Date nights are a fun way to reconnect with your partner. Often in sessions, I hear things like “We just don’t have time”, or “We can’t find a baby-sitter”, or “We don’t have the extra money”. If you’ve ever said any of the above, please keep reading!
I’m going to prove that date nights don’t have to be expensive. The first thing I want you to try is to Google “Cheap date nights in (insert your city and state)”. Just in Indy alone, there are dozens of websites with ideas for cheap date nights. In addition to this, Groupon/Living Social are wonderful resources to get local deals on restaurants, shows, and activities…with huge discounts!
Think outside of the box. Dinner and a movie is fine, but can be expensive. Consider visiting a state park, taking a hike, and packing a picnic. What about a comedy show, concert, or a sporting event?
For some free ideas, consider exploring parts of your city that you may not be familiar with. Visit downtown Indy and walk around the circle, or even the Arts and Design Center in downtown Carmel. During the summer, there are many free concerts available in Fishers at the Nickle Plate Amphitheater or at the Lawn at Ft. Benjamin Harrison. There are also plenty of free winery and brewery tours and tastings all over the city.
One of my husband and I’s favorite things to do is visit the 100 Acre Woods at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA). It’s free! We also enjoy visiting other museums around the city.
Finally, let me address the biggest issue, which is childcare. This doesn’t have to be a roadblock to date night. Find 2-3 friends who are in a similar situation as you. Consider doing a baby-sitting co-op. A co-op looks like this: You commit to watching your friend’s children on a Saturday night, so they get a date night. Then, the following Saturday they watch your children and you get a date night. Add in another couple or two, and you could get multiple date nights in a month for free!
What other cheap and free date night ideas can you think of?
Written by Christy Fogg, MSW, LCSW
*Christy Fogg, MSW, LCSW is a licensed therapist at Journey to Joy Counseling. Christy enjoys doing marriage/couples counseling, individual counseling, premarital counseling. She also provides family counseling, teen and adolescent counseling.
Journey to Joy Counseling serves the Indianapolis area, including Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Zionsville, and Westfield.
