Who Says You Can't Get Romantic On a Budget?

Yesterday, Toby and I celebrated eight months of marriage. Eight months, ya'll! And on Sunday we will have been together for SEVEN years. Geez! And the romance is still going strong! Toby and I try to have a romantic night as often as we can, especially since we don't have kids just yet. We know how important it is to be intentional in our marriage, as it is a gift from God and the most important relationship you will have on this earth. Our general rule of thumb is to have date night at least twice a month and to go somewhere and sleep in a different bed or location *wink* about every three months. Being young newlyweds, we seriously don't have much money to spend outside of necessities that often. But, if you know me, you know that I hate excuses and I make sure I try options A through Z before I give up, especially when it comes to our relationship. So how do we make this happen?

The easiest way that I can explain how we get romantic in our relationship is to use examples of what we have actually done! So let's get started:

Have a picnic. You just knew I was gonna say that, huh? But hear me out. Although there is nothing wrong with the traditional picnic at the park on a nice spring or summer day, I do not do well with bees and creepy crawlies trying to make their way to my hair, skin, or food. While you can definitely still go that route if you want, you can also take the picnic indoors. For Valentine's Day last year, Toby and I were both broke so he cooked at my house, and I made a beautiful picnic setting on the floor in the family room (see details here). You can get really creative with this: add flowers or petals (real or fake), dim the lights and add candles, play your favorite music in the background, put your couch's cushion pillows on the floor, get out your nice china, etc. And you don't have to do just lunch or dinner; you can do a dessert picnic or make s'mores by candlelight. You can make it sexy and blindfold each other and have a guessing game *wink wink*. You can have it during the afternoon, or late at night, or early in the morning, or whenever you want. The options are truly endless.

Have a staycation. A staycation is simply what it sounds like: a vacation while staying put. This could be unplugging for the weekend and enjoying the oasis of your home, or it could mean finding a nice, affordable hotel in the next city or two over. Toby and I did this for our sixth month anniversary back in June and we absolutely loved it! We were not only refreshed, but we also helped each other recognize and move toward our dreams and goals. Whether you stay in the comfort of your home, or choose to spend a couple of days at a hotel, you can still up the romance. Get a scented candle that is to only be used for "sexy time" (so that the brain always pairs that scent with pleasure!), get some flowers, throw some petals (again, real or fake) on the bed, play your special playlist, make the shower all steamy or run the bath with bubbles and/or essential oils, and have fun with each other! Use this time to get intimate, to talk about your hopes and dreams, play games and to even catch up on sleep!

Cook dinner together. This is so much fun! Find a new recipe that you either already have the ingredients for at home or ingredients that you can afford to run to the grocery store and buy. If you're feeling extra romantic, set the table with your nice dishes, your glasses, and some flowers. Then have a ball cooking and eating together.

Have a date jar. I'm pretty sure you have seen pictures of date jars floating around on Pinterest and social media. I highly recommend making one! These come in handy when you want to be consistent with date night, but don't know what to do other than dinner and a movie. There are so many ways to create and use one; just look it up! I used a date challenge I found here and put each idea in our date jar.

Do something small daily. Just about every night, Toby and I make an effort to watch Friends together, although last week we took a break to watch The Bible series. During this time, we have the rule of no phone, computer, or anything else that hinders us from spending the hour or two together. I love our little routine!

Welp, those are just some of the ways that Toby and I get all romantic and intentional on a budget. See, that didn't cost much, did it? Let me know if you want me to make a Part II! Also, here are some additional little tips to help you get on your way towards having consistent romantic time with your loved one:

• Prayer. To be honest, I can't do any of this outside of God. He puts the ideas in my head and He makes the way for us to be able to spend time with each other without feeling like we're missing out on something due to our lack of funds.
• Pinterest. Ya'll my love for Pinterest has grown since I've gotten married because I just want to be like, the. best. wife. EVER. Haha. While I know that my little goal there is basically impossible, Pinterest (outside of God) does help me to be the best spouse I can be. There are so many resources for date night ideas, tips for dates on a budget, having dates when you have kids, etc.

So, get to datin'! What are some of your go-to frugal date ideas? Share them below so we can inspire and encourage one another!