I have been reading several articles that give details for frugal dates. I decided to collect them and put in my two cents too. However, I am going to do it using the local area and give some specific places. It would be great if others would chime in here with ideas too!
On Saturday, my husband and I spent time out of the house running errands. We took our time and I showed him the wonders of Gifford’s Farm Market and Feed Store . We bought chicken feed (cheaper than Tractor Supply by several dollars) and some pretty, Fall gourds. We browsed the pumpkins for sale ($.35/lb.) and the mums (3/$12.00 which seems to be standard). Then we went to Wal-Mart in North East to pick up medication and salt for the water treatment system (Morton Rust Repellant and cheaper than Home Depot. I also had coupons for $1.50 off 2 bags. Score!) Next was Good’s Structures and Farm market. I bought a 50 lb. bag of potatoes for $8.99 to split with my neighbor, and a half price pumpkin to cook up. Then we walked around looking at the structures and dreaming of what we would buy if we had the money (a guest house for guests, a garage, a play house for our grandchildren, etc.)
After we arrived home at 2:30, we decided to go out for a late lunch. It was a spur of the moment decision and not a frugal one. We went to the Pier One restaurant in North East. It had okay food and a great dessert menu. What we should have done was eat at home and go out for dessert and coffee. That would have been frugal and a treat.
Part of going out on a date is to spend time together. People who are married, or are long term partners, do not necessarily need an expensive date or a date in the typical sense of the word. A date can be doing errands and enjoying each other’s company while you are out and about. I think this is especially true of people with children. Privacy is hard to find in a home with children of any age. If being alone and spending time with your partner are the objects of the date, than this can be accomplished with a day running errands and including a stop for a treat like coffee/tea, ice cream or dessert.
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Jill, I think this is hard one for a man. They want to "treat" us. I have found that I much prefer to eat in. I love it my husband makes me popcorn and we watch a rented or favorite movie. We once went to the top of the space needle, and had starbucks and a chocolate [of course there is a Starbuck's up the there]. It was not a cheap date, but we didn't eat out or go to a show. The show was Seattle at night, from the top of the Needle and the dinner was something microwaved in his barracks room.
ReplyDeleteI think a good idea would be to make a list of fun free or inexpensive things to do, like go to the beach or take a walk, or have a favorite meal made at home, and then you could take turns choosing from your personalized list. I would love it if my husband wanted to go thrift store shopping with me, and I am sure he would love for me to serve him a beer and chips during a football game... but we'll have to see about those.
That is a great idea, Committed Recycler. I will post it when I do Part 2 of the Frugal dates ideas.
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