Cheap Dates for Couples

Good marriages don't just happen; they must constantly be worked at, worked on, and encouraged along. One thing which I strongly believe helps keep a marriage strong and healthy is regular times of refreshment - times to just enjoy one another, have fun, talk, share your hearts and dreams and struggles, and just be together away from the normal hustle and bustle of life.

Oftentimes, when someone thinks of a date with their spouse, you imagine it costing $25 or more. And if you want to have a weekly date, those $25 occasions can really start adding up. However, it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg to have weekly or monthly dates. In fact, if you're really creative, it doesn't have to cost you anything. Here are some cheap date ideas we've used to save ourselves hundreds of dollars while still keeping the spark alive in our marriage...

Eliminate babysitting expenses - This can be one of the most expensive costs of all when it comes to planning a date night. Start thinking outside the box when it comes to babysitting and you'll soon find you might not ever need to pay a babysitter again. How about swapping babysitting with a few families you are close with, each of babysitting once a month or so for another family and, in exchange, receiving babysitting services for your own children once a month.

Or, how about bartering for babysitting? Maybe you could teach a young lady from your church a skill you know in exchange for her being willing to babysit for you. One of my favorite options and one we often do, is to put Kathrynne to bed early and then we'll have a few hours set aside for a "date" at home. This won't work too well if you have older children, but by then, hopefully they'll be able to babysit for you and then you'll never need paid babysitters again anyway!