-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Date Night Ideas on a Budget|| Trish @ Beyond the Khaki Pants
Hi Trish List readers, my name is Trish. I blog over at Beyond the Khaki Pants. I know, kind of a funny name. [Check out my blog to find the inspiration behind the name.] Doing things on budget is something that I am passionate about. A big inspiration behind my blog is financial freedom and independence. I am so happy to be filling in for Trish talking about ideas to keep the magic alive...and the savings account!
Just because you’re married or been together with your spouse for a while, doesn't mean that you can’t still date. Unfortunately, life doesn't always allow for fancy or luxurious dates. I know this. Both my husband and myself have been through graduate school. Those years were especially tough on budget. Even though we were getting by on very little income, we were newly weds and beyond excited and in love. Rather than sitting at home doing nothing, we started to get creative on how we would now date. Gone were the dinners out. Gone were going to concerts and sports events. Even going to the movies was too expensive. Which really isn’t saying a whole lot- movies are stupidly expensive now. An added bonus?? Even though now we are both working (ie, we’re DINKs) we still try to date this way. Hello, savings!
Here are some ideas that we have tried over the years. Many of them are free. The others are minimally expensive ($15 or less). All of them are as fun as you make them to be!
9 Date Night Ideas on a Budget
//Have a ‘Goals Night’. I know this might not be the most romantic date, but it can be fun and inspiring. Take out something to write on (a notebook, a poster board…whatever) and sit down with your spouse. Brainstorm and then write down your goals, as a couple and an individual. Include personal, relationship and professional goals if you wish. It’s great to do this over a good bottle of wine and dessert. The best part of doing this regularly is that it’s fun to think about things you’ve accomplished and inspiring to think of what’s to come!
//Picnic at a local park. Avoid the high-cost of eating out, pack your own meal and head to the best park in your area. Leave the technology at home (or at least in your bag) and connect with your spouse. Without interruptions. Especially in these last weeks of summer, getting outside to picnic is an easy solution to date night.
//Find free events in your city. In Seattle, there are nights where the city puts on a free concert or movie showing. Take advantage of these free events. There are more free events happening in your city than you think. Check out your city's website and search for free events.
//Game night in. Channel your inner child and pull out your favorite board game. My husband and I usually try to do game nights as a group date-night, because most games are more entertaining with four people rather than just two. Throw in some good food or a bottle of wine, even better!
//Groupon a couples event. There are such fun ideas on Groupon for date nights. Everything from cooking classes, to pie making classes, and couples massages. Be on the eye for something in your area. These can vary in price, but if this is your only date of the month that costs money, it might be worth it to splurge $40 for the two of you. Groupon rates highly depend on where you live and the cost of living of your city. These events are likely something you otherwise would not have thought to try.
//Make [a new] dinner together. With this pinterest day-and-age, there’s no excuse for not being able to find something new to try. Pin something that looks interesting, go to the store and get the necessary ingredients, make the dish together. Pretty simple. And fun. And when the dish goes south because it’s the first time you tried making it, you can laugh and choke it up to being a funny memory together. Like the time I tried to broil something for the first time…
//Try a sport together. Easy sports for date night could include a tennis match at the neighborhood park or going to the local golfing range to hit a bucket of balls. Whether you have the equipment or not, renting shouldn’t be too expensive. Usually the more terrible you are at the sport, the more funny it becomes. Like if you saw me with a golf club…
//Start a project together. Carpe diem on that “to do” list. Sometimes, the things we have to do are not that hard, but starting them is. Pick something fun. (ie…don’t pick weeding) Been meaning to refinish that coffee table? Make a date out of it. Added bonus, crossing that project off the ‘todo’ and getting something beautiful out of it.
What are inexpensive dates you and your significant other like to do?? What would you add to the list?
-----------------------------------
One last thing before I go.. Over the past 4 days I have been co-hosting the Blog Staycation 2014 with some great ladies. I am out of town and did not get a chance to write up my experience yet with the weekend but I want to give you all a chance to link up if you participated. Let us all see what you accomplished! Expect my post on Wednesday ;)
