• Talk to your partner and tell them you want to start having regular date nights with them. Get them on board!
• Pick a regular day and time that works for you both. It could be once a week, once a fortnight or once a month. Agree in advance that this will be date night, and write it down in your calendar.
• Take date night seriously! Try not to schedule other things over the top of date night, but if it can’t be avoided, make sure you ask your partner if they mind rescheduling before you fob them off, otherwise you’re sending them the message that your quality time together isn’t important to you.
• Finally, make sure you do something new every time! Injecting novelty into your quality time together recreates the same brain chemistry as when you first fell in love… it will bring back the butterflies!
• Date night needn’t be expensive. Be creative with your ideas. If you need inspiration, head to $30 Date Night where we have hundreds of date ideas waiting for you.
For Parents
• Consider getting another couple who wants to start their own date nights and do a kid swap every other week or every other fortnight. You’ll only need a few hours to yourself. It may even be that your date nights are a Saturday afternoon activity!
• If you can’t possibly find babysitting, there are plenty of things you can do in your own house – have a floor picnic, for example!
• Make sure that if you’re having an at-home date night the computer, TV and phones are switched off to signify a difference from normal ‘at-home’ time.
• 10 Great At-Home Date Ideas for Parents
• Try not to talk about the kids while you’re having date night together – the idea is to relate to each other not as ‘Mummy and Daddy’ but to recapture and build on your relationship with each other. Conversation Starters can be a big help.
For Singles
• Doing something quirky for a first date is a great way to show your personality to your new love interest. Find something fun that resonates with you – ice-skating and hot chocolate, or a trip to an art gallery – instead of spending hundreds at a fancy dinner. Anyone can do that!
• Use these $30 Date Ideas as a great way to catch up with friends. You’ll have a blast. If you happen to be looking for other hot singles, you may meet some like-minded ones. If not, you will have solidified your own friendships and made new memories.
And finally, have fun with it! Laughing together, being silly and being playful are all great ways to rebuild intimacy and get you out of your relationship rut.
For more great date night inspiration, head to http://thirtydollardatenight.com
