20 CHEAP Date Nights!

20 Cheap Date Nights!

Since yesterday I told y'all how one of my favorite valentine's dates entailed dressing up, cooking dinner, and staying in, I thought I'd share some other fun, cheap date night ideas. 

It's Friday! TGIF. If you're a procrastinator (like me) and just now figuring out your weekend plans, I thought I'd share some ideas. Here are things you and your favorite person can do without spending lots of money- 

1. Make breakfast for dinner! (Just like they did in The Notebook!) Make a new variety of pancakes like banana (just like the Jack Johnson song) pecan, chocolate, or blueberry. Bake your bacon in the oven- it's a lot less messy! Just put some foil on a cookie sheet, lay out your bacon, sprinkle on some brown sugar, and voila! Best bacon ever. Put on your pjs, and enjoy your yummy food. 

2. Have a dance party in your living room. My whole family LOVES to dance. But dance lessons are expensive and take time... so why not have your own dance lessons? Pull up some YouTube videos and teach yourself how to duggie. Here is a video of Lindsey and I learning the wobble. 

3. Break out the deck of cards. While my blackjack skills have convinced me that I do not ever need to gamble in Vegas, (I'm horrible!) playing rounds of speed or slapjack will have you laughing for hours. Anyone else remember that scene in Runaway Bride? 

4. Build a fort! One of my favorite forts of all time is the movie The Holiday. I love those twinkly lights. Magical. You never know what will happen... 

5. Dress up and cook dinner together. You don't need to spend a lot of money for a good meal! Find a new recipe on pinterest and get cooking! It might be a learning experience, but you'll laugh while learning to cook pork chops. And you won't have to tip your waiter. 

6. Play tourist in your own town! Look up the noteworthy places in your town and go explore! There are probably parks and monuments that you have never seen before... why not go look around? 

7. Read together. I know, you might think this is a nerdy idea. But I love the sound of my fiancé’s voice and hearing him read out loud warms me to my toes. You also might get a different perspective on something or some insight into how your significant other thinks. Jon and I recently read Kisses From Katie together and I'd totally recommend it! 

8. Go for a walk together. Sometimes after sitting at the desk all day, it's just nice to do something active. Get some fresh air and enjoy time with your favorite. 

9. Movie night! Make your favorite movie snacks and hit up Redbox. One of my best friends from high school and I used to melt mini marshmallows into our popcorn. Delicious! I also love puppy chow. Evidenced by my super smile in the picture above. 

10. Play "Would You Rather." My family sat around doing this last week and we laugh so hard that our stomachs hurt. I mean really, how do you choose between noodle hair and newspaper skin? 

11. Have your own spa night. Light some candles, put on some relaxing music, and give each other massages. What a perfect way to relax after a long week! 

12. Bake cookies together! And then instead eating all of them and making your stomach ache, wrap them up and distribute them to friends! Your friends will love you (and so will your skinny jeans!) 

13. Make a hot chocolate bar! Get some cheap hot chocolate and then buy some fun toppings! Think whip cream, sprinkles, marshmallows, chocolate syrup, peppermint sticks, etc. Then invite your friends over for game night! It's cheaper then going out to eat and more fun!

14. Sidewalk chalk. I know it seems childish, but trust me it's so fun! Especially if you do it somewhere after hours... Sidewalks chalk your favorite coffee place with a fun good morning message to surprise everyone in the morning! Bonus points for going there in the morning, and pretending it wasn't you. "Man, the sidewalk looks awesome... Who did that?" We won't tell. 

15. Bundle up and go for a run. I know it doesn't sound all that fun, but trust me the endorphins you'll get after will make it totally worth it. 

16. Snuggle up in front of your fireplace with some blankets. Simple, sweet, and sometimes just what you need after a long week. 

17. Invite your neighbors over for dinner! These days it's not unusual to not even know your neighbors, because hey, we're all busy, but you never know when you'll need someone close by. So buy some spaghetti and invite them over. Cheap dinner + new friends = perfect Friday night. 

18. Have a navigator’s council. A couple in one of my favorite books of all time, A Severe Mercy, held navigator's councils every year. This where they'd evaluate the year and see if they liked what they were doing, where they were headed, and would plan what they should do definitely. Fail to plan, plan to fail. 

19. Plan your next trip! I know the trip itself won't be cheap, but the planning part is half of the fun. Jon and I want to backpack around Europe and I love making plans for our future adventure. Which route will we take? What countries do we want to visit? Where will we stay? We probably won't take this trip for another year or so, but it is oh so fun to think about! 

20. Picnic. Totally wonderful no matter what time of year. In the spring, we bring a blanket to the park, I bring a book and he brings his guitar. I read Leaves of Grass or e.e. cummings and he sings me songs. Perfect spring day. In the winter, set up your blanket inside in front of your fireplace, make some finger foods, put on some music and enjoy.