Faced with the financial burden of two special needs children and having only ONE income, Tony and I struggle to get out for special time together that doesn't cost us an arm and a leg. It's near impossible for us to find any cheap attractions. Our city isn't full of interesting history or museums or touristy kind of things to do. Definitely not on the cheap, either. So how do we use all these respite hours that are meant to help us bond out of the house when we have NO money to spend? **This list can help any couple get out on the cheap, too. It isn't just geared toward special needs parents.** 1. Movie night without the costThis is a personal favorite of mine! A go-to for Tony and I when we are broke or have no friends to hang out with one night, we'll just drive off and park somewhere out of the way and snuggle up in the backseat for a movie night. I fold down the second row seating and we'll sit in the back, fold down the movie screen and tune the audio to be all the way in the back of the car. I'll have packed a meal and snacks for us. Even better than a movie theater since you can bring whatever you want! Movie - Old favorite or a new one from the $5 bin at Walmart. ($5) Snacks - Some dollar store candy for each of you and popcorn from home ($4-$8) Drinks - Either use some soda from home, or take your water bottles! Blankets and Pillows - From your own bed! So really, if you didn't buy anything special, it could a totally FREE fun time for a couple. Just make sure you have privacy (park in an abandoned part of a parking garage, out in a desolate part of a park or off a dirt road). We hung sheets over the windows to block out the sun, too, to prevent glare and overheating the car. Tip: to make it a bit more romantic, find some of those flame-less candles and set them around in the car. Make chocolate strawberries at home (2 for $5 strawberries from a local grocery store and a $2 of chocolate chips is plenty). Put on a romantic movie and feel the air turn into a favorite place to reconnect away from the kids. 2. Trivia NightAnother thing Tony and I love to do on Wednesday nights is trivia night at a local bar and grill. My brother and his girlfriend will come and be on our team. It starts at 6:30pm so we've already eaten supper, and we'll just split an appetizer or order a couple sodas. Once the game starts, we have fun and are distracted from ordering any more food or drinks. The trivia night is free itself, and keeps us entertained with some friends while being out of the house. Our local bar gives away free things for the overall winner, like a free appetizer or a free drink. So it might be worth it in the end! 3. Chopped CompetitionIf you're lucky to have family or friends take care of your kids overnight, you can still have a fun date night at home! We've done a cooking competition just to spice up the night and keep us from spending money. We'll give ourselves a time frame. Say, 45 minutes. Whatever we have in our cabinets or in our house is open to use to make a meal. It can get competitive for ingredients but is really fun to try to be creative without any special shopping trips. Super plus: it might clean out some of those cabinets! Then we'll judge each others plate and whoever loses gets to clean the dishes. Or bragging rights, or whatever! 4. Frisbee golfingIf You're Crazy EnoughIf you're the outdoorsy type, or live in a beautiful area that doesn't really experience winter too bad, you could Frisbee golf with your partner. It's offered free at local parks (in my city anyway) and typically isn't very crowded. Just bring some bug spray on the warm days, and play! It may sound not very fun to some couples, and it didn't sound fun to Tony and I before we tried it, but it actually turned into a good time! We got to get some time in the sun without having to worry about running after Hilo or making sure Seamus didn't get too hot. We got to enjoy a friendly/competitive game. 5. RESTAURANTS for lessI like a very typical date night. I love going to a restaurant, and eating some delicious food I didn't have to cook and just enjoying the atmosphere. But on a budget, it's difficult to afford to do it very often. And if an unexpected expense comes up? Forget about it! There is NO way. However, we've got a trick up our sleeve that really helps us still get that experience without paying for it. Before you ask, no we don't make fake I.D.s and pretend it's our birthday. They started catching on to that... Most restaurants have happy hours specials like half price appetizers. Applebees and Chilis have happy hours from like 3-6pm and 9pm-close. It drums up some business for them when they're slow and makes for some good deals! The only catch is the time you have to go. Either early or late. It is a good chance to order a variety of appetizers and maybe a few drinks together and just share it all as a meal. The price will be significantly lower than ordering full meals yet the amount of food you get is pretty close to the same. So you get to eat at a sit-down restaurant without the bill of one. Want more from on Both Fronts?
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AuthorGabrielle Rae is a special needs, stay at home mommy of two boys. She enjoys reading and writing novels in her spare time. @onbothfrontsArchives
August 2018
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