How to Ball on a Budget this Valentine’s Day

photo credit: alleksana

by Adrian Mendoza ‘25

If this Valentine’s Day you’re excited to take someone out on a nice date but are at a loss of how to do it without dropping a paycheck, there are plenty of options to choose from for the perfect, inexpensive date. Being at USC means you have an array of offerings at the university and in the surrounding city to help you woo your date this Valentine’s Day. This is how to celebrate Valentine’s Day while balling on a budget.

photo credit: Peter Fazekas

Go for a Drive $ 

If you have access to a car this Valentine’s Day, you can easily craft a romantic date at virtually no cost. This is an especially fun idea for those who haven’t yet explored Los Angeles or seen how pretty the city is at night. My advice for you is to drive up a tall hill that overlooks Downtown and enjoy the view with your date. Bonus points if you bring food with you to have a nice car picnic. 

photo credit: Lanie Brice

Ethan Sak playing at Tommy’s Place

Catch a Performance at USC $

To have a fun date, you don’t even have to leave campus! USC offers tons of free or inexpensive performances hosted by Visions and Voices, Tommy’s Place, and the School of Dramatic Arts. This February, you can catch a collaboration between composers Laura Ortman and Raven Chacon on February 8 through Visions and Voices. At Tommy’s Place you’ll find an event nearly every night from Open Mic Night to Tommy Trivia to Tommy-Oke or Band Nights. And, starting February 16, you can celebrate Valentine’s Day a little late with SDA’s performance Much Ado About Nothing.

photo credit: Lanie Brice (from Stories)

Buy Each Other a Book at a Local Bookstore $$

Taking your date to a bookstore and picking out a book for each other is one of my favorite dates. This is a super cute way to get to know someone early on or to show your consideration of their interests. Some of my favorite bookstores are Skylight, located in Los Feliz, Book Soup, located in West Hollywood, and Stories, located in Echo Park. The best part is that you can then read the books and discuss them together, keeping the connection going much longer than an afternoon.

photo credit: Lanie Brice (Echo Park Flea Market)

Shop Together at a Local Flea Market $$

If you want to spend a little bit of money while still balling on a budget, a fun activity is shopping together at a local flea market. This is a great way to find unique items and explore the vendors with your date. I recommend Silverlake Flea in Echo Park, or, if you don’t want to stray far from campus, the 562 Flea frequently sets up in Expo Park, a short walk from campus!

photo credit: Thai by Trio

Eat at a Restaurant Near Campus $$

You can get some quality inexpensive food just off of campus this Valentine’s Day. A top choice for this would be Thai by Trio. This spot has great food and the perfect ambiance for a nice, romantic date. This is on the higher end of the “balling on a budget” price range however. Alternatively, Northern Cafe and Nature’s Brew are both walkable from campus and offer good food that won’t hurt your wallet too badly.

photo credit: Monica Silvestre

See a Local Play $$

For an extra special date, take advantage of the arts scene in Los Angeles by attending a local play. These plays are often hidden gems with tickets as low as $20! One theater company in particular to check out is the Latino Theater Company at LATC. You can also find plays produced by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and various other organizations.

Want more from Trojans 360?

Visit Trojans 360 on Facebook & Twitter to stay up to date with more student content! You can also Ask A Trojan an anonymous question, and we’ll try to answer it in a future post. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

Trojans 360 is USC’s official student-run blog. Content created by students, for students.