Cheap Dates for Couples
Netflix and Chill
Okay, we'll get this one out of the way right now since it's the most obvious. Netflix runs less than $20/mo. So, if you really want to get your moneys worth, a few Netflix and Chill dates a month should suffice. Don't over do it though! Repetition is boring unless it's a mutual desire.
There are plenty of worthy TV shows and movies that you can spend an entire day snuggled up on the couch with. Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, Shameless, etc... Make sure to pick a genre you both enjoy.
Spice it up
HOW you Netflix and Chill makes a difference. Try making some subtle changes. Throw a blanket and pillow on the floor of a dark room and have an indoor picnic. Mix up a pitcher of margaritas or buy a $2 bag of popcorn kernals and learn how to pop them the old fashioned way (non-microwavable). Do some pre-Netflix cooking together for a modern dinner and movie theme. Have a pajama day. Have fun dressing up together as characters of the show you're watching. The possibilities are endless.
Channel Your Inner Salvador Dali
There are so many art studios popping up that I can't keep track. For only about $30, you can go to a Wine and Paint studio. No experience necessary. These places usually require a reservation but they're a great way to make lasting memories. They teach you how to take a canvas and turn it into a lighthouse on a beach or a city skyline, even a mountain pasture. The entire time, they will serve you wine or you can find a place that allows you to bring your own wine which is actually cheaper. When you're done, you can take the paintings home immediately and hang them on the wall. Follow that up with a Netflix and Chill and you got yourself a fantastic evening that your loved one will remember!
You can also channel your inner Ghost and make pottery together. Everything from lawn ornaments, coffee mugs, vases, bowls, plates, etc... Pick one and make it together or make them for your significant other. You can even make one together and paint your hand prints on it for a unique display piece. These places charge per item, so a small mug will be much cheaper than a large vase.
Spice it up
Skip going to studios and do it at home! Your local Home Depot has paint and there are many places to buy a cheap canvas. Bring home $30 worth of materials and have a blast getting paint all over the dining room as you design a custom work of art. Make sure to lay down old sheets, towels or newspaper and I wouldn't wear my best clothes when doing this either.
Go for a Drive
This sounds boring and I almost didn't add it but let me explain why I did. My wife and I have been on so many vacations. Mountain hiking, sky diving, Disney, Mexico, etc... It's only when one of us travels alone for work that we realize how much we miss the drive together. We sing rap songs from the 90s or get into deep emotional talks. We play games together and explore interesting rest stops and gas stations along the way.
Because when it comes down to a relationship, the only thing that matters is you and them. On a road trip or a simple car ride around town, it's just the two of you getting quality time together and that's what matters.
Spice it up
Take them around town and show them the schools you attended. Ride down to your childhood house and the streets you used to play in. Relive memories out loud and narrate events that you remember. Chauffeur them around and let them do the same.
Be spontaneous and turn the GPS off. Take every left, right, left, right, etc... that comes your way and see where you end up. As always, drive safely and be cautious of your surroundings. Hope on a back road or a state road and stay on it for a long time and see where it leads you.
Have a final destination. Maybe an open field to star gaze? A park for a picnic? A high school football game?
Go Window Shopping
It doesn't matter if you have $6 to your name, the sales people don't know that. Take a trip to Home Depot and plan your dream home. Visit antique stores and estate sales. Go to different department stores and create a wedding registry. Drive to the local jewelry store and try on the $10,000 items. Go suit and dress shopping and make sure you try the on and get lots of pictures. Go car shopping and take that new sports car or monster truck for a test drive. The possibilities are endless when it comes to window shopping. It can be fun to pretend and what's better to pretend to be than rich! These are great bonding opportunities. They're also great ways of practicing what it's like to take it to the next relationship level.
Spice it up
Dress it up! Wear the fanciest clothes you have. Alternatively, go out in rags and roll in the dirt first and take mental pictures of the jewelry lady as she hands you a 3 carat ring to try on. While you're pretending to be rich, pretend to be British too! Or Irish, or whatever accent you can pull off. Play a role. Want to be the rich husband or the gold digging wife? Get into character and go act it out. Want to be a newlywed couple or a couple that argues about everything!? Again, limitless possibilities! This makes for a fun relationship and I'm a firm believer that fun is one of the ingredients to a great relationship.
Think Outside the Box
Someone once told me that a date is just an interview for a follow up date. Make it interesting. Even if you've been married for 10 years, you can always Spice it up. The most important aspect in a date is that you are both enjoying yourselves. There are millions of things to do that don't require a pocket full of cash. Date outcomes are one of the few things that simply do not equal a dollar amount. Meaning, a cheap date can be better than a fun date. Think outside the box and make yourself and your date unique and I promise you even if the relationship doesn't last, the memories will be remembered for years on down the road!
