Romance doesn’t require money. Here are some free and affordable date ideas to help you keep your marriage alive without ruining your budget.

 

Now that we are safely more than a month away from Valentine’s Day, I can post this. I didn’t want my male readers to think that these ideas would fly for The Big Day. Some lady out there would have ended up hating me. But, this is good stuff for the other 364 days of the year.

 

We know that the institution of marriage isn’t faring all that well in our modern-day United States. Percentage-wise, we are at our lowest point since at least 1920. Marriage can be hard, and it is easy to drift away from your spouse over the years. Even for pastors, the combination of the demands on your schedule and lack of resources that often come with a call to the ministry can be hard on a marriage.

 

But, the Bible says to “Enjoy the wife you married as a young man!” (Proverbs 5:18, MSG). One way to stay connected with your spouse and enjoy each other is through dating. Dinner for two at your local steakhouse can be a real drain on your budget, though. If your wife manages the household finances, she might look at that steak and only see all of the groceries she won’t be able to buy because of it. She’s not trying to be unromantic, she’s just trying to feed a family on a limited budget. (Guys, this is true, some of us women think this way.)

 

So, what can you do? How do you date your spouse when you can’t afford dinner and a show every month? Here are a few ideas:

 

The New Parent Date

This is the perfect date for new parents. In fact, it may be the only possible date, especially while breastfeeding. (You don’t have to be a new parent to enjoy this one, though.)

 

Once the kids are in bed, light a candle and go eat your dinner on the back porch. Some romantic music, candlelight, and a change of venue can be enough to help you tune out the noise of life and focus on each other. Even if it’s for only half an hour.

 

And don’t worry about the fare. Whether it’s Olive Garden take out or peanut butter and jelly, it’s the ambiance and company that really matter. If the baby monitor hasn’t come to life by the time you’re done, you’ll even get to lean back and count the stars together.

 

Build Your Dream Home

This is a fun one, with one important rule. Leave your wallet in the car. All checkbooks, cash, debit, and credit cards must be safely locked in the trunk, or you could wake up the next morning with a Home Depot Hangover. You don’t want to go there.

 

Spend an hour or two with your spouse strolling through your local home improvement store. Design your dream home, from the backsplash and kitchen counters to the lighting and appliances. Don’t forget the riding lawnmower! It’s fun to dream and you can get to know your spouse and his or her taste even better.

 

Once you’ve built your dream home, you can head over to Ikea or Target to furnish it. Remember, though, keep all possible forms of payment locked safely away. You’re there to dream with your spouse, not to start fights and trash your budget.

 

Enjoy God’s Creation

Whether it’s a walk around your neighborhood park or you hit up TripAdvisor for your hottest local tourist destination, go enjoy God’s creation with your favorite of His creations (your spouse!).

 

Studies have found that spending time in nature improves short-term memory, reduces stress, improves concentration and sharpens thinking and creativity. Could your relationship benefit from any of those things?

 

For this date, you’re allowed to take your wallet with you (in case you find an ice cream or need to pay to feed the ducks), but you need to leave your cell phone home. Remember, you want nature to help you concentrate on your spouse, not your social media feed. Believe me, you can still reap all of the benefits of a date with your spouse without the selfie to prove it.

 

Travel The World Without A Passport

Dreamed of traveling the world, but your schedule, budget, and family are keeping you from it? Thanks to the recent food cart craze, you can travel the world without even going to the airport.

 

For this date, first choose a country and then find a corresponding food cart and cultural experience. Whether you eat sushi while watching a youtube video about the ancient samurais or eat tacos al pastor while watching a Cinco de Mayo performance, you can have an international adventure in one afternoon.

 

Make it a monthly habit and mark off everywhere you go on a world map. It took Magellan’s crew a little over 3 years to circumnavigate the globe. How long will it take you?

 

Learn Together

This one is for all of the introverts, home-bodies, and nerds out there. (Don’t be offended, I’m a big nerd myself.) Choose a book that interests both of you and buy two copies. Set up a weekly date to discuss the chapter you read during that week. It will be like your own personal book club.

 

If you like to learn but don’t want to read, sign up for a free online college course through coursera.org or edx.org. My husband and I did a University of Virginia history course through coursera and it was both interesting and educational. I wouldn’t exactly call it romantic, but it was great for facilitating conversation and we spent quality time sitting together watching the course videos.

 

Don’t use a lack of finances as an excuse to ignore your marriage. You can date your spouse for free. Take some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy the wife you married as the Bible commands and give her the opportunity to enjoy you. You won’t regret it.