Money Saving Money - Date Night

When thinking about a romantic evening, or planning a romantic outing with that special someone, it's not easy to see past the fact that most of the things you want to do cost a lot of money.  For those on a budget or trying to save money you need to think differently.  What you need to keep in mind is that romance isn't about the environment, or the stuff, but rather it's about the people, and the emotions.  It's about being together with someone you love and spending time together and NOT about the money spent on that time.  Most times the gifts that cost the least mean the most because you have to think about what your sweetheart truly likes..

- Instead of dining out at an expensive restaurant, why not have a picnic instead.  It doesn't have to be something elaborate, as this could be just as expensive as the restaurant.  Visit your local grocery store and buy items that are easy to transport, and require little preparation.  Choose things which are easy to eat with your fingers, and that you know your partner enjoys.  Food which is best eaten cold, and creates little mess is also a good choice!   Transfer the items into storage boxes which will keep them fresh and safe during the trip to the picnic location.  If you are having canned drinks, pick these out of the cooler cabinet.  If you are taking a bottle of wine, secure this inside a bucket with some ice and place the bucket in a clean garbage bag so that the ice doesn't melt over the car if it's warm outside!  Vacuum flasks of coffee are great for cold days.  Choose a location which has something nice to look at - either a drive out to a nearby lake or river, or into a woodland area.

- A trip to the movies is a nice way of spending a romantic evening, but again this can be expensive, so organize a movie night at home instead.  Rent a movie that you both want to see, spread a blanket and some cushions on the floor, have a bucket of warm microwave popcorn, and some tall glasses of cold soft drinks standing by.  The bonus is that instead of paying a high price to sit in uncomfortable seats, you can snuggle up together on the floor and watch the movie in real comfort.

Whatever you choose to do to, always remember that it is the time you spend creating something romantic and special that you know your special someone will really enjoy that is more important than an expensive gift that is advertised everywhere but completely impersonal.