Take That Significant Other on a Cheap Date

Purchase a baguette, your favorite cheese, some fruit and a bottle of wine or seltzer water, then pack a blanket and some lawn chairs, and you have yourself the makings of a fun evening out, under the stars. Next, decide whether you want to listen to music-or watch a movie-and you have a memorable and inexpensive date night in the making.

Here are some late summer options:

Today-Friday, August 26th-through Sunday, August 28th, you can roam the big city and stop to smell (and drink) the coffee at the Seattle Coffee Crawl. This is a two-hour city tour that showcases various coffee houses and Seattle's rich history. Tickets aren't inexpensive, but you'll have an opportunity to indulge in treats, be entertained and educated-and get a little bit of exercise-in just over two hours. What a deal!

This weekend-on Saturday and Sunday-at Mercerdale Park, you can watch the movie, Tangled, on Saturday night, at 8:30pm, and return on Sunday evening at 5:30, to listen to the last band this summer-Swamp Soul-in the Mostly Music in the Park series. The movie and concert are free to the public, but you can purchase refreshments-or bring your own-to both events.

Marymoor Park-in Redmond-is hosting a summer concert series through this weekend. Tonight, at 6pm, two bands will be featured-311 and Sublime with Rose, and tomorrow night, at 6:30, Ben Harper will conclude the 2011 summer series.

If you want to get out on the water, take a short drive to the UW Sports Rec Center, and rent a canoe or a rowboat for just $10 per hour, or share a large bucket of balls at the golf range for just $6.00 per bucket.

There are so many beautiful places in the greater Seattle area to enjoy-especially in the summer. So, get creative and save yourself some money on a cheap(er) date or outing with your friends.