Date Night Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank

Date night is a little harder to come by since we had a baby and are both busy business owners, but it makes us appreciate our date nights so much more. Sometimes we have to get creative staying near the house or at home with little man, so I wanted to share in case some of these ideas help encourage you to schedule your own upcoming date night. It is so easy to let life (or too much phone screen time) get in the way, so we try to schedule and make a conscious effort of good quality time and conversation together.

NEIGHBORHOOD WALK

This is one of our favorite date night activities. It may sound so simple, but sometimes that’s exactly what we need. Now that we’ve lost Bucky, we include include Barbie in this outing. We used to leave her at home so Bucky didn’t feel he was the only one left out since he became too old to walk very far. So one of us is pushing the stroller and the other one leading Barbie on a leash. We absolutely love the area where we live and our neighborhood has lots of room and isn’t very highly trafficked. I encourage the simplistic-ness of just scheduling a couples or family walk – even if it’s just once a week. Plus, moving your body is always an added bonus. This also gives Grant and I great time to chat and catch up about our days to each other.

PLAY BOARD GAMES

It’s crazy how fun this can be, even as adults! Some of our favorites are 42, Monopoly, Cards Again’s Humanity (Texas Edition), Jenga, Love Lingual: The Card Game, Intimacy Deck by Best Self, Let’s Get Deep by What Do You Meme? or even create a fun, creative and rewarding scavenger hunt in your own home.

BOOK A COUPLES MASSAGE OR SPA DAY

Grant and I love getting couples massages. We go to Peace at Hand Therapy Massage here in College Station, or we always try to book one on vacation. You can even have someone come to your home if you’re not able to leave once the kiddos are asleep.

HAVE A PICNIC IN THE BACKYARD

You may think I’m silly, but I’ve made Grant do this with me ever since we were just dating and Bucky was our only child. I’ll just lay a big blanket down outside and take our meal out there. We then sit on the ground and no phone time allowed. Just again takes it back to a simpler feel to enjoy each other and the beautiful scenery outside when there’s pretty weather.

GO TO AN ARCARDE

The men LOVE this suggestion! My husband loves playing all the games and gets so competitive. Plus it’s cute when he’s trying to “win me prizes” based on his arcade game performance. We love Grand Central Station here in College Station!

VOLUNTEER SOMEWHERE TOGETHER

Before the pandemic, one of our friends help put together Hope’s Locker in town. It was a place where lower income families should shop the donations given by others. Grant and I spent a date night helping fold new donations and helping the “customers” checking out. It’s a different type of a date night because you leave feeling so grateful for all that you have while being able to help make someone else’s day.

TURN CHORES INTO COUPLE’S PROJECTS

There are sometimes I’ll get overwhelmed with laundry or the bathroom and closet needs lots of attention. I find if I schedule time and ask Grant nicely if he will help, we actually can turn a Sunday evening while Croix is napping or an evening after he’s gone down to focus on these tasks together working as a team. It then feels a lot less like housework, it’s something we won’t skip if we planned for it, and it’s great quality time to chat and be together.

WRITE EACH OTHER A LOVE NOTE

I LOVE this one, and Grant is getting better at it! But these are wonderful moments to spend together while you’re together (but separate) writing your own letters to each other. It’s so cute and fun to read them out loud after wards. I keep these as true treasures of my life as well!

GO ROLLERBLADING, BIKE RIDING OR TENNIS

You can be active together without it having to feel like the chore of “working out”. I personally love that I’m in my 30’s and have rollerblades in my closet haha! Doing things like this keeps you feeling young and capable together. I had never even tried Tennis until I met Grant, and I’m horrible at it. However, we have so much fun and laugh together at me attempting to play tennis when we make that our date night!

DO A WEIGHT LIFTING SESSION TOGETHER

Y’all know I couldn’t leave this one out LOL. I know not everyone has a home gym, but we sure love having ours. After Croix is asleep, even if the weather is horrible, spending time lifting together is a great date night. I love when Grant decides to join me in the gym, and we even have a TV in there, so I’m sure to let him choose what to watch if he decides to life with me! This typically becomes date night whenever we’ve each had to miss a workout and are needing to get caught up. Even if you don’t have a home gym, I know a place with many at-home and zero equipment programs!!!! (Gotta give a @powher.fit plug bc you could try one of the FREE workouts together)

DO A BIBLE STUDY TOGETHER

If neither of you are comfortable leading a bible study, you can join an online bible study and simply partake together!

COOK DINNER TOGETHER

You can work together to prepare the entire meal, or sometimes Grant and I will split the tasks. For instance, one handle the main course and the other do the sides. Or one do the appetizer and dessert, while the other makes the meal. We love spending time together in the kitchen. Pour yourself a glass of wine after your child’s bedtime and plan for a late night meal together prepared by yourselves! It’s even fun coming up with what you’re going to actually make.

Anyways, these are just a few ideas of some low key, non expensive and even “at home” date nights that I hope help inspire someone else to spend more quality time with their spouse. Sometimes you just have to try to make one day a week the “date time” day and get creative switching it up each time.

As I’ve learned, couples who build date nights into their relationships experience better communication, greater affection and gratitude for the other, and a desire to spend more time together. Date night provides a welcome entertainment so couples can return to focusing on important issues without distractions. I don’t ever want to be too busy for time well spent with Grant 🙂