How To Keep Romance Alive On A Budget
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Finding ways to keep romance alive on a budget is quite simple, provided the person you are dating doesn’t mind love without expensive frills.
When You Find Romance, Cherish It
Expensive restaurants, weekend getaways, fine wine, and jewellery are great to splash out on for love in your life.
Still, it can be costly to maintain that level of frosting in a relationship.
Some alternatives to these purchases cost much less but still mean a great deal and say, “I’m in love with you.”
Romance Is The Little Things In Life
Being romantic doesn’t necessarily imply rushing out and spending lots of cash on shiny things.
It’s quite the opposite, depending on who your partner is and how you both view personal finance.
A handwritten love letter seems to be a lost art, especially when you post it so your loved one receives it in the mail.
A card you bought from the dollar store can say “I Love You” just as well as that $5 Hallmark card version from the mall, but you can afford that little effort more often.
You can go to Full Monty and make a card from scratch, depending on your skill level in the art department.
I’m not sure that I would qualify as Hitch, the professional dating doctor out to fix every Albert and Allegra when it comes to advice about dating, but I can suggest tips for dating frugally.
There’s always room for improvement; my wife might agree to that.
I would love to create more romantic situations, trips, and fun things with her over the coming year.
She deserves it; I haven’t yet delivered much of it.
She knows I’m not much for celebrating Valentine’s Day, as I prefer to show my love and affection for her every day of the year.
I love her all the time, not just one day a year.
Getting up in the morning and making breakfast or bringing in a coffee with a rose on the side can add that little romance, even at 7 a.m.
It’s not the coffee, more the gesture of love and affection.
Spending time making something or thinking up something to do together can be rewarding, too.
House Cleaning Is Not A Date
Cleaning out the refrigerator together does not constitute doing something together.
Couples can easily get caught up in the daily grind and start to take each other for granted.
What was once new and a loving gesture in the beginning has now become a routine.
Although the gesture may still be genuine, it lacks the weight it once carried.
Getting Outdoors Is Romantic
Getting out and doing something different or going somewhere new can break the monotony in a relationship.
I know cinema costs can be high, but most run half-price weekday afternoon tickets or morning shows.
If getting out and about is your style, how about taking it further into the forest?
Walks in the woods, a picnic, a camping experience, or boating on a lake are all fun for the right couple.
You can try a day at the beach or visit other famous landmarks within a short distance of where you live unless you live in a remote area.
Research places and things to do; there may be more opportunities to do fun things than you thought.
Embrace the cold winters and go sledding or tubing down the side of a hill.
Mobile Romance
Geocaching is pretty popular; don’t spend too much on a GPS device; otherwise, the frugal aspect is flat on its face.
However, once the initial purchase is made, the experience is accessible continuously.
Instead of an evening out at a pub or club, you could trade it in for a romantic evening of intergalactic proportions by researching astronomical events, watching shooting stars, or comet tail displays.
A personal favorite of mine, although technically not astronomical, would be to see at least once in my lifetime the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights with my cherished one.
Romance Is Food And Drink
You don’t have to celebrate with a $40 bottle of champagne; there are alternatives like the Spanish Cava or the Italian Prosecco.
Cheaper still is the easy-drinking budget wines that cost under $10, which may not be to everyone’s taste but can still aid in celebrating an occasion or anniversary.
The wife’s particular favorite alcoholic beverage is Mateus, a Rosé wine at $9.25 for the smaller bottle or a bargain busting $15 for a double-size bottle.
If you spend an evening out watching stars or a comet, then take some hot coffee or tea for those cold nights.
Cook up a romantic meal for the evening instead of going to that fancy fine dining place in town.
I’ve also heard that women find men who cook very sexy.
Don’t miss showing them how in love you are, even if that means using a spatula and mixing bowl.
Putting effort into creating a meal and ambiance to romance the night away is just as rewarding and cheaper than eating out.
Besides, you save on the meal and the tip, and you are in control of the entire meal from start to finish.
The best part is you know what goes into your meal because it’s made with two hands.
Meals in our home are mainly prepared by myself since I enjoy cooking and creating new recipes for this blog.
Creating a full meal isn’t hard once you’ve mastered the stove and oven.
If it’s the first meal you’ve cooked, research and prepare in advance.
The effort counts; the fact you went and created something for your other half will be just as important, if not more, than making a reservation.
Budget Entertainment Ideas
Regarding saving, we budget for entertainment every month and have a rendezvous account from the grocery shopping underspending, which is $82.62.
You can track our rendezvous account by following or posting your shop in my weekly Grocery Game Challenge.
Depending on how frugal we are with that figure, we can go out on a date or two or more.
If you are not careful, spending too much on expensive gifts from overcompensating can hit you financially.
Curb your romance enthusiasm and keep it simple; the minor things in life count more.
The principles remain the same whether you’re dating on a budget or just inquiring about how to have a lasting relationship on a budget.
Either way, whichever path you are currently on, the level of romance doesn’t need to be budgeted, just the price of it.
Try something new or strange, and let that romance meter go from low to HELLO!
Discussion: What other suggestions are you for keeping the romance alive on a budget?
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