The Best Advice & Ideas For Planning A Romantic Date Night On A Budget
Date nights have become a popular way for couples in long-term relationships to get out and have a laugh together. Whether it’s a night of bowling or dinner and a movie, a lot of couples find that having date nights helps to make their relationship happier. Studies have shown that to keep a relationship healthy, spending one-on-one time together is crucial. Research has also found that couples who make an effort to go on dates, tend to be happier.
There’s something about spending an evening dating that’s fantastic for blowing the cobwebs away. When your relationship is in need of reviving, date night could be all it takes. This is especially true when you lead a hectic life and have very little time to yourselves. The only problem with date nights is that they can be quite expensive, which means that if you’re on a budget, it can seem as if they’re not doable. However, that doesn’t have to be the case; there are plenty of ways you can make date nights more affordable.
For all the best advice and ideas for planning a romantic date night while on a budget, keep reading below.
Visit a museum or art gallery
If you’re a cultural couple, then a date to a local museum or art gallery could make a fantastic day out. The great thing about museums and galleries is that many of them are free or come with a low admission price. Making them perfect if you’re on a tight budget. Picture yourself and your partner walking around hand in hand, taking in the culture on offer. Some museums and galleries hold special after-hours events; perhaps you could see what’s on offer in your local area? What could be more romantic or enjoyable than spending an evening in somewhere cultural like a museum or art gallery? If it’s a special event, you never know, you may even get a complimentary glass of champagne.
Look for restaurant discounts and deals
One of the best ways to celebrate date night is by booking a table at a romantic restaurant. The only problem is that often, eating out can be expensive. This means that if you’re on a budget, a night at your favorite restaurant might not seem doable. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re smart about it, you can take advantage of deals and discounts that local restaurants are running. By doing this, you can eat out and still stick to your budget. However, if you want to eat for a discounted price, you’ll need to compromise and book a table between Sunday and Thursday. This is because on Friday and Saturday’s most restaurants get busy, and so, don’t offer deals. The best places to find deals for local eateries is by having a browse online or by using deals apps like VoucherCloud.
Have a romantic night in
Date nights aren’t all about going out; they’re about spending some one-on-one time with your partner. So if you can’t afford to go out, a romantic night in could be ideal. While you could opt to cook your partner a delicious meal, for a more relaxed night you could always order a takeaway. Or you could head to your local supermarket to pick up one of their ‘posh’ meal deals that are perfect for date nights. Whatever you decide to do, to make your date night cheaper, you could consider buying a discounted gift card. This could be for your favorite takeaway, such as Papa Johns, or your local Walmart or supermarket of choice. You can learn more about Cards2Cash here, and about other stores that sell discounted gift cards by searching online. For making date nights cheaper, using discounted gift cards could be a great idea.
Hit up happy hour
What better way to spend date night than sipping cocktails with your partner? Admittedly, cocktails can be somewhat expensive, with many cocktail bars charging upwards of $10 for one. However, if you go out earlier and drink during happy hour, most bars run a two for the price of one deal. So instead of paying $10 per cocktail, you’d pay that amount for two. If that’s still too expensive, see if there are any bars that offer a deal where you pay a set price and can drink all night for free. These are great as you pay something like $20 each and get free cocktails all night long. It’s a great way to save money. However, most bars only run these deals on weeknights. So it all depends on whether you’re happy to have your date on a weeknight, rather than at the weekend. If you fancy cocktails on the weekend but can’t afford to go out, consider going DIY and making your own. Cocktail making doesn’t have to be expensive and can be a lot of fun, so it could be a cute date night for you and your partner.
Have a candlelit picnic in the park
A great budget-friendly alternative to spending the evening in a fancy restaurant is to have a candlelit picnic in the park. Imagine sitting snuggled up on a blanket with your partner, sipping champagne and eating your favorite foods. Doesn’t that sound like a wonderfully romantic and relaxing evening? What could be more enjoyable than spending the evening under the stars? Perhaps you could follow your picnic with an open air movie? If there’s an open-air movie theater where you live, that is. If not, watching a movie snuggled up on the sofa could be the perfect way to end the night. What it’s important to remember is that date nights aren’t about doing anything overly lavish or luxurious. They’re about spending some quality time with your partner. So however you opt to do that, it doesn’t matter.
Go on an adventure
If you opt to have a day date instead of an evening date, perhaps you could go on a little adventure. Get in your car and drive to somewhere that you’ve never been before, and then spend the day exploring the area. This could be a city that you’ve been wanting to visit for a while, or it could be a little village or area of the countryside. It doesn’t matter where you go, all that matters is that the two of you get to spend some time together. Exploring a new place could be the ideal way to do this, as it will make your day a fun, exciting and memorable one. The great thing about this type of date is that it will truly give you and your partner the chance to bond as you’ll be exploring somewhere new together.
Use deal sites to save
Do you fancy a date with a difference? Then how about going on deal sites like Groupon, and using them to look for fun and different things to do. Just because funds are low, that doesn’t mean you can’t do something exciting with your partner. It’s just a case of taking the time to find all the best deals, to ensure that you’re able to find an activity that’s budget-friendly. The great thing about deals sites is that they have all sorts of activities on them. From race car driving experiences to couples massages, there’s plenty to choose from. So whatever you fancy doing, there should be something suitable. Whether you’ve been dreaming of taking a cooking class with your partner or have always wanted to try a new sport, deal sites could come in useful.
Attend a local event
Throughout the year, local events will pop up, from book readings to festivals. The great thing about local events is that the majority of them are free or have low priced tickets. This means that for a date night when you’re strapped for cash, they are ideal. Have a look online to see what’s going on in your local area. Take the time to see if there are any events that could be ideal for attending on date night. The best types of events for date nights are carnivals because they’re a lot of fun, and there’s always plenty to see and do. From fireworks and float processions to food tasting and dancing, carnivals can make the perfect date night location. So take the time to find out what’s going on in your local area to see if there’s anything that could make date night on a budget a little more enjoyable.
So there you have it, the best advice and ideas for planning a romantic date night on a budget. It might be a little harder to plan a fantastic date night when money is tight, but that doesn’t mean it’s not doable. All it takes is a little savvy thinking and creativity, and you can plan a fun and romantic night (or day) out for you and your partner. There are lots of ideas and suggestions above to help you, so don’t let a lack of money be the reason for not making time for you and your partner.
