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Christina Michelle is a blogger, newlywed, and special education teacher. She is also a spoken word artist who is passionate about sharing her journey and encouraging others . Christina and her husband, Alex, currently live in Chicago where they enjoy exploring eateries throughout the city. You can follow Christina on her blog, Instgram, and Pinterest.
The first year of marriage has been a lot of things: adventurous, challenging, hilarious, mundane, stressful, awkward, and lit! To sum up the last 8 months of marriage I would say it has been one steep learning curve. Right now we are both learning how to balance our very different work and graduate school schedules, and still spend quality time together. We’ve decided to set aside one night a week to be our “date night.” Having weekly date nights does not have to be expensive with these 12 date nights that don’t break your wallet! You can definitely find fun and inexpensive things to do on a budget and even free dates that can be done at home. Here is a list of some of the fun and creative date nights we have had.
12 Date Nights That Don’t Break Your Wallet
At home dates
1.Get hot and steamy in the kitchen: Who says that you have to go out for a tasty dinner in order to go on a date? Find a recipe online, shop at the grocery store together, and cook a meal together. One of you can cook the main entree while the other cooks a side or dessert.
2.Duel each other in games: Bust out the board games and start a friendly competition. If you don’t have board games there are websites like Pogo where you can play classic games like Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue etc… You can also play the Newlywed game online and test how well you know each other. You can make it interesting by requiring the loser of each round to remove one article of clothing. No matter what, just make sure you don’t get angry if you lose in the games. We once had a date night go sour because I felt really salty after Alex crushed me in a game of chess.
3.Flirt and fight for fun: Go outside and have a snowball or water balloon fight. I’m an LA girl currently living in Chicago. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I still get excited by snow. A few weeks ago my husband and I had an impromptu snowball fight outside. We ran around and hid like kids. Go outside and have a snowball or water balloon fight.
4.Go all out for a movie night at home: Get popcorn, candy, cozy blankets and watch Netflix and just chill! Make sure you stay off of your phone and other electronics. I’m guilty of texting or updating a Facebook status when we have a movie night. Really be in the moment!
Out and about dates
5.Fill up the tank and take a local road trip: Alex and I decided one day to check out the Indiana Sand Dunes. It was only a two hour drive, but it felt like a mini retreat! Find out what national parks, lakes, and small towns are a few hours away.
6.Satisfy your sweet tooth: Indulge yourself go out together for ice cream or frozen yogurt for dessert.
7.Put on your dancing shoes: Check out restaurants that have live bands and dance floors. Order dessert and drinks and then hit the dance floor.
8.Pack a lunch and picnic: Who says date nights can’t happen during the day? Take a picnic at the beach, park, or even in your own backyard. Romantic much? Definitely.
9.Snap at open mic or check out an art show: Stimulate your minds. An open mic or art show can lead to great conversation afterwards. Check online for local coffee shops or exhibits to see when they might host them.
10.Stroll down memory lane: Go back and visit the place where you had your first date or where he popped the big question. Reminisce and talk about how you were feeling in that moment. Our first date was technically at an iHop. Now whenever I eat at a restaurant that offers a stack of endless pancakes I can’t help but smile.
11.Feeling Fancy? Get dressed up and head to a nice restaurant for dinner, but don’t pay the full price! Gilt City is an awesome website that offers coupons and deals for fine dining. We’ve gone to steak houses and other eateries downtown for an affordable price!
12.Feeling adventurous? Go sail boating, get a couples massage, and try an escape room (these are incredible!) But again don’t pay full price. Check out Groupon to get coupons on deals on just about every activity.
There are plenty of ways to date your spouse without breaking your wallet! Choose one of these fun ways to be adventurous and romantic with your man this week.
Happy Dating!
I like how some of your ideas don’t cost any money. I think most couples don’t have more date nights because of tight fiances.
So true, Susan! Not only do couples need to worry about the money it costs for dates, but also baby sitters if they are needed. That is why these date nights are helpful since they don’t cost much or are free!
Number 5 is my favorite. There is something about being in the car together and totally focused on each other while we drive.
Amy- I am with you on this one! A drive makes a great date and it won’t break the bank. Maybe it’s because my highest love language is quality time and physical touch. Holding hands, driving and talking is pretty darn good!
Great ideas to get out of the comfort zone! Making time for dates is important but sometimes the cost prevents doing them regularly! These are great ideas!
You are right, Julie. Sometimes we just need to try something different to get out of our comfort zone!