Date nights are incredibly important for the health of a relationship (and affordable date night ideas- even better!).
Relationship rituals can help partners to:
- Reinforce their spark and connection to one another
- Encourage playfulness to keep your relationship youthful and alive
- Connect to buffer against future conflict
They give you and your partner a chance to bond, laugh, and invite some softness into your routine. It’s not healthy for any relationship to be only serious all of the time.
So today, I want to share some of my favorite affordable date night ideas. Most of these can modified to be either out or at home.
10 Affordable Date Night Ideas
Here are some of my favorite date nights I’ve personally shared with my husband. Many of these are free or low-cost, and we’ve had a blast doing all of these alcohol free!
Whatever you decide to do, make sure to choose on focused attention to one another. Make this time a priority and make one another feel important. Physical affection, including Gottman’s research-backed six-second kiss, are even deeper connecting and can even be stress-reducing for partners.
The key is to pick activities that take you out of your mundane day to day routines. Pick an activity that switches the energy up for you so that these experiences can serve as a connecting reset. Plus, the best activities will show you different parts of your partner (and yourself!) that you might lose touch with day to day.
Cook Your Favorite Meal
My husband and I started cooking together a ton during the Covid pandemic when restrictions were in place around going out to eat. It’s one habit that I’m glad has stuck since!
Browse some blogs or YouTube videos together and decide what looks delicious and fun to recreate (this is my personal favorite special occasion cook-at-home meal). Head out to your grocery store or farmer’s market to gather ingredients.
Throw on a fun playlist, spend some time in the kitchen together, and enjoy the fruits of your hard work.
Cooking Class
If you feel like getting out of the house, consider taking a cooking class together! This is a fun way to meet other people while learning and preparing a delicious meal together.
When my husband and I have done this, the recipes have also been shared for you to take home and cook again whenever you’d like.
Take A Fitness Class Together
Exercise is a wonderful way to get your heart rate up, body moving, and give you feel-good endorphins. These experiences can be bonding for couples if you choose exercise that you are both comfortable with.
Yoga, cycling, or dance classes are great options for accessible-yet-fulfilling classes to try together.
See A Movie
There’s nothing like the nostalgia of stepping into a dark movie theater, smelling the popcorn (butter), and settling into the big comfy seats.
Watching a film at the movie theater can allow you to immerse in a story and even remind of your youth by taking you back to your first date.
Paint Night
Some art-studios offer on-location paint classes to attend for fun. A few years ago, back when we were quarantined in our NYC apartment, my husband and I used an at-home paint night kit. They send you all the materials plus and instructional video. It was outside the box for us, and so much fun!
An another added bonus of being at home is that you are spared from embarrassment if you lack art skills, like us.
Game Night
I promise this can be more fun than it sounds. While games are usually more fun with more than two people, my husband love to play a game of Scrabble or Bananagrams over dinner. It leads to tons of playfulness and silliness as we test our vocabularies.
If you happen to be double dating, we love Clue! And Mendicot is the most fun card game you will ever play. If you have any Indian friends, do yourself a favor and ask them to teach it to you.
Spend Time Outside
I know this is going to sound cheesy but I’m going to say it: nature is perfect. Don’t forget all of the simple, ever-accessible beauty all around us if we just get outside.
Go for a hike, catch the sunset, put together a picnic, walk the beach, or take a bike ride.
Visit A Museum
Museums are such a fun way to learn about a topic together, see something beautiful or fascinating, and spark interesting discussion.
Whether you are interested in art, science, or history, take advantage of any local spots to have a night of culture. Botanical gardens are great for this too!
Comedy Club
Shared laughter is so important. Life and relationships are full of stress and challenges. Once in a while, it’s so important for couples to relax and be reminded of the soft and light parts of life.
Check out local comedy clubs if their acts interest you. There are also great options on Netflix (we like Jimmy Yang, Ali Wong, and Nikki Glaser!).
Couples Massage
Need I say more?
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