How to Save Money on Date Night
Joe and I try to go out on a date once a month.
The other night we went out to dinner and went shopping, all together I think we spent $15.
Our Cheap Date
Dinner at Bahama Breeze: $7.82 after using a gift card(2 appetizers, 1 entree, 1 drink + tip)
New shirts for Joe at JCPenney: $0 (exchange)
Enjoyed Beach Music outside at North Hills: (Free)
Shopping at Target: $7 (diapers and matches)
We are on a tight budget but we make sure we go out and enjoy a night on the town without the kids. Fortunately, we have family and friends that will usually watch the boys for free so we don’t have to worry about hiring a babysitter. But beyond free childcare we try to be as budget-friendly when we go out. I’d like to share a few ways we save on date nights.
Affordable Date Nights
1. Use a Coupon – I sign up for every restaurant e-club, so we get special discounts or coupons that we typically set aside for date nights. I used to be embarrassed about using coupons but it’s silly to not save money when they are offering it to you.
2. Take advantage of daily deals – Sites like Groupon, Living Social, and others offer great discounts on gift certificates. When we find a deal for a restaurant we like or want to try out I buy it, write down the expiration date and know that it will make an affordable date night.
3. Gifts – Every so often I received gift cards as compensation for blog work and I try to save those for special occasions. Also, when we get gift cards from family or friend we try to set those aside as well.
4. Eat Early or Late – Some restaurants offer discounted dinner prices for early birds. So if you can eat between the hours of 4-6pm you can often get a nice meal for a fraction of the cost. Also, some restaurants offer late night discounts like half price sushi after 9pm.
5. Eat Differently – Split an entree or eat a few appetizers as a meal or just go out for dessert. A date doesn’t have to consist of a 4 course dinner, you can enjoy a the atmosphere and good food of a nice restaurant if you change the way you dine.
6. Redefine Date – A lot of people think a date is dinner and movie but a date is really just setting aside time to spend one-on-one with your spouse to reconnect and enjoy life. Sometimes we just go out for ice cream, run kid-free errands, walk around the park, or attend a free community event without the kids. You don’t have to spend much or any money to go on a date.
Do you date your spouse?
How do you save money on dates?
