NB This is a sponsored post.
If you want to have a marriage that lasts the distance, it’s important to make time for each other.
As Psychologist Michelle Linmore says, “In the rush of everyday life, it’s all too easy to let our love relationship slide off the agenda. Other pressures like work, kids and chores can so easily take up our energy, leaving little in reserve for our life partner.”
What I’m about to tell you is not new advice by any means: you’ve probably heard it said a million times before … but allow me to remind you …
- Make time for each other. Schedule time for romance. Book a regular date night!
I Must Confess however, that there is one other thing apart from time, which the hubster and I have found often stands in the way of our being able to do this.
Money.
Or rather, the lack of it.
Like most couples, we’ve been through prosperous times and lean times (“for richer, for poorer”) over the course of our 24 years of marriage. Okay, there’s probably been more of the lean times, like when I was at home with the children; when we’d bought a new house but hadn’t yet sold our previous one; or even now, while the hubster is on some well-deserved long service leave on half pay (so he can have twice as much time off). At least now the kids are older, we don’t have to fork out for babysitters anymore!
But through it all, we have always tried to make time for each other, and headed out for a semi-regular date night.
One of the ways we have been able to do this is thanks to Shop A Docket. We keep our dockets and coupons on a clip in the pantry, and use these for our date nights – there are often great specials for cafes and restaurants, like a certain percentage off, or two-for-one deals. Thanks to Shop A Docket, we can halve the cost of an outing – or go out twice as often 
!
We’ve had awesome counter lunches at a local pub; been out for Mexican; or just tried out the coffee at a new cafe in town. Heck, we’ve even been to the Golden Arches on one of our date nights!
How do you and your partner make time for each other – and do you have any suggestions of other budget date night ideas, for the cash-strapped among us?!
I don’t think you have to go out – make a special effort at home – get dressed up, special dinner and all that jazz – or if you want to go out, I’m a big fan of the Entertainment book…some years we’ve saved up to $2000! Some years not very much at all, but always more than the cost of the book (I sell them for a fundraiser for the school, and daycare before that.) So they’re a good way to shave off $20-40 a dinner bill…
Hi Lydia, you’re quite right you don’t have to go out. Maybe because I have my office at home, I prefer a change of scenery! The Entertainment Books are great aren’t they?
We always make sure we come together every night for a favourite recorded television show and a cup of tea to unwind and chat. I then go to bed, and he goes back to studying.
We love our ritual of a cuppa and a chat each evening – one when he gets home from work, and another usually before bedtime 🙂
We don’t go out often (and by often I mean at all!) but last week Mercedes got a voucher for a free kids’ meal at a local bistro for getting player of the day at netball so we took them all out on Thursday night and it was lovely. It only cost us $52 too, which I reckon is pretty reasonable considering Maccas for this lot is $40!
Bargain – yeah for Mercedes!
Yes this is something we’re trying harder to do but need the help of family to care for our kids so not as simple as sounds! Love your suggestions though and glad you get out and about with hubster!
Yes the old babysitting dilemma does make it a lot more difficult, we had a boarder for a while which helped with cashflow and free babysitting!!!!
My man has grown up in a very frugal way & insists on keeping it that way forever. Even anniversaries & birthdays are plain ordinary-no gifts,no special dinners. It does seem silly compared to other folks in their twenties who go on constant date nights, exotic vacations&get amazing gifts, it did hurt too initially. But I kinda like the penny-wise way of cooking food together & staying at home these days.
My man was exactly the same! The funny thing is he comes from a wealthy family but you would NEVER know, they scrimp and save wherever possible – guess that’s how they got wealthy in the first place. Anyways, the good news is, he’s loosened up a lot over the years, just enough to make life a bit more fun 🙂
We had a bit of a challenge going between to try and come up with frugal but fun date nights. It was going really well and then I started blogging. Since then date nights have just fallen in our lap. BUT having said all that hubby is now at sea and I’ve had a tough year, so date nights haven’t really been a priority more fitting in with work when I’m to it.
When hubby returns I’m hoping to get back in to the swing of things. Starting with 😉
Blogging sure sucks up all your spare time if you let it! Enjoy your together time when hubby gets back 😉
Sounds like a lovely idea! Good on you! (might have to remember that idea for when the time arrives!!)
It definitely feels special going out with just your partner/hubster. Money used to be an issue for us..but it’s amazing how much money we have now that Paul doesn’t lend it to everyone. I don’t mind lending money if someone really needs it, but we were getting to the point where we weren’t able to do anything because we had no money.
How did you manage to change your man’s ways?! That is amazing! My hubster is a bit the same – will lend you the shirt off his back – sometimes to the detriment of his own family …
Date nights are few and far between for us so when we have the opportunity we don’t spare the expense. But there is lot to be said for a lovely special home cooked meal and a movie to snuggle up to!
Yes I must confess that is probably our most frequent date night option too 🙂
Now the kids are more independent we go out every weekend. Sometimes just for an eggy breakfast sometimes for a walk on the beach and sometimes for a long lunch. It’s lovely being married to my best friend 🙂
Couldn’t agree more Pinky 🙂
It is so easy to take the other person for granted and get into a routine. So I totally agree that couples at all stages of their life together should make time for each other.