Dating and Marriage on a Budget

I don't know about you, but my husband and I live on a really tight budget from week to week. We pay bills, we buy groceries, we live modestly, but there isn't a whole lot left over for going out most of the time. So what can a couple do when their budget doesn't allow for them to spend a lot of money on a date?

Movie Night
What do I mean by movie night? I mean, go to the video store, pick out a movie together, get some cheap drive-thru food and go home. Don't want drive-thru food? I don't blame you. You can go pick up a something that's easy to fix or already fixed from most grocery stores. Don't forget the microwave popcorn and soda for the movie. If you have Netflix or Blockbuster Online, then you don't even have to go to the movie store. You can order in dinner and never have to leave the house. You just have to make sure that don't answer the phone or do anything to disrupt your date time and it'll be just as good, and most likely much cheaper than going out to dinner and a movie.

Picnic Date
This works well if you live in a warm climate or during the summer months. You can pick up the makings for easy sandwiches, simple sides and drinks reasonably, or stop at a local deli and pick them up pre-made. You don't have to pick anything elaborate, a simple pasta salad or potato salad, even some potato chips would work. Grab yourself a bottle of wine, or if alcohol isn't your thing, sodas will work just as well. Pack them in a picnic basket, or a cooler and head to the local park to find somewhere pretty and private for your dinner.

Sports Event
This is going to sound corny but give me a chance. Most of us live in a town or city that has free or cheap admission to local school sporting events. There are also pee wee and little league events as well. Not only would you be supporting the local children in the area, but you'd get to enjoy a sporting event together. Most of the events will have some sort of concession stand that is inexpensive, so you would be contributing to the team and community. Even if you don't like professional sports, you should at least try this one time. Youth sports is much more fun to watch, there's less monetary reward for the players, so they're playing for pride and honor.

Radio Station / Community Concerts
A lot of radio stations will sponsor a free concert from time to time in order to boost their popularity. Some will give out tickets during remote events for major shows as well. If you're in the right place at the right time, you can see big name artists for the cost of your transportation to get to the show. To make a date of it, go to dinner before or after the show, You won't have to spend the money for the concert tickets, so a nice dinner out won't be as devastating to your wallet as it would have been. During the summer months, some communities will have concerts with local bands in the park. They aren't always the best groups, but they are from the local community. If you want, you can pack a picnic and enjoy a free show.

Other Ideas
These are just a few ideas of what you can do to have a fun date without breaking the bank. Other things that don't cost a lot to do are take in a movie at the local cheap theatre. There are some that only cost $1-$5 for a movie near the end of it's theatre run. You can explore local art museums and galleries for a just a few dollars as well. A corny but cheap idea is to go to the mall. Yes, I know this can be an expensive trip if you're a shopaholic, but you don't have to purchase anything. You can walk around the stores and look at things, talk about the things you'd like to have. Another great idea is to look at your local newspaper for it's calendar of events and see what's going on. They often list free or cheap events that you can easily make a date of.

Just remember, it's not what you do or how much money you spend on a date, it's the fact that you're spending time with your significant other doing something together that counts the most.