10 Dates Thrifty People Take
My husband and I enjoy date time every week. I think it is the ingredient in our marriage that keeps us close.
We don’t spend much on our dates, splurging just a few times a year on an overnight trip or a fancier restaurant. Week in week out on average our dates cost less than $20 and many less than $5 or even free.
10 Inexpensive Dates We Enjoy
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1. Going out to the movies
Yes, you can watch movies on the big screen frugally. My husband and I go to matinees which cost significantly less. We use discounted gift cards to further reduce the cost. We avoid the concession stand, which would leave us with a deflated wallet and an expanded waistline.
2. Dinner out with point earned gift cards and coupons
My hubby and I love Panera Bread soup and sandwich dates. We reduce the costs by using gift cards earned through MyPoints.
We also use coupons found from various sources to reduce the cost of our meals at other restaurants we love.
3. Enjoying lower lunch menu prices
Often, lunch menus have lower prices than dinner menus.
4. Working on projects together
A date does not have to involve food and a movie. Some of the best time my husband and I have spent one and one is when we renovated 3 homes together.
5. Read together
Each grab a book from the library or free books found through various sources and then either snuggle up in bed or on the couch side by side under a blanket and read. Just the closeness builds togetherness even though a word is rarely said.
6. Playing board games
Lately my husband and I have been enjoying competitive rounds of “words with friends” on the iPad, but we also enjoy real life board games too. Some of our favorites are Chickenfoot and Monopoly.
7. Ice cream dates
For less than $5 my husband and I can enjoy a few moments of one and one time over bowls of ice cream at our local ice-cream parlor. We also enjoy Blizzards from Dairy Queen using 2 for 1 coupons.
8. Movies at home
Set the theater mood by dimming the lighting, popping popcorn, and pouring sale found pop into ice-filled glasses.
9. Take a walk or bike ride together
Walking is free, and provides a great time to talk. Bikes can be purchased inexpensively from Craigslist and are a great way to travel just a bit further together. Bike to your favorite ice cream store together, the beach, coffee shop, or where ever you like to spend time together.
10. Do errands together
I love tagging along with my husband to the hardware store. Not because I love hardware stores (although I do love hardware stores) but because I love the talk time we get on the drive there an back. For that same reason my husband often tags along on trips to Sam’s club with me (well that and their hotdog and a pop special)