Saving Money on Date Night

Answer 1

It is important to set aside time to spend with your spouse or significant other, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a great time together. For your next date night, try incorporating some creative ideas and save your money for your future together. Whether you enjoy the outdoors, wining and dining, or going to dinner and a movie, there are several ways to still enjoy yourselves and not blow your budget. Next time your make reservations for dinner, consider going out for only drinks or dessert, and make dinner with your partner at home first. You will enjoy spending time together creating a delicious meal, and you can still go out and have a good time on the town, albeit for less money. Or, if you simply can’t give up your going out to dinner date, try to go early before 6 pm, when many restaurants offer early-bird specials before they get really busy. You are bound to get better service too, as servers have most likely just begun their shift, don’t have many tables, and are not yet tired and worn-out from a busy night. Happy hour dates can also be a good option before having dinner at home, and can be a welcome reprieve after a long day at the office to unwind with your sweetie over drinks and appetizers. Also, weeknights can be a better, less expensive time to go out to dinner. Restaurants often offer incentives to diners on weeknights such as bottomless glasses of wine or half off appetizers, because they are slower on these nights, and need to attract customers. Many restaurants’ slowest days on Mondays, and if they are open at all, they will often offer the most attractive discounts early in the week. Check out the free events in your area, especially in the warm seasons, such as free outdoor concerts, movies, and plays. Plan to pack a picnic basket, along with an inexpensive bottle of wine, and enjoy a fun date alfresco. During cooler months, plan a romantic and very inexpensive date in your very own backyard or a nearby campground and have a campfire complete with toasted marshmallows or s’mores. Without any other distractions, you and your significant other can enjoy each other’s company and enjoy some time in the great outdoors. If you love to catch the latest flick at the movie theatre, check first to see if there are any Groupons or discounted tickets available. You can save a great deal by going to a matinee and brunch rather than dinner and movie. Some movie theatres, such as Movie Tavern, are starting to offer breakfast and a flick for deeply discounted prices. What a fun way to start the day, especially on a rainy Saturday morning, and you’ll have the rest of the day afterward to enjoy each other’s company. Lastly, if you don’t want to give up the romance of a fancy dinner out, try going just once a month instead of every week, and you’ll save enough to be able to splurge every once and a while.