51 cheap date ideas for parents

51 Cheap Date Ideas for Parents

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As you can imagine, as parents, getting out without the kids is not always easy. Sure, it helps to have teens at home.

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We can easily bargain with them to babysit the younger three.

We trade off so they have a decent social life and we get some time alone. Although, even then, our date nights are often limited by our budget.

We have to get creative and think outside the box.

But we consider the time together important to our relationship… so we make the time and work things so that the budget works.

Our marriage thrives because of it and it is essential to keeping the spark alive even as parents.

Even if you have to settle for cheap date ideas, that does not mean they can not be fun and full of craziness.

In fact, I think they make everything better. More spontaneity and spunk only improve the relationship, right?

51 cheap date ideas for parents

Cheap Date Ideas

So, think outside the box. Explore new ideas. New possibilities. You may discover some great activities you never thought you would enjoy.

  1. Attend a local high school or theater group performance
  2. Go geocaching
  3. Spend a night stargazing under the stars
  4. Walk through a Nature Preserve
  5. Scavenger hunt through a local mall or town square
  6. Cheer at a local sporting event
  7. Find a perfect location for watching the sunset
  8. Camp out in your backyard
  9. Share a conversation over a cup of coffee
  10. Attend a local karaoke night
  11. Dollar Date: Each person gets $1 to spend at a store on the other person
  12. Go visit model homes in a new community
  13. Set up a projector and watch a movie under the stars in your backyard
  14. Take a test drive in a new car you dream of owning one day
  15. Go roller-skating… and hold hands during couple skate
  16. Take a drive around town
  17. Visit a local park and enjoying playing together
  18. Take in a dollar movie and split a popcorn
  19. Spend some time at a local beach or pool
  20. Find free events in your area such as concerts, market days, street fairs
  21. Bury a time capsule together
  22. Take a dance class at a community center
  23. Find a nearby film festival to attend
  24. Volunteer together
  25. Sit in the food court of the mall and people watch
  26. Build a blanket fort in your room and enjoy the space afterwards
  27. Take a bubble bath together after the kids are in bed
  28. Have a progressive meal: each course at a different restaurant
  29. Go dancing
  30. Take a drive down memory lane
  31. Lay in the grass and find cloud animals
  32. Take out the crayons and coloring book and color a picture for each other
  33. Have a pillow fight
  34. Lip sync a movie: watch a movie with no sound while you become the character’s voices
  35. Take random pictures of you both at different spots throughout the city
  36. Walk through the botanical gardens holding hands
  37. Jump on a deal site and find a budget-friendly hotel room
  38. Dig out gift cards and use them
  39. Look up local deals on a phone app
  40. Lock your bedroom door and play truth or dare
  41. Have a board game tournament
  42. Catch up on a tv series together
  43. Play Frisbee golf together
  44. Get your kids involved: Have them serve you dinner restaurant-style
  45. Recreate your first date
  46. Have an in-home spa night and pamper each other
  47. Take a historic tour of your city
  48. Play a game of hide-and-seek
  49. Check Groupon for a new local dining experience
  50. Attend an amateur comedy show
  51. Personal drive-in: grab a tablet or laptop, popcorn and drinks, and set in your car in the driveway watching a movie

And now… more to add to my list of reasons I still love my husband:

  • 26. He thinks of me… often. I know by the surprise treats he brings me when he is out.
  • 27. He finds happiness in the little things. And this makes things easier for me.
  • 28. He makes the best cup of coffee… which is important to my shear existence every night.
  • 29. When necessary, he is open to constructive criticism. This is helpful since I tend to give it more than I should.
  • 30. The kids adore him… and that alone makes him the sexiest man. Nothing better than watching him be an amazing daddy to our children.
  • 31. Book yourselves into a paint and sip session with a studio like Pinot & Picasso. You’ll have a great time and get to keep the artwork as a memento from the evening too!
What are your cheap date ideas for parents?

What is your biggest dating your spouse challenge?

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