Free Date Ideas

Reconnect Without Breaking the Bank

• What: Free Date Ideas
• When: Pregnancy through college
• Why: Free, fun, easy
• Where: Your home or close by

If your date night routine has grown stale, or worse yet for parents, has disappeared entirely, try one or more of these suggestions that go easy on the pocketbook.

If you’ve already shelled out for a babysitter, you might not have a big budget to treat yourselves. But you can still liven up your evening (or daytime or weekend or anytime you can spare some time for the two of you) with one of these free ideas.

Go for a Walk: No matter where you live, urban or rural, you can take a walk together. If it’s dark, a moonlight stroll can set the mood. During the day, you can find a scenic view or even just a new perspective on an old route with your partner by your side. Walking provides great exercise, works wonders for conversation or a quiet evening together, and feels great after a meal, even if you’ve eaten at home.

See a Show: You don’t have to go further than your own couch to enjoy a movie or TV series together. Pick a show you can both agree on and set aside a time to watch together. If you only watch it in each others’ company, you can spend more quality time talking about something besides the kids.

Pack a Picnic: You can eat the exact same things you would at home for the exact same cost, only outside. Pack a picnic blanket and head to any spot outdoors, or take advantage of the picnic tables at a local spot. No matter where you choose to go, enjoying a meal outside the normal environment can perk up both you and your relationship.

Need more ideas? Get creative. When our firstborn was an infant too loud to leave behind, we took turns coming up with stay at home date night ideas. We once set up a mini golf course in our house, and took turns trying to get the ball into the cup through various obstacles, including our child’s toys and equipment. You’ll never think of a swing quite the same way after you’ve tried several times to get a golf ball through it at just the right moment (only when unoccupied, of course). I’d share more of our ideas, but those first few months remain a blur of hormones and sleep deprivation. No matter what you end up choosing, the activity matters less than the person you spend time with. Every once in a while, even on a limited budget, you can reconnect as people, not just parents.