"We can't afford to go out on a date every week!" That's the excuse we often hear when we recommend to married couples to make a weekly date night with their spouse. When couples find themselves in distress or as the song goes, "you've lost that lovin' feeling…" it's often because they've neglected their marriage. Think about it, before you got married, when you were dating you were spending quality time together, going on dates every week….your relationship was exciting.
Then you got married…and then maybe later kids came along. Your dating life got put on the back burner as the needs of others got placed up front. And hiring a babysitter and paying for dinner seems a "luxury" when you should really spend that money somewhere else, like saving for the kid's college or fixing that drippy faucet in the bathroom. So, does not going on weekly dates really save you money in the long run? No, not when you consider the cost of divorce and going to a marriage counselor. When you don't "invest" in your marriage your marriage is actually on a very small decline. That decline is too small to notice on a daily basis. Then one day your marriage crashes and you are left wondering how it ever got this way.
So, how do you invest in your marriage? If you aren't having a weekly date night, start dating again. Once a week, set a date and stick to it. When deciding what to do on your date night, planning ahead is the way to go!
Going out each week with your spouse doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. Here are some useful tips and tricks for dating without spending a lot of money.
Tips and Tricks to Dating on a Dime
Swap babysitting with friends. My husband and I often do this with friends we know. One Friday we watch their kids and then a couple of weeks later they watch ours. Cost is $0! Can't beat the price and the kids love it.
Meet for lunch when the kids are in school. There is no babysitter to pay and lunch at restaurants is usually cheaper than dinner.
Go out for breakfast or brunch. It's generally a lot cheaper at restaurants to do this.
Pack a picnic, go for a hike or go to the beach. One of my most favorite date places to go to when we used to live in South Florida is to go to the beach at night. We would pack sparkling grape juice, champagne glasses, cheese, crackers, grapes and of course a blanket! It was so romantic to listen to the waves, look at the stars and just spend time talking about anything.
Take a nature walk. We have a bird sanctuary we go to in the fall. The leaves and views are breathtaking.
Have a "couch date" as our friends Sarah and Matt call it. They put the kids to bed early with strict instructions not to be interrupted. Then they have a nice dinner (or takeout) with candles and watch a romantic movie at home. Movie theaters can be expensive and usually within a couple of months those same movies are out on DVD. Save some money by renting a new release, turn the lights out in your living room and make your own popcorn. Then you don't have to worry about cell phones going off and people talking through it.
Be on the lookout for free events such as music venues in a park. Close to our home in Freeport, the clothing and outfitter store, L.L. Bean, offers a free summer concert series. Every Friday night they have well known jazz, contemporary and other musical artists play for a free outdoor concert. Just bring your own lawn chair/blanket and enjoy a wonderful evening.
Check out ice skating or roller skating for the best prices/times to go. Some offer discounts on certain nights or matinees. Our boys' school actually has a free outdoor ice skating rink they have created.
I hope these suggestions will help you plan dates with your spouse without spending a lot of money. Perhaps you can think of a few suggestions of your own. I'd love to hear your ideas on how you saved money.
Remember, take the time now to invest in your marriage…it's one investment that pays huge dividends! ;+)
