Through trying to keep our relationship strong Ben and I have been making date night a regular thing. We get a babysitter (normally one of our parents) and spend some time doing something together. We don't have a lot of money, we are getting married in October and babies are expensive (you don't need me to tell you that). Because of the lack of money we have always been very conscious of the little things in life, they are so much better than spending lots of money on something, as the saying goes 'money doesn't buy you happiness' and its true. We have lots of things we do on date night so we thought we would share our ideas cheap, cheerful with a sprinkle of some on the pricey side.
Lets start off with the ones that don't cost a penny to the more pricier nights.
Walks in the park
We are super lucky to live literally 3 minutes from our local park. Its quite big and its so pretty. We like to leave our phones at home, pop Pepper on her lead and get out of the house. We have done this in the rain, in the sun it doesn't really matter what the weather is like its nice to get out and talk to one another whilst having some fresh air and light exercise.
Blackout
For a long time we have had nights where we turn all technology off and spend a night in the house talking to one another, playing cards, getting bits of housework done together. It's nice not having the distraction of a television that stops conversation. You can even go further and turn off the lights and spend the night in candlelight, if that isn't romantic I don't know what it.
Film night
Whether it is a film we have already, one on the television or off sky box office concentrating on a film is a nice way to unwind together. We normally bring our quilt and lots of pillows downstairs and make a den to watch that nights pick, have a snuggle and chomp away on some snacks we have in the house.
Dinner in
I love making a nice dinner with a pudding for afterwards and eating at the table with no television just talking to one another. We normally set out candles and enjoy the time together.
Picnics
Now the weather is getting much warmer we have been having picnics in our local park much more regularly, we either make sandwiches ourselves (normally egg mayo) or go and buy some stuff from our local Sainsburys which is right next to the park. Its nice to enjoy the outdoors together whilst enjoying ourselves.
Quiz Night
We used to go to our local quiz night most weeks until it was cancelled. It was great to go either the two of us or with some friends and have fun. We would get a couple of drinks, share a pudding and enjoy some entertainment together.
Fun activity
Ice skating, Bowling, Laser Quest, the list goes on. We like to compete against one another normally with bets, for example we always play on table hockey and whoever loses out of 3 games has to have a forfeit which has been from household chores to money!! Its nice to do something different and we do love getting the competitive juices flowing.
Meal out
We all know its always nicer when someone else cooks for you, its even nicer when you get to don on the glad rags and make a night of it. We love going out to eat, we get to try new places, different cuisines and most importantly we eat at the same time while the food is still hot (mostly), any new parent will understand us there! Its nice to just get out the house and have no washing up to do and the quality time with the other half is the best bonus.
Cinema
Normally we make an evening of it, we save up our pennies, wait until a film we both really want to see comes out and we go out for dinner then walk over the road to the local Odeon. Its a rare thing us going the cinema but we do love to go every so often. Its just so expensive now a days.
and finally
Theatre
For Valentines day this year Ben took me to the theatre to watch Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. It was preformed by Propeller who I have seen preform before and they were every bit amazing the second time around as they were the first, they bring Shakespeare into the modern day whilst still having the script of the man himself, you can visit their website here. It was great to do something that we have never done together before. Ben really enjoyed it as his first time properly at a theatre and it is definitely something we want to do again. It was brilliant, funny and a great excuse to buy a whole new outfit.
Let me know if you try any of these ideas, I would love to hear what you do for a date night, we are always up for trying something new!
Lets start off with the ones that don't cost a penny to the more pricier nights.
Walks in the park
We are super lucky to live literally 3 minutes from our local park. Its quite big and its so pretty. We like to leave our phones at home, pop Pepper on her lead and get out of the house. We have done this in the rain, in the sun it doesn't really matter what the weather is like its nice to get out and talk to one another whilst having some fresh air and light exercise.
Blackout
For a long time we have had nights where we turn all technology off and spend a night in the house talking to one another, playing cards, getting bits of housework done together. It's nice not having the distraction of a television that stops conversation. You can even go further and turn off the lights and spend the night in candlelight, if that isn't romantic I don't know what it.
Film night
Whether it is a film we have already, one on the television or off sky box office concentrating on a film is a nice way to unwind together. We normally bring our quilt and lots of pillows downstairs and make a den to watch that nights pick, have a snuggle and chomp away on some snacks we have in the house.
Dinner in
I love making a nice dinner with a pudding for afterwards and eating at the table with no television just talking to one another. We normally set out candles and enjoy the time together.
Picnics
Now the weather is getting much warmer we have been having picnics in our local park much more regularly, we either make sandwiches ourselves (normally egg mayo) or go and buy some stuff from our local Sainsburys which is right next to the park. Its nice to enjoy the outdoors together whilst enjoying ourselves.
Quiz Night
We used to go to our local quiz night most weeks until it was cancelled. It was great to go either the two of us or with some friends and have fun. We would get a couple of drinks, share a pudding and enjoy some entertainment together.
Fun activity
Ice skating, Bowling, Laser Quest, the list goes on. We like to compete against one another normally with bets, for example we always play on table hockey and whoever loses out of 3 games has to have a forfeit which has been from household chores to money!! Its nice to do something different and we do love getting the competitive juices flowing.
Meal out
We all know its always nicer when someone else cooks for you, its even nicer when you get to don on the glad rags and make a night of it. We love going out to eat, we get to try new places, different cuisines and most importantly we eat at the same time while the food is still hot (mostly), any new parent will understand us there! Its nice to just get out the house and have no washing up to do and the quality time with the other half is the best bonus.
Cinema
Normally we make an evening of it, we save up our pennies, wait until a film we both really want to see comes out and we go out for dinner then walk over the road to the local Odeon. Its a rare thing us going the cinema but we do love to go every so often. Its just so expensive now a days.
and finally
Theatre
For Valentines day this year Ben took me to the theatre to watch Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. It was preformed by Propeller who I have seen preform before and they were every bit amazing the second time around as they were the first, they bring Shakespeare into the modern day whilst still having the script of the man himself, you can visit their website here. It was great to do something that we have never done together before. Ben really enjoyed it as his first time properly at a theatre and it is definitely something we want to do again. It was brilliant, funny and a great excuse to buy a whole new outfit.
Let me know if you try any of these ideas, I would love to hear what you do for a date night, we are always up for trying something new!
Love Ellie,
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These are some awesome ideas! I love the motion of making a date night - it sure is important to get some private quality time in there :3 I hope you enjoy a lot of dates together to come...
ReplyDeleteCheck out my post about Portugal: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/08/perfect-portugal.html
Loved all these ideas! There's something so lovely about getting to spend time just with your partner, so I also make sure we do something alone together each week! We're partial to a good meal out/in, but have yet to make a den whilst making movies! So this definitely needs to happen. Also love the idea of a blackout, I'll definitely try that soon! Thank you for some lovely ideas :) xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you, date night is so important and its always nice to do something different :)
ReplyDeleteThank you hun! I do love a good date night and its the little things that mean the most for sure. Hope you enjoy your den if you manage to make one xx
ReplyDelete