As the price of gas and other living expenses continue to skyrocket (but your pay doesn’t seem to be doing the same) one of the first things most people cut from the budget is going out. But worry no more, there is hope! Even though you’re trying to spend less money, you don’t have to stop having fun.Be Gym Rats Together: Get together every night after work and head to the gym. You can spend 1-2 hours together and share a hobby that both of you enjoy- whether that means taking an aerobics or kickboxing class together, being a spotter, or playing a pickup game of basketball. You’ll find that your passion for fitness will keep you from trying to figure out what to do every night, and that nightly fight about what to do is easily solved by going somewhere that is close to home and costs nothing (if you already have a membership).
Take a Class: Your local junior college has plenty of classes that you can take as a couple for very little money. Think about it- ceramics (think about the movie Ghost) can be fun, and at approximately $80 each (in CA) for a 6 month class can be a real bargain! Or if ceramics isn’t for you there are other classes like foreign language, athletics, history, woodworking or even chemistry and physics (think about it ;)).
Video Game and Movie Nights: If you own a video game system and a TV you’re already set. Video games can provide hours of fun and "friendly" competition. Soon you’ll find yourself wrapped up in winning or at least pretending to lose. Movies are another inexpensive source of entertainment. Sign up for Netflix or Blockbuster to have movies delivered to your home, pop some popcorn and snuggle up under a blanket for a relaxing evening.
Bring out the Board Game: Do you remember playing board games as a kid? You could play games for hours and still enjoy the game time and time again. Go find those kid games on sale at your local store (Connect 4, Monopoly, Checkers, Jenga) or adopt some grown-up games (Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Scene It!). Invite friends over and make it a double-date for some friendly competition.
Go to the Beach: The beach can be a fun day and evening out, and can be done for relatively little money. Grab a couple of towels, the sunblock that has been sitting under the sink since last summer, a couple of bottles of water, some munchies from your cupboard and a good book or magazine. Use Google to find a beach near you with free or cheap parking, and make a day or evening date out of it!
Go for a Hike: To go hiking you only need a pair of comfortable and sturdy shoes or boots, some bottled water, and you can even take a picnic basket to add to the romance of the hike. The most expensive part of hiking is typically the fuel to drive to the right spot.
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