I've had great dates both with and without money. Museums are cheap, parks are free, and those are two of the best date spots in the world! A fancy dinner can be presumptuous, especially if neither of you would normally eat there, then it can actually be uncomfortable.
The point of a date is to get to know someone, not to impress them!
That point cannot be stressed enough.
The best date spots are places where you both feel comfortable enough to
talk, in a place that is not too noisy for you to
listen. That's all dates are really about.
Save the expensive spots for later dates. The first date should be about the conversation.
(IMHO)