Date nights don't have to be super fancy and expensive - we have been a one-income family since we had our daughter six years ago, which means a tight budget! But that's not an excuse not to have "date night," and you can celebrate this Valentine's Day together without breaking the bank.
When you think about Valentine's Day, you may get a picture of a fancy restaurant, dressy clothes, and a 4-course meal. But what about a date night IN this Valentine's Day?
Having a weekly date night is important because investing in your marriage every day is so important!
However, date nights don't have to be super fancy and expensive - we have been a one-income family since we had our daughter six years ago, which means a tight budget! But that's not an excuse not to have "date night," and you can celebrate this Valentine's Day together without breaking the bank.
You can have your date night right in the comfort of your home! This is especially great for those with young children or who want to save a little bit of money.
Now, if you are able to swing it, getting out of the house at least once a month on a date night to go eat, play putt-putt, see a movie, etc., is all great. You invest in what matters to you, and your marriage should! Plus, it lets your kids see that your marriage is important and that it matters. You can leave them at the grandparent's house or find a babysitter, but getting out of the house every once in a while is definitely a good thing.
Now, for the other weeks and days, I have an awesome and creative list of ideas to spruce up your Valentine's Day In this year and every other date night you have!
1. Popcorn and Movie (with a twist!)
Popcorn and a movie sound very simple, right? And sometimes simple is good! Again, as long as you are spending time together, that's what is most important.
But for this date night in, we will put a twist on popcorn and a movie! Go all out for this one. Find a movie in advance because if you are like my husband and me, it takes us hours to find a movie; by then, we have no time to watch it! Also, head to the store and load up on candy, snacks, drinks, etc., just like you would get at a movie theater but at a fraction of the cost. The next step is to make your living room or TV room into your own personal movie theater! Put a mattress on the floor, use couch pillows, and set up the ultimate cozy movie spot to enjoy time together!
If you can swing it, you can even find a cheap-ish screen projector on Amazon and set up a big-screen movie outside if the weather is nice or right in your living room! Snuggle up and enjoy this fun popcorn and movie date night in.
2. Old School Game Night
It can be super fun and intimate when you add nostalgia to your date nights! Throw it back and play some of your favorite board games from childhood. These could be games like Monopoly, Sorry, Trouble, etc. There are so many fun options, and it can start some great conversations about your childhoods and help you connect on a deeper level. It doesn't have to be an old-school game, just a fun board game you enjoy together.
If you don't have any board games or can't find any to play, cards will work too! You can find a cheap deck of playing cards at the store, Uno, Phase 10, and many others.
3. Connection Question Scavenger Hunt
This idea was actually courtesy of my husband! He planned a special connection question scavenger hunt that we did throughout different places in our house. You have 3-4 stations; at each station, there is a set of questions or activities to complete, leading to the last and most intimate station.
Let's look at an example of how this would be in action:
1. Station one: silly questions - put a couple of fun, ice-breaker-type questions. These are designed to get you smiling and laughing together.
2. Station two: personal questions - these would be more in-depth questions to generate conversation. Name three things you love about one another, struggles you may have, prayer needs, etc.
3. Station three: dream station - this is all about your future goals, hopes, dreams, and plans. Really dream and get creative! It may not all happen, but it's still fun to see what you can come up with and maybe even set some realistic goals to get you there!
4. Station four: intimacy station - this station is all about connecting physically. You can come up with your own questions for this!
For more question ideas, you can search "date night questions" and get tons of ideas! Ultimately this is a fun and FREE date night-in option that would make your Valentine's Day special.
4. At-Home Spa
This date night-in is such a fun one! You can set up your own spa in the comfort of your home. You can set up your bedroom and/or bathroom as a spa by adding candles and soft music (Pandora is great for this), and even have some comfy robes and blankets available.
You can use body oil to give each other massages, have a bubble bath, basically things you would do to relax at the spa. It's a great way to connect emotionally and physically, relieving stress from life's everyday pressures!
5. Marriage Devotional
One of the best things you can do for your marriage this Valentine's Day (and any day) is to connect and grow deeper in Christ within your marriage. A great way to do that is to find a couple's devotional you can read and pray through together.
Investing in a good marriage devotional is 100% worth it. Most are 30 days or set up similarly; however, you can always make it one night a week and stretch it out.
If you are having difficulty finding a good devotional, you can read together from God's Word and pray for each other and with each other. It's about submitting your marriage to the Lord and ensuring He stays at the center!
Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a stressful night of lots of spending, fancy dressing up, or stress! I hope you enjoy some of these Valentine's Day In ideas and even let them extend into every other week of the year.
