20 Dates For Less Than $20

I am always looking for great date night ideas for me and my hubby. Believe it or not a lot of people think that once you get married that the dating STOPS...that is the biggest mistake you can make in your marriage. The same things you did to get that person are the same things you have to do to maintain the relationship. Dating does not have to be a extravagant production  it is not about where you go, but about spending time with one another and great conversation which means great memories and if you're lucky a GREAT night. Wives still need to be swept off their feet and husbands need to know that they are still the apple of your eye. So never take each other for granted or get so caught up in the kids and daily responsibilities that you forget about each other. Because guess what you made a commitment to be with one another for a lifetime and in order for that to happen you have to invest time into one another. So with that said I found these ideas courtesy of Ministers Mike and Wanda Collins @http://www.christian-marriage-today.com/romance-ideas.html and thought I'd share these great ideas with the rest of the married couples. A lot of times couples don't have date night because they say they don't have the money because they put to much emphasis on going all out. Just take the time to enjoy your spouse......

1. Have a Joke Telling Showdown -- Has the art of laughing
been lost in your relationship? The Bible says that laughter is
medicine for the soul. And we couldn’t agree more. So, why
not plan a night strictly for being silly. Make each person
responsible for finding or creating funny jokes or stories to
share with the other person. For extra fun you can each dress
silly and ask your kids to be the joke judges.

2. Create a Homemade Spa – Start by placing fresh linen on
your bed and then sprinkling the sheets with rose petals. You
could also lightly spray the sheets and pillowcases with a
relaxing aroma such as jasmine. Now, either dim the lights in
the bedroom, or light candles. Use your stereo or portable
CD player to play soft background music. Then move to the
bathroom and create the same type of atmosphere there.
After the two of you enjoy a warm bubble bath together,
move to the bedroom and give each other full body
massages using baby oil or massage oil.

3. Cook a Meal Together – Visit the Food Network website or
your favorite recipe website and select a romantic recipe.
Print the recipe and then go grocery shopping together to
hunt for ingredients. Bring the ingredients home and then have a good time cooking your selected dish together. Touching, kissing, and flirting are highly encouraged in the
kitchen.

4. Be Kids Again – Take a trip to the local park and enjoy the
swings, seesaw, and sliding board. For added fun visit a
water park.

5. Visit a Pet Store – If both you and your spouse are animal
lovers this is sure to be a lot of fun!

6. Go House Hunting – What does your dream home look like?
How many bedrooms does it have? Note sure? Well, why not
go house hunting together? Have fun walking through new
homes as you create a mental image of your future blessing.

7. Read Out Loud to Each Other-- Borrow your favorite book
from the library or purchase a book. Take turns reading out
loud to each other. Even try different voices for different
characters. Then talk about what you liked about the story or
what you didn't like.

8. House Swap – For a free weekend getaway, try house
swapping with some friends.

9. Go People Watching – Humans are some the most
interesting specimens to observe. Go to the mall, airport, or
Local Park and hang out for a few hours watching people
come and go.

10. Go to a $1 Movie – The cost to go to the movies these days is
in our opinion, ridiculous! By the time you add in the cost of
popcorn, a candy bar, and a soda, you could have paid for a
ticket to see a Broadway show. Okay, maybe we’re
exaggerating a wee bit, but I think you get our point. We
suggest you find a One Dollar Movie theater in your town and
enjoy a movie there. The cost, including snacks from the
concession counter is more than 50% less than the total cost of a
regular theater.

11. Dessert and Coffee – After dinner, take a trip to your
favorite coffee shop. Once there, order your favorite drink and
share a dessert. Now, relax there for a while. Enjoy your treats,
the conversation, and the atmosphere.

12. A Country Drive/ City Drive – How sad it is that some of us
never leave the perimeters of work, home, and church. There’s
a lot of interesting things to see right there in your own city.
Why not take the scenic route to “no place” and enjoy seeing
things you’ve not seen before. Be sure to pack a lunch from
home to avoid wasting money on fast food purchases.

13. A Romantic Walk – Before turning in for the evening, take a
romantic walk under the stars. Hold hands and talk about your
hopes and dreams for the future.

14. Game Night with Friends – Invite a few couples over for
games and fun. If you’re short on games, ask each couple to
bring their favorite game. Here are a few suggestions: Scrabble,
Cards Games, Charades, and Pictionary.

15. Miniature Golf – You don’t have to be a pro golfer to play
miniature golf. This is a stress free, fun filled activity that many
unmarried couples choose as a first date. Why? First of all it’s
inexpensive (that is, if you don’t play too many games), it gives
the two of you a chance to talk. And on top of that, a little
healthy competition is always fun!

16. A Picnic – Pack two blankets and a few of your favorite
picnic foods. Visit your Local Park right before the sun goes
down. Use one blanket to sit on and the other blanket for
snuggling and cuddling under cover. Enjoy the food, the sunset,
and each other.

17. Visit a Bookstore – Have fun searching for a book the two of
you would enjoy reading together. The challenge of course is to
keep the cost of the book at $20 or less.

18. Taste Testing – Each person gets $10 to go out and purchase
items for tasting. The items that each person buys must be kept
a secret from the other person. At home, you’ll each take turns
feeding each other the foods purchased you each purchased.
The catch is that the person doing the tasting must wear a
blindfold.

19. Jazz in the Park – Every Summer our Parks and Recreation
association offers free music concerts in the park. Typically, it’s
done on the weekend and there’s never a shortage of people.
Which why you should plan on arriving early. Bring two folding
chairs, a couple of blankets, sandwiches, and drinks from home.

20. A Day at the Beach – If you live near water why not spend a
day at the beach with your sweetie. The two of you can collect
seashells, go snorkeling, build a sand castle, or just walk along
the shoreline. To keep this date under twenty dollars you will
need to bring your own lunch, beach chairs, and umbrellas.

Have Fun Dating Your Spouse!

Kiss every chance you get. Hug him like you mean it! Having a goal helps us make choices that free us. What you do EVERY DAY matters more than what you do ONCE IN A WHILE.