Budget Friendly Date Nights

If you're like me, it can be hard to find time to spend quality time with your husband without feeling like you're going to break the bank on a babysitter and the date. I try to "save up" using my parents as my babysitters for times when their services are necessary - which usually doesn't include a date night.

One option that seems to work for me and my husband is to swap babysitting duties with other parents. This helps erase the cost of babysitting so we can splurge a little more on the date. We also try to have dates that are budget friendly.

Fun doesn’t have to mean “expensive." Creative brainstorming with your hubby, a little resourcefulness, and the right attitude are all it takes to have fun on a shoestring! Consider some of the following ideas:

• Picnic at the park. Pack a tasty lunch and a bottle of wine if you’d like, and enjoy a lazy afternoon embraced by nature. Remember to bring a blanket, and keep the meal simple to avoid having to carry a lot of gear (Don’t forget the corkscrew, though!). If you picnic at a local forest preserve, you can enjoy hiking afterwards.

• All-season star gazing – Stardate.org is a terrific website for non-technical people with an interest in heavenly events like moon phases, asteroid showers, planet visibility, and seasonal constellations. Visit the website or subscribe to the newsletter for up-to-date information on interesting phenomena.

Drive to the best viewing location in your area. You can watch the sky show from the warmth of the car, or bring a blanket in mild weather and lay beneath the stars. A thermos of hot chocolate and a snack will add to the fun. Laying side-by-side beneath the cosmos has a way of putting things in perspective, and the peace that permeates the sleeping world, accompanied by late-night sounds of crickets and the rustling wind, create a relaxing, romantic environment for the two of you to simply enjoy.

• Backyard camp-out. Nothing is more relaxing for some couples than getting away from it all. You don’t have to wait for that long-planned vacation to escape together, though. Plan a camp-out in the backyard. Put your child(ren) to bed then raise the tent, build a fire, and relax away from phones, televisions, and all your day-to-day distractions.



P.S. Check in tomorrow for my review on Miessence organic cleanser and moisturizer.