True love is priceless, but in these tight economic times, romance is subject to a budget. Take-out burritos and Netflix have their place in shoestring dating, but sometimes you just have to get out of the house. To that end, we came up with eight great dates that won’t make you cringe the next time you hit the ATM. (Note: a couple of these itineraries are only this cheap on Thursdays.) We kept the budget to right around $40 for two people, even figuring in the cost of public transportation where we could. Finding deals around town, scouting out affordable suburban offerings, and doing a bit of advanced planning are the keys to thrifty adventure.

— Ami Albernaz, Globe Correspondent