Valentine’s Day is around the corner so today’s post is going to focus on low cost date ideas! I’m not only going to list frugal ideas to do with your significant other, but also ideas you can use with your children. After all, it’s crucial to any important relationship, that you spend some quality one-on-one time together.
However, when money is tight, it’s hard to justify spending money on a “date”. Even dinner and a movie can really add up! With that in mind, I hope you enjoy my ideas for low cost date ideas the whole family can enjoy:
Date-Night with your significant other:
Visit a Winery or Brewery – This can really be a fun and informative afternoon! Most wineries and breweries offer free tours that include free tastings at the end.
Use those Daily Deal Sites – Keep an eye on those daily deal sites like Groupon and WagJag. I often see offers for romantic getaways, restaurant deals and even local attractions. You’ll save yourself a big chunk of money if you take advantage of a deal, especially if you intended on heading out on the town anyways!
Wash the Car Together – Sometimes doing the mundane chores together can be a blast and a great way to catch up. This is a great idea for when life is so busy you’re having a hard time finding a solid chunk of time to spend together.
Get back to your Roots – Did you use to love playing a particular board game together in your younger dating/married years? Pull it out and play it once again. Or maybe you used to love browsing the thrift stores together? Or enjoyed the satisfaction of volunteering? Do something that takes you back to the early days!
Go for a Drive – One year for our anniversary, with a new baby in tow, we took a scenic drive and stopped at a quaint little coffee shop in a nearby town. This was one of our most memorable dates!
Dinner at Home – Not a new idea at all, dinner at home, but how about calling up your date’s mother to get the recipe for their favourite childhood meal? Or if you both enjoy a fancy meal, how about going all out at the grocery store to recreate your favourite fancy restaurant meals? The thought of a picnic on the floor might hit the spot as well! Maybe this year could be your first fondue?
Go to the Beach – Obviously for the warmer months, but we like to bring along a couple of chairs and some good books and spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach. When we get hot, we just jump into the water!
Go for a Hike – or snowshoeing since it’s winter! My husband and I are really fond of hikes. There’s just something about enjoying nature together and getting a little bit of exercise at the same time. Plus, our region has some pretty fantastic hiking locales if I do say so myself.
Date-Night with your Children/Whole Family:
Get the ideas flowing with these suggestions that will work for one on one dates with your children or for the whole family unit!
Have a Picnic – Inside or outside depending on the weather. Pack some sandwiches, a fun beverage and an extra special treat that will be enjoyed.
Have a Movie Night in – grab a movie off the shelf that you haven’t watched in a while or find something on Netflix and make some homemade microwave popcorn!
Have a Theme Night/Day – Mexican, Italian, pirate…the list goes on. Plan dinners and activities around your theme!
Have a Craft Night – Paint, sew (here are some simple felt sewing ideas), draw…etc! This would have been a dream date with my mom when I was younger. Actually, now that think about it, we used to spend quite a few nights making cards!
Head to your Local Library – Stock up on reading material or even sit in on story time!
Have a Game Night – Pull out those board games and cards! Some of our favourite games include Mexican Train, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Sequence, Old Maid and Zingo.
Go Bird Watching – See how many different types of birds you can spot. Maybe bring along a bird book from the library. Here’s are some free Bird Watching printables you may enjoy.
Build an Indoor fort – Grab all your blankets, pillows and boxes to create an epic indoor fort. Camp out in it or have a picnic in it!
Check out the free community events offered in your area – Many of the free community events are geared towards family fun.
Go for a Nature Walk – Bring along a bag that you can use to collect all sorts of neat nature things in. Bring the bag home and create some crafts using your haul.
Have a Garage Sale – Involve the kids and help them set up a lemonade or hot chocolate stand. They’ll have fun earning some money and you’ll all enjoy being together!
Go Ice Skating – I recently took Sienna out for the very first time and she had a blast. While she refused to try on the skates, she had fun building her confidence on the ice wearing her boots. We have several local rinks that offer free family skate times, so yours may as well.
Many of these ideas can be adapted to every season, but the important thing is that you get out there and have fun together as a couple, parent/child or family! Enjoy each other!