"dating " hubby budget ideas.........

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Based on your location - I can just see you 2 sitting in those comfy little chairs at Wegman's! I wish our Wegman's was close enough that we could do that.

And to the OP - my husband and I (although we haven't had a date night for a zillion years) used to like to go to Barnes & Noble sometimes and just browse without the kids. You're not exactly TOGETHER all the time while you're in the store, I guess, but it was still a nice escape and if you didn't buy (or buy much) it's not too expensive. And they have a coffee bar there and desserts.

edited: oh - I just realized ohanaMAMA said the same thing about B&N! I like her -- good choice!

Yep, I amlost forget having lived here so long that not everyone has Wegman's. People probably don't think if a grocery store as a nice place but if you know Wegman's, you know it is!

DH and I started doing this about 6 years ago. We go to Don Pablos every Friday night. Happy Hour beers are $1.50 and margaritas are $3. We usually get a few drinks and an appetizer (or dinner if we're hungry). There is a Borders in the same plaza so we usually go either there or Starbucks afterwards for coffee. If we go to Borders, we each get a stack of magazines and read and chat.

It's a dirt cheap Friday night and it has done SO MUCH to help us reconnect!

Have a GREAT time on your dates!

I am jealous! Don Pablos was our FAVORITE restaurant. So good and good deals too. Ours went out about 2 years ago. We miss it so much! We always go to the one in Orlando when we are there and look online for anytime we are going anywhere to see if there is one there. We'd go at least once a month so we miss it so much!

 

[marycaym]

I am a BIG believer in this and that we need to make "US" time. We do this every Friday nite - i love it! Most of the restaurants we go to are from gift certificates on restaurant.com and most are new restaurants for us, some we will go back to, some we won't. We have also taken golf lessons together, a cooking class (offered by a local grocery store here in NJ), a minor league ballgame, we have cooked out at a local park that has grills, bought pizza and ate at a park, local theater. I am sure if you look there is alot to do in your area. Have a great time!

 

[onyx8]

Check your local library for discounts or free passes to local attractions!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

can you have a date at home? how about a red box movie? and make your own popcorn --

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

also you can get discounted movie tickets at AAA.

Can you send the kids "off" to a friends house and then you can BBQ and have a nice relaxing dinner at home? Then in return, some night you can have the friends kids over so they can do the same? if you swap babysitting, you don't have to pay for it. And I'm sure you can think of someone who would be interesting in swaping kids now and then so you can have a quiet time at home.


Another idea -- our community rec services has classes you can sign up for. Take a ball room dancing class or something. The cost is really minimal and it would be weekly for 6-8 weeks. If ball room dance isn't your thing, there may be a whole list of things to choose from.

 

[swilshire]

I recently started getting Fridays off. While the kids are in school, DH and I usually run errands and grocery shop, but I also stocked up on restaurant certificates from restaurant.com and the halfoffdepot. We have tried several new places for lunch at a reasonable price with these discounts.

Sheila

 

[Mic]

A hundred years ago (actually 13 years) my husband and I took the Real Estate Broker's class together. It was every Tuesday and Thursday night from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. It lasted three semesters, and we went through three different sitters. We did not intend for it to be "together time" but it really was. At the time, our kids were 3,4, 6, and 8. My husband worked fulltime, and I had kids 11 hours a day in my daycare...and we were always stressed about money, going to court with my ex, our youngest daughter's health, etc. Having 20 minutes to ourselves just to talk during the drive to the community college was wonderful. And as a bonus, we were two of the five people that passed the class and became licensed(out of 30 students). I guess it helped us having a live-in study partner! It wasn't cheap(the book alone was over $120), but if you divided the cost of the class and material over 33 weeks (or 66 dates), it was. Once we were dismissed early because the teacher (a lawyer) had to depose someone for a case; my husband and I went out to a local mexican restaurant with a few classmates. We all shared a few dinners and appetizers, so it was cheap. If there is a class that one of you needs to take for work, or something you are both interested in, going to class together may be unorthodox, but we enjoyed it. We also purchase a family zoo membership each year, and my husband and I have gone alone once. It's amazing how much you can see without a stroller! Our favorite dates are at home now that our kids are 16, 17, 19, and 21. The two oldest are in college, and the two youngest would rather die than hang out with us. But just in case they start thinking they will join us, I cook something I know they won't eat(like meatloaf or cabbage rolls), and rent a movie they won't like. Or I tell them to load the dishwasher when they come into the den...they don't usually come back! Whatever you have to do, don't neglect your marriage.

 

[njcarita]

also you can get discounted movie tickets at AAA.


Another idea -- our community rec services has classes you can sign up for. Take a ball room dancing class or something. The cost is really minimal and it would be weekly for 6-8 weeks. If ball room dance isn't your thing, there may be a whole list of things to choose from.

loving both these ideas.........

 

[TnTWalter]

people have probably said some of these but...

Restaurant.com has tons of 80% off where you can get $25 certificates for a couple bucks. Just check the terms....sometimes they are weeknights only or other criteria, look for ones you like the terms too and earlier in month the better

We went through a frugal stage....I started getting into cooking....I'd drop kids off at free babysitter [grandma]...already had movie from library and wine or beer from grocery....I enjoyed quiet time while cooking meal waiting for hubby and then we enjoyed a semi-gourmet meal and fire and movie...sometimes even would save meal for after kids went to bed for date.

Also..when weather was nice...roller-blading or biking and stopping for an ice cream or whatever for an inexpensive Saturday afternoon date. Lots of fun.

We would share an appetizer drinks and dessert and talk and talk at the restaurant bar....usually less than $30. Fun.

Heck sometimes just taking a walk around the block with kids or dogs holding hands works...

We bought some fun board games [one of faves is Carcassonne] and would play in our 'pjs' in our room after kids went to bed....

Applebees has a great 2 for $20...share appetizer; 2 entrees; share dessert!
Logan's has Mon and Tues 2 for $13.99...great deal!!


I need to re-visit some of these dates!!

Trish

 

[Mouse13]

Great ideas! Thanks to all. DH and I have decided to have more date nights and love all the ideas.

 

[powellrj]

Dh and I have better luck with daytime outings. When the weather is nice, we go to the farmers market together and then have breakfast. We both have sales jobs, so when our schedules allow, we will meet for lunch. We also enjoy Saturday afternoon matinees and lunch.

 

[Jesussavedme]

Applebee's in most places has the 1/2 price appetizers after 10pm.
We go split a big quesadilla for 5 bucks!
Sometimes we'll get pop, but drinks can cost you $3 each, so most of the time we stick to one pop, one water.

Also, something that would be more cost conscious would be to create a picnic, or a few chocolate covered strawberries in one tupperware, cool whip in another...and find a good star gazing spot.

My husband just said he would like to take a college class with me to learn German. Doubt it will ever come to pass, but it was a nice thought.

We will sometimes, when Mommy has the energy , head to the bike/hike trail when we can, for a late night walk.

We have been doing the Love Dare devotional together each night before bed, this has been bringing us closer.

Watch the Fireproof movie, that will FOR SURE spark something between you two!

I love this post, I'm going to go back and use some of these other ideas!!

 

[njcarita]

just wanted to update....
that Hubby and I are still dating


but all the eating out has ruined my dieting.... so we are now trying to concentrating on non eating activities......

 

[lovesmurfs]

just wanted to update....
that Hubby and I are still dating


but all the eating out has ruined my dieting.... so we are now trying to concentrating on non eating activities......

Thanks for the update!!! Just a note (we're celebrating our 20th at the end of the month)..."non-eating activities" can be quite diet-friendly...

 

[bored]

Best dates I've had with the DW included the kids out of the house, some cheap off brand chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Cost about $4.00

 

[deerhart]

DH just bought us season tickets to The Muny for Mother and Father day presents. The cheapest season tickets run $49 per seat for 7 shows. So $100 for a couple for 7 shows. That's about $14 per show (cheaper then the movies, even matinees)

The really nice thing about this place is that they have an area for you to picnic prior to the show (its in the area's huge city park).

Other options we have are half night tickets or other specials at the ball game. I just bought tickets for us to go AGAIN (3rd game this season LOL) in 2 weeks because we could get tickets for $5 per person. So 4 tickets (we take the boys too) cost me $24.00. On half night games, I can take all 4 of us for about $33.00 in the cheapest seats. Our first game of the year I spent what I would normally spend on tickets (about $20 per person) and just moved us closer to the field.

Heck, sometimes DH and I just go out, drop the roof to the convertible and just drive!

 

[eatatmidnight]

DH just bought us season tickets to The Muny for Mother and Father day presents. The cheapest season tickets run $49 per seat for 7 shows. So $100 for a couple for 7 shows. That's about $14 per show (cheaper then the movies, even matinees)

The really nice thing about this place is that they have an area for you to picnic prior to the show (its in the area's huge city park).

Other options we have are half night tickets or other specials at the ball game. I just bought tickets for us to go AGAIN (3rd game this season LOL) in 2 weeks because we could get tickets for $5 per person. So 4 tickets (we take the boys too) cost me $24.00. On half night games, I can take all 4 of us for about $33.00 in the cheapest seats. Our first game of the year I spent what I would normally spend on tickets (about $20 per person) and just moved us closer to the field.

Heck, sometimes DH and I just go out, drop the roof to the convertible and just drive!

I hate to hijack this thread, but are you talking about ST Louis Cardinals tickets for $5? My family would love that.

 

[Bren's Mom]

How about Comedy Clubs? Unless you're in a super expensive city, you're likely to find the tickets are $10, sometimes less. Limit yourself to one drink (hard or soft) and it's not an expensive date!

 

[MommyBell08]

Try restaurant.com. We use these all the time for date nights! We also do in house date nights. Kids go to friend's houses, we redbox a movie, order in...and voila!

That was my suggestion! Love it!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Glad you are still happily dating. It makes such a big difference, doesn't it? I often wonder how people make it though a stressful week without a date to look forward to. I have friends who go out once a year. I can't make it without once a week!

I can't believe I forgot the comedy club idea. We love to go to comedy clubs and around here you can get often get into the early show for free with a 2 drink minimum. I don't drink but they are fine with it being 2 non-alcoholic drinks.