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Whether you’ve been with your loved one for a week or a lifetime, it’s important to do some fun “couple” things together – to go on dates. The problem is that money is tight and for a typical 'dinner and a movie' evening for two can easily cost $100 (unless you go for fast food). If you have kids and require a babysitter, costs clearly increase from there.If you use your imagination a little, you can easily come up with some inexpensive options. Remember, it's the time - not the money - you spend together that is special. If you're having trouble thinking of things, consider these four. Then, but the iPhone down, leave your worries behind, and enjoy.
Here are some ideas for money-conscious lovers:
- Go For a Long Country Walk
I really enjoy walking with my boyfriend – it’s one of the times when we forget about the distractions of computers, TVs, college work, paid work … and just enjoy being together. It’s also a great way to stay fit and healthy as a couple, and to feel a deep sense of connection with the natural world.
Pick a sunny afternoon to drive out into the country and go exploring. Take a map, plenty of water and wear good walking shoes. Relax and enjoy yourselves – imagine that you have all the time in the world to spend together.
If you live near the beach, the seashore is a wonderfully romantic place to walk. Pick a quiet stretch of coast where you can listen to the waves crashing onto the shore as you walk hand-in-hand. - Pack a Picnic
Meals at restaurants quickly get expensive. If you and your partner are spending a lot on food every time you’re out, why not take a picnic instead? You could each bring a few of your favorite foods, or you could go shopping together to pick some easy al fresco items at the start of the date.
It’s nice to take food items that you can share – so rather than packing separate sandwiches, take a chunk of French stick, some butter or cream cheese and luncheon meat, then assemble it piece-by-piece as you eat. Pita breads and hummus dips also work well, or wraps and a pot of prawn mayonnaise or roasted veggies to fill them with.
Almost any location can be good for a picnic, but local parks and fields are ideal. Take a rug with you, and you won’t even need to find a picnic bench. - Watch a DVD
Instead of forking out cash for two cinema tickets, buckets of coke and vats of popcorn, why not have a movie evening at home? Pick a favorite movie each (it doesn’t cost much to rent a DVD) – though if you’re being truly romantic, take your partners’ taste in movies into account too.
Get some snacks – chips, popcorn, ice-cream, pizza, whatever you fancy – dim the lights, and snuggle up together on the sofa for a cozy home movie experience. Sure, it’s not quite the same as the cinema: there’s no hordes of kids chucking popcorn, no elderly lady tutting every time you so much as hold hands, and no adverts before your film starts. I expect you’ll cope… - Bake Cakes Together
Pick a rainy weekend afternoon to roll your sleeves up and get baking. You can have fun beforehand poring over recipe books together and deciding what to make. Buy the ingredients you need and get cracking!
If you’re short of ideas, anything that you can decorate together works well. How about making some mini cakes and covering them with sprinkles and hearts drawn on in colored frosting? If that’s too saccharine for you, baking bread together is also great fun. Pancakes – with lots of different bits and pieces to fill them with – are almost certain to be a hit, too.
Ali
