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17 Fall Dates That Cost You Absolutely Nothing

October 19, 2017January 22, 2024 by Kate Oczypokin DATING ADVICE, RELATIONSHIPS

Isn’t fall the best? Cozy sweaters, falling leaves, crackling fires, hot chocolate—everything about the season screams cuddly romantic days and nights with your significant other. Personally, I love apple picking, pumpkin picking and the ever-ubiquitous pumpkin spice lattes. For couples on a budget like myself, here are 17 fall dates that cost you absolutely nothing.

1. Take a hike—literally.

Hikes are one of the easiest and most beautiful dates in the fall. Plan your date when the foliage near you is best. These maps are perfect for planning your hike to see the prettiest leaves. New to hiking? This site offers great tools to find the best trail for you, near you. Think of all the Insta-worthy photos that will come out of your hike.

2. Netflix and chill with a horror movie marathon.

One of you is bound to already have a Netflix subscription. Pop some popcorn and curl up under a super comfy throw and watch any of the countless horror movies streaming in October in honor of Halloween. Available right now are movies like The Sixth Sense, Jaws, Gremlins, It Follows and more.

3. Scare yourself silly with reading ghost stories in the dark.

Head to your local library and check out the creepiest anthology of ghost stories you can find. Turn out the lights and add some candlelight for a romantic yet spooky touch. Get into bed and see who can make the other scared enough to sleep with the lights on.

4. Go on a hayride.

Many farms offer free hayrides with the expectation patrons will purchase pumpkins or apples. Skip the fall produce and just go on a relaxing afternoon hayride together, taking in the fresh air and beautiful scenery.

5. Volunteer together.

Volunteering is a great, completely free way to have a fall date together. Search for the perfect cause for you both and get to doing some good! Whether you want to work at a soup kitchen, or spend time with adoptable animals, there’s something for everyone.

6. Take little cousins, friends or your own young ones trick-or-treating.

Get nostalgic and take your friends’ kids, your kids, little cousins or whoever is young enough to trick-or-treat out and feel like a kid again. If you ask extra nicely maybe they’ll share some candy with you. Snickers fun size anyone?

7. Bake something with supplies in your pantry.

Everybody knows fall and winter are baking season. Check out what’s in your pantry and create something delicious in your oven. When it’s ready, feed each other your baked delight and get ready for some serious fun in the bedroom afterwards.

8. Go star-gazing.

Put some hot chocolate in thermoses and drive out to an open field or remote area near you. Lay out a cozy blanket, curl up next to each other and enjoy a night under the stars, gazing at our gorgeous universe. Fall is the perfect time for checking out the stars, as your partner and you can stay nice and warm with each other’s body heat.

9. Have a game night in.

Get seriously sexy and have a night of strip poker by a roaring fireplace. Loser does whatever the winner wants to do once clothes are all off.

10. Go to your local high school football game.

You don’t necessarily have to actually go to the game and sit on the bleachers. Park your car close enough so you can see what’s going on and have fun together in your car, constantly making sure no teachers or adults are watching. Call it a little nostalgic fun!

11. Try on Halloween costumes.

Head to your local pop-up Halloween shop (think stores like Spirit Halloween) and see who can find the most ridiculous costume to try on. Take photos for a super funny Snapchat feed.

12. Make care packages for the troops.

The last half of the fall, particularly Thanksgiving leading up to the holidays can be very rough on troops overseas working to keep us safe. Pack care packages and send them through organizations like Operation Gratitude, which is currently looking for donated Halloween candy for deployed troops and first responders.

13. Make a bonfire and invite friends over for a group date.

Have a group date around a bonfire and have friends bring over s’more supplies. Group dates can be a fun change from just the two of you. Bonfires are great for some quality time catching up with friends.

14. Head to your local park and play like kids again.

Swing on the swings, slide down the slide, go across the monkey bars—everything you did when you flirted with those you were interested in in the fifth and sixth grades, have at it as adults. Enjoy feeling like kids again for an extra flirty time on the playground.

15. Visit a local yard sale.

Many households tend to do a big fall clean and yard sales begin popping up in September and October. Wander around local yard sales and check out the zany items people sell.

16. Have an in-home spa day.

Give your guy a mani-pedi and have him give you a massage in return. Make it one of the most relaxing date nights you’ll ever have with spa treatments using just your hands and simple tools you have at home.

17. Tour your local city or town.

Spend a beautiful fall afternoon in your local city or town, touring all the local landmarks and chances are, you may stumble across some fun (and free!) events.

Fall Is the Best Time to Find Someone

October 19, 2018January 22, 2024 by Terri-Jane Dowin LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS

Is cuffing season backed up by science?

According to Urban Dictionary, “Cuffing Season” is the time of year when people are more likely to look for relationships they can settle down into than looking for casual dating scenarios. As the weather turns cooler, staying cosy with someone is a more attractive option, with the added bonus of having someone to take to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year parties. Running from November until Valentine’s Day (when the cuffing becomes official, or when the weather warms up enough to start venturing out on dates again), we looked at whether this trend had any factual basis, and it turns out that actually… it does. Don’t worry, Cuffing Season doesn’t technically start for a week, so you’ve still got a bit of time to brush up on your science and get some potentials lined up.

Autumnal Aphrodisiacs

We all know that oysters and chocolate act as aphrodisiacs, but we’re well out of oyster season and a way off from Valentine’s Day, so what should we be looking out for in the meantime? Fall means that pumpkins are plentiful, and Jack O’Lantern is an oft overlooked aphrodisiac. Pumpkins are full of antioxidants, and their seeds are packed with zinc and magnesium. Together, those are great for raising testosterone, boosting blood flow, and upping libido. As well as pumpkin carving being a great date idea, the scent of pumpkin pie caused the highest levels of arousal in both male and female participants of a study by Chicago’s Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. Cinnamon also rated pretty highly, so autumnal scents really topped the test. Bring on Pumpkin Spiced everything!

Rare Flesh

With autumn comes the addition of what feels like an extra layer of clothing every day, but humans might actually be programmed to find each other more attractive as we get more covered up. Researchers discovered that a lack of skin on show in winter made women more alluring to men. Responding to stimuli, the male participants of a trial were more turned on in winter than they were in the summer. It may sound surprising, but those results suggest that the gents in question had become overstimulated to seeing bared bodies just three months earlier. The rumour that everyone looks better in a sweater actually has some truth to it, it would seem. We’re also of the opinion that more men grow beards in the cooler months (to keep their faces warm, we assume), and, like a sweater, every man looks better with a beard.

Don’t be SAD

The nights drawing in are one of the worst parts of the changing seasons. With lower light levels through the day, and darker mornings and evenings, levels of Seasonal Affective Disorder are on the rise. SAD symptoms can be alleviated with special light lamps, or a Vitamin D supplement, but research has also found that physical touch can also provide a massive boost to our wellbeing. As infants, touch is the first of our senses to develop, and science suggests that people who are touch-deprived are more likely to suffer with depressive episodes. Skin to skin contact is vital for humans to feel bonded with others, with benefits starting after just twenty seconds so all the more reason to snuggle up with someone.

Happy Hormones

The seasons have a huge impact on our hormone levels, with testosterone levels peaking – in both men and women – in fall. Studies show that testosterone in men can increase by as much as 31% in late fall and early winter, with sperm counts also rising after taking a dip caused by summer heat. In the US, the highest number of babies are born in August and September, as fertility levels for both men and women are at their peak in November and December. We’d suggest making sure your potential baby-mommy or -daddy have passed the Cuffing Season playoffs before testing out this particular scientific theory, though. Science hasn’t yet shown what it is about the changing seasons that triggers this boost in fertility, but it could be a combination of decreasing daylight, evolutionary survival techniques, and overindulging on the festive eggnogs.

17 Affordable Dates to Celebrate Fall

October 31, 2018January 22, 2024 by Kate Oczypokin DATING ADVICE, RELATIONSHIPS

After a long and hot summer, it’s time to celebrate fall with some cozy dates.

I’ve always enjoyed everything about fall. From pumpkins to bonfires to a new season of tv, there’s something cozy and fun about autumn.

Here are 17 affordable dates to ring in fall, from sweet to sexy.

1. Go pumpkin spice latte tasting.

Grab a pumpkin spice latte from area coffee shops near you. Bring them to a nearby park with the best fall foliage in town. Don’t forget a blanket and some pastries to eat while you sample. Hold your own pumpkin spice latte tasting together and see what shop’s drink you think is the best.

2. Check out a haunted house or haunted hayride.

This is a great idea for those who just started dating. When things get extra spooky, hold hands or put your arms around your significant other. There’s nothing better than holding onto each other during a frightening haunted house walk-through. Most are relatively inexpensive too.

3. Stay in bed all day and get your Netflix queue ready.

Make some warm pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (I personally love this mix from Trader Joe’s) and eat them in bed. Queue up a romantic movie and get snuggly. Don’t forget to plan this one for a particularly chilly day!

4. Use Halloween as an excuse to wear costumes in the bathroom.

Leave the dressing up as princesses and superheroes to the kids. Order some seriously sexy outfits for the bedroom—French maid, firefighter, you name it. Celebrate Halloween night by dressing up but keeping the tricks and treats confined to your bedroom only. The costumes don’t have to be expensive either. Amazon has sexy options and most are under $30.

5. Go camping for a weekend.

Dates that last the entire weekend are some of the most fun. Spend a weekend outside when the leaves are at their peak foliage. Camping is an affordable way to have some fun and there’s something just a little bit naughty about having a romp in the fresh air.

6. Visit a winery or brewery.

Head out to your closest winery or brewery on a gorgeous fall day. Most offer tastings or tours for affordable prices. Pack cheese, fruit and crackers for a picnic afterwards.

7. Go apple picking and bake a pie together.

Find out your nearest orchard and pay a visit for some apples. Once you’re home, bake a pie together. Make things just a little sexier with a little flour fight or perhaps licking some ingredients off each other’s fingers.

8. Celebrate Hygge by the fire.

Hygge, which is Danish for a cozy and comfortable mood of wellness and contentment, is a great concept to celebrate as fall ushers itself in. If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace, get it going and curl up together for some serious snuggling time.

9. Shop your local farmer’s market.

Plan a cozy dinner date at home a la Harry and Meghan. Head to your local autumn farmer’s market and grab ingredients for dinner at home eat by candlelight.

10. Head to a local football game or tailgate.

Let’s face it—NFL games are super expensive. It’s sometimes more fun to tailgate during a game instead. If the NFL isn’t your favorite, visit your college alma mater or old high school for a game together.

11. Host a group date bonfire.

Find someone with a backyard and make sure you can burn. Roast marshmallows and make some s’mores or roast some hot dogs for an affordable and fun time wIth other couples.

12. Make a fort and watch a scary movie.

Channel your inner child and make a fort together like you did when you were young. Snuggle up together and turn on a scary movie. At the jump scares, hold on extra tight to your significant other.

13. Go on a scavenger hunt.

When the weather cools off, it’s fun to get out in your city or town. Look for a nearby scavenger hunt and sign up together. See if you two can win the whole thing.

14. Head to a mystery dinner theater.

A mystery dinner theater is a great way to usher in fall and Halloween season. Get dressed up and ready to have a spooky good time.

15. Carve pumpkins and have some apple cider.

Go to your nearest pumpkin patch and grab some pumpkins and apple cider. Spend the evening together and see who can carve the best pumpkin. Roast some pumpkin seeds after and feed them to each other as you admire your handiwork.

16. Go stargazing.

Borrow a friend’s pickup truck (or use your own if you have one) and head out to the country. Snuggle up together for a night under the stars.

17. Rake leaves and jump into the piles.

Rake the leaves in your yard and when you’re done, jump in the piles. Fall’s version of a snowball fight is a good, old-fashioned and flirty leaf fight.

Fall weather is the best for dating. We tell you why with this piece.