Looking for cheap date night at home ideas that won’t break the budget? Here’s a list of easy options for under $10 each!
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In a Nutshell:
Date Nights don’t have to be expensive. There’s plenty of things you can do for free or cheap date nights at home! Watching movies, doing puzzles, looking through old photos and watching the sunset can all cost under $10 and still be fun!
As a single income household we’ve had to really watch our budget and cut expenses. This lifestyle change has been a learning process but has taught us to be creative with what we already have. One thing we’ve been working hard on is finding cheap date night at home ideas to stay connected without having to spend money on a babysitter or fancy dinner. Here’s a list of cheap date night at home ideas we’ve tried and loved!
What is a Date Night at Home?
A date night at home is a chance for couples to spend time together without having to spend the money or time on going out to an even or dinner. They can be especially helpful for parents who don’t want to hire a babysitter. A date night at home is can be cheap and still be a fun way to connect with your spouse.
12 Cheap Date Night at Home Ideas
1. Puzzle and an Audiobook or Podcast
If you don’t have a puzzle already you can easily find one on Amazon for under $10. If you’re willing to take a gamble, you can also look at thrift stores near you. It’s hard to know with the thrift stores, though, if all the pieces are accounted for. We like to listen to an audiobook or podcast while we work together on the puzzle. If you don’t have a subscription to Audible (I don’t), you can check out your local library for free audiobooks!
2. Popcorn and Movie
It’s almost too easy! Make your own microwave popcorn and grab a blanket to cuddle in. If you don’t pay for streaming services like Hulu or Netflix you can rent a movie free from your local library! My husband don’t pay for streaming but we’ve collected some DVDs from garage sales that we enjoy watching too. Whether it’s a new to you movie or a classic you both love, curling up on the couch with some popcorn can be a great cheap date night at home!
3. Card Games
I know this may sound like an old person game but cards can be easy and fun to play! Most people have a deck of cards laying around but if you don’t you can find unique cards like this one on Amazon or cheap regular decks at the Dollar Store. Here’s a few of my favorite 2 player card games that use a standard deck.
- Gin Rummy
- War
- Nerts
- Golf
4. Board Games
It doesn’t have to be a 5 hour game of Monopoly to have fun! Grab your favorite drinks and some cheap dollar store snacks to make a great date night at home. Some of our personal favorite 2 player games are Qwixx, Battleship, Checkers, and Blockus. To keep the date night low budget, play with games you already have or try your luck at a cheaper thrift store game! Be on the lookout for sales on board games during the holidays if you’re interested in building your board game collection.
5. Painting
Painting is as cheap or expensive as you would like it to be. If you’re just looking to try it one time think about grabbing a few cheap paints and brushes at Walmart or the Dollar Store. You can paint on paper you already have or a canvas if you’re willing to spend a few more dollars. If you want to get the easels and a set of paint supplies, you can find them here for about $25.
Painting can be fun to get into with your spouse while you chat or listen to a podcast. If you’re wondering what to paint, you can do a quick google search for beginner painting ideas. I’ve also seen a recent trend where couples try to paint each others faces and then show the finished product at the end. It looks like fun but we haven’t tried it! If you want something a little more structured, you can find painting classes on Youtube and live classes on Facebook Events.
6. Sit by the Fire
If it’s warm out and you’ve got a fire pit you can sit out under the stars with a campfire. Grab your favorite drinks and make some s’mores or just sit and talk. If you’ve got a table nearby try grabbing a deck of cards for some Gin Rummy!
If it’s too cold to sit outside, you could check out Yule Log video indoors. Curl up under a blanket and chat over hot cocoa. This date night combines nicely with #9 on the list (Make a Plan or Dream a Dream).
7. Fondue Night
Fondue can get expensive if aren’t careful, but a simple chocolate fondue with whatever fruit and crackers or cookies you have on hand can be a great cheap date night at home idea! Chocolate fondue can be cheaper to make than fancier cheese fondues but choose whatever recipe you like best. You don’t have to have a fondue pot to make fondue. You can keep it in a small slow cooker or in the hot pot with the burner off. Fondue also reheats well if refrigerated after date night.
8. Cook or Bake Together
You don’t have to make a gourmet meal or dessert to have fun. Try any new recipe with ingredients you already have to keep it cheap and fun! One time we tried making Bavarian pretzels. Another time we made homemade noodles. Bake together or have a bake-off competition, it’s up to you!
9. Make a Plan or Dream a Dream
Set aside a night when the kids are asleep to grab some snacks and dream. Talk about your goals for your family, your marriage, and your kids. You could also set aside time for a fun planning session for a house project or vacation. Whatever you’re dreaming or planning, keep it light and make sure you don’t get stressed under time constraints. One of my husband and I’s favorite date nights is to watch an episode of No Demo Reno, then dream about ways we could improve our own home on a budget.
10. Watch the Sunset
This one is easily combined with a making a plan or playing a card game on the front porch. So often we get through our days and then switch on TV to zone out once the kids go to bed. I think we don’t notice the sunset often enough so I love making time to watch the beauty together from the deck!
11. Look Through Old Photos
If you don’t have photo albums printed, go ahead and check out your memories on your phone. Find the funny videos you’ve saved on Snapchat or your Google pictures of the kids as babies! This is one of my husband and I’s favorite free ways to spend time together. There’s so many things you forget happened until you get to relive them in photos. It really puts time into perspective!
12. Dance Party
Play your First Dance song, your playlist from college, or your current favorite artist it’s up to you. Dance and sing along! You could even work on creating your own playlist for your next road trip.
Do you like any cheap date night at home ideas I missed? Let me know in the comments!