Hot Date Ideas

Some great dates are free, and others cost more than your weekly dating budget. If there is something the two of you want to do that exceeds your budget, all you have to do is plan for it. Let's say that you have a budget of $25 a week for your dates and there is a beautiful romantic restaurant you have always wanted to try that will probably cost $100 for the meal. You've always pushed aside the idea of going there. But you can get there and stay within your budget. All you have to do is be creative and go on three dates without spending any money, and then you will have your $100.

The Free Date

Use your imagination. There are so many things you can do that are fun and cost no money. Maybe you can drive somewhere special to watch a sunset. Depending on where you live, that could be the ocean, a lake, the mountains, the top of a tall building, or the middle of an open field. In the summer, you can pack a picnic dinner. Spread out a large blanket under a tree in a local park and sit and eat and talk. You can also invite some friends over for dessert and coffee and have the chance to catch up with people you haven't seen in a while. Or you could stay home, turn down the lights in your living room, and dance to music you enjoy. You can have a great time while saving for that very special expensive date.

Remember that some of the best things in life are free:

• Watching the sunrise
• Taking a walk
• Eating lunch under a tree
• Talking with each other
• Dancing to music in your home
• Smiling at each other
• Telling jokes
• Playing a card game
• Spending the evening with friends
• Watching the sunset

The Medium-Price Date

Most of your weekly dates with your spouse will cost some money. You'll probably go to a movie or out to dinner. But there are ways to jazz up even your average evening. Maybe instead of going out to dinner at a moderately priced restaurant, you could have dessert at a romantic, expensive restaurant. It would give you the chance to get dressed up and have a quiet, romantic evening without putting a big dent in your pocketbook. You could see a matinee instead of an evening movie, and with the money you saved you could have an inexpensive dinner. Or put the money aside to add to a future date.

The Expensive Date

Plan way ahead. You should relish every moment of this special experience. Anticipation is half the fun! Make sure you have reservations for a busy restaurant or special event. It would be a shame to save money for a play or concert and not be able to get tickets for it. By planning ahead, you won't be disappointed. And you will have more time to re-budget your dating money.

Try to make the evening as special as possible. Take extra care when choosing the outfit you will wear. Give yourselves plenty of time to arrive promptly. It would be a shame to feel rushed and stressed wondering if you will arrive on time. Do everything you can to ensure that the evening will go as smoothly as possible.

But, even though you should do your best to create a wonderful evening, don't put pressure on yourselves to have the perfect date when you are spending a lot of money. You might end up being disappointed. An expensive restaurant might not have the greatest food. Or one of you might have a bad cold on the night you had theater tickets. You just have to roll with the punches and hope things will work out better next time.

Romantic Getaways

One of the nicest ways to renew your relationship is to spend time together away from the day-to-day routine. It's easier to focus on each other when you're in a new place that doesn't remind you of the chores that need doing or the bills that need paying. Going away together will also create good memories the two of you will always have.

The type of vacation you plan together will vary depending on money and time constraints. You might have some wonderful ideas for expensive vacations that you would like to take with your spouse. It's possible that with careful planning you will be able to go on that trip.

But don't let the fact that you can't spend a month at a villa in Greece keep you from going away with your spouse. You can have great fun on a “free date” with each other, and you can have a memorable getaway for very little money, too. Remember, even one night away can be refreshing. Go away for a shorter time to stay within your budget. Or prepare some of your meals instead of eating out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you can't afford a hotel at all, find out when out-of-town friends are going on vacation and offer to house-sit for them.

Plan on going away overnight at least twice a year with your spouse. It will be one of the most enjoyable ways to keep passion in your marriage.

Take the fun date list of ideas and start planning. Mark dates and times on your calendar right away to make sure time doesn't slip by. Remember, your goal is to keep the passion alive in your relationship. As we said, good fun takes good planning, so get started now. Have fun!

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Marriage © 2001 by Hilary Rich and Helaina Laks Kravitz, M.D. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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