A lovely morning to those of you who saw me on IndyStyle today! Welcome to the Queendom, we’re so glad you’re here. The Money Saving Lords and Ladies in the Court of the Queen of Free welcome you with open arms.
When we first began our journey to become debt free ($105,936.48 paid off since April of 2008, woohoo!), one of the things I sorely mourned was date night. An evening out with the King of Free is one of my greatest joys. But, with a little creativity and intentionality, we’ve been able to keep the romance real and our budget under control. Here are a few tips for you to do the same!
- If Grandma and Grandpa don’t live nearby, consider doing a childcare swap with another family. Instead of paying a hefty babysitting fee, mark dates on the calendar to care for some friends’ kiddos and have them do the same for you. Date expense = cut in half!
- Keep it simple. Instead of trying to jam pack your evening with every possible imaginable date night activity (dinner, movie, dessert, dancing, roller blading . . . I don’t what you kids do these days), trim things back to one of the above and add in a walk in the park or a trip to the bookstore. You’ll feel less overwhelmed and so will your wallet.
- Follow sites like Groupon, Eversave, and Living Social. Not only do you get great discounts on local attractions, but you also can earn referral bucks through your social media networks when you share deals with your friends and family. In the end you may end up getting to do something very cool for completely free. Score!
- I’m also a big fan of programs like My Coke Rewards and SwagBucks for the very same reason. You can use the points you store up to cash in on gift cards and end up with a night out on the town for free.
- Consider Mystery Shopping. My very favorite site to use is Mystery Guest, INC. You sign up, select a shop, and then pay close attention while dining. Afterward, fill out a survey (probably takes 15-30 minutes) and you’ll be reimbursed up to a certain amount, usually in the form of a gift card to the same establishment. You can only do so many shops within a certain time period, though so don’t expect to go out every week. Be wary of any mystery shopping site that charges you money though. You don’t have to pay to get a great deal. 🙂
- I love the site Iheartmyspouse.com for both events and “great date experiences” – fantastic ideas for significant date nights on the cheap.
- Be sure to check out the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors’ Association’s Visit Indy site for ideas AND great coupons, too!
- Go all creative and have a change date night where you scrounge up every loose penny, nickel, dime, and quarter in your house and everything you do is paid for in only change. We’ve had some of the most creative and fun dates doing just this! A trip to the batting cages, some skeeball at the local arcade, or even the dollar theater is an easy target for change night.
- I love, love, love this post on 50 dates under $50 in Indianapolis, categorized by FREE, Under $25, and Under $50. Find tips for some of Indy’s best kept secrets for date night!
- Above all else, set a budget! If you use cash only, you’ll be more intentional with your boundaries.
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*This post does contain affiliate links. So while you’re learning how to score a cheap date night, you might also be helping the Royal Couple do the same. And for that, we royally thank you.
