cards at a cafe. Order two drinks at a coffee shop or tea house that lets people linger, and bring a deck for Spades or Uno.
13. Paint night at home. Two small canvases and a few tubes of acrylic paint from a craft store cost less than one ticket to most paint-and-sip studios, and you keep the supplies.
14. Bar trivia. Most weekly trivia nights are free to play, so the bill comes down to what you order. Check whether the bar caps team size, since some nights favor bigger groups.
15. Karaoke. A lot of bars run karaoke on weeknights with no cover charge. Call ahead to confirm, because some spots require a drink minimum.
Right up to $50
16. The Flow Fridays Will Power Poetry Slam, North Miami. South Florida poets compete for cash at Katz Lounge, 738 NE 125th St., on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Organizers tie the night to the legacy of The B Side and Will Da Real One on that same stretch of 125th Street. Tickets are $18.69 each with fees, about $37 for two.
17. Sunday Night Skate at Cascade, Atlanta. Atlanta Magazine once described Cascade Skating’s Sunday nights this way: “It’s not like the club. The coolest people aren’t in the corner. They’re skating.” The adult session runs every Sunday from 8 p.m. to midnight, with $10 admission and a $4 skate rental, so two people with rentals spend $28.
18. Grown Folks Game Night, Atlanta. This one is for ages 30 and up, and it’s alcohol-free. Grown Folks Game Night runs Saturday, Nov. 14, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Koncept House, 141 Mangum St. SW, with Spades, dominoes, Uno, chess, Taboo and live music. Tables rotate so guests meet new people, and a host makes sure nobody sits out. There’s also a learn-to-play table for Spades and dominoes, which is good news for anyone who’s been faking it at the cookout. Advance tickets are $25 each, which puts two people right at $50. The price goes up to $30 on the day of the event.
19. A midweek movie. AMC’s free Stubs Insider membership gets you 50% off adult evening tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, plus half off a small popcorn and drink combo. Premium formats like IMAX still carry a surcharge, so a standard screening is the best deal.
20. A cook-off and a tasting. Pick a dish neither of you has made, split the grocery list and see whose version comes out better. Put whatever’s left of the $50 toward a bottle from a Black-owned wine or spirits brand.
Free, any night of the year
21. Your library card. Libraries do more than lend books. In New York, cardholders 13 and older can reserve free day passes to dozens of museums and gardens through Culture Pass, one per institution each year, with new passes released on the first of every month. Many other library systems run museum pass programs or free author talks and film nights, so check your branch’s calendar.
22. A sunrise or sunset. Pick a rooftop park, a waterfront or the highest point in your neighborhood, check the sunset time and bring a thermos of coffee or hot chocolate.
For more date night ideas across the country, browse this week’s events on Eventnoire. Still looking for someone to bring along? Eventnoire partner BLK, the dating app built for Black singles, is a good place to start.