As a newlywed, I have been looking for ways to connect with my spouse during the week and weekends. With me being an educator and him working in the social services, there are some nights where we’re both far too tired and too busy to go on a date. Yet we’ve both also made it a point to try to be intentional about the time we spend together when we are together.
If you’re in a relationship with someone who has quite the busy schedule, here are a few  date night suggestions for spending time together together that are not only inexpensive, but easy to do from home.
Be your own barista:
As previously mentioned, both my husband and I love coffee. We love discovering new cafes almost as much as we enjoy visiting the cafes we always frequent. However, doing so can get a bit pricey after a while if you do it all of the time. You figured some coffee can cost as much as $4.00-$5.00 a cup – if you’re like me and tend to go for cups larger than a small or 8oz.
Go big or go home – right?
Why not bring the allure and deliciousness of this to your home?
Use your favorite coffee, creamers, whipped cream, and toppings and make your own drinks! You can even steam your own milk to add to your coffee to make froth for lattes!  I did this once for a work event and it actually turned out pretty well, but that’s another recipe for another blog post, I’m sure.
You can make your own or ask your significant other to make your drink and get creative with the toppings. One of my favorite homemade coffee drinks to make are mocha peppermint lattes topped with crushed peppermint.
I would recommend getting decaf as an option in the event that you want a second one, but also want to be able to sleep at night. I would also plan ahead to ensure that there are enough options for your and your significant other to enjoy.
Movie night:
I think movie nights don’t get enough credit for being inexpensive date night ideas. Instead of going to the movies, scroll through Netflix or rent your favorite film or documentary from the RedBox, make some popcorn, and enjoy! While my husband is definitely more of a movie buff than I am, we both enjoy spending that time together. It’s an easy and fairly inexpensive way for us to spend intentional time together without having to leave the house to do so.
Recently, we had a movie night at home where we ordered pizza and watched documentaries, which led to some really insightful conversations afterwards.
Cooking night:
I typically cook most of the meals when it comes to our culinary activities, but I don’t really enjoy cooking. While I enjoy whipping up easy meals that can thirty minutes or less, I also desire to diversify my meals so that we’re not eating the same things over and over or eating too much box food. While I certainly could eat tacos all day, er’ day, I’m sure my husband would get sick of it. But, I digress.
While cooking is definitely not my favorite past time, whenever he joins me in the kitchen, it makes doing so way more fun because it becomes an activity we’re sharing together. Even if he takes more of the role of the sous chef, having him there as I cook is definitely more fun than cooking by myself.
Why not recreate this as a date night? Rather than spending money taking a class together outside, the next time you go shopping, ask your significant other what meal they would like to make, buy the ingredients and then cook it together. You get to spend more time with that special someone and you get food at the end. It’s a win/win!
Re-read your vows to each other:
What a sweet way to re-affirm your commitment to each other than you have your own private ceremony where you re-read your vows to each other? Make it super special by getting all dressed up!
Board game night:
My husband and I used to go to this place in Delaware named Presto to drink coffee and play board games. They had games like Scrabble® and Taboo®. This inexpensive date would be perfect for a night at home! Grab your favorite game(s) and have at it! I’m pretty competitive, so this is right up my alley.
21 Questions:
Believe it or not, while my husband and I were dating, we played this game when we first started, but over the phone since we were in different states. We’d take turns asking each other questions and answering them. Seems kind of lame, but it was a great way for us to get to know each other and not feel like we were interrogating the other person with all of the questions. These were questions we would’ve asked each other anyway except it wasn’t one-sided. You could re-create this with your spouse by asking additional questions that you may not have asked before and pertain to your marriage.
For example, ask questions such as, “what does your ideal date night look like?” or “what is your favorite part about being married to me?” You can also use this as an opportunity to check-in with them and see how they think things are going or areas where you could both improve.
Build your own fort:
Sounds childish, I’m sure, but it’s a lot of fun and it’s something I’ve always wanted to try with my husband. Grab some sheets and drape them over your couch or some kitchen chairs, place some pillows on the floor below you both and leave an opening for viewing the tv. It’s a fun way to bring out your childlike side while also saving some money.
Journal night: We both love to write and while this next suggestion makes us sound incredibly nerdy, it’s something we used to do even before we got married. We’d sit down in Barnes and Nobles with a cup of coffee in one hand and a pen in the other, writing. What we wrote about was completely our choice, but most times we wrote short stories. Once we finished, we’d switch books, allowing the other partner to read it.
Book club: Growing up as a teen, I remember my family and I would go almost every other Saturday to Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, roaming the streets of Germantown Avenue for artisanal cheese (shoutout to the cheese job), Philly pretzels, and books for a few years. After we’d load up on those three things, we’d return home and spend the rest of the Saturday.
Yes, my family’s former Saturday tradition is legit goals for the future family my husband and I hope to have. If you love reading, what better way to share this love than with the love of your life? Go to the bookstore one day or order a book online that you both can read and discuss together. One night you can prepare a cheese tray with a drink of your choice and have a book discussion about the chapters you read.
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What are some of your favorite date night ideas or what would be your dream date?
