Your best $0-$10 date?

With three young kids, hubby and I are lucky to get time away during med school. Even then, I only budget $5 a week. (Not that we get out every week!)

Assuming I don't have to pay for sitter fees, can you give me some creative ideas for fun dates during med school?

Thanks!!

[planet]

Do you play sports? Dh and I have always had the best dates doing something active and slightly (ok, who am I kidding? ) competitive.

We currently play tennis. You're in the south(?) so I imagine you have good weather for outdoor sports most of the year? An hour and a half of tennis (free) plus coffee or a smoothie after ($5).

[DCJenn]

Netflix- that 5 bucks will get you two movies a month.

Jenn

[MDPhDWife]

Do have community centers in your town? We've gone to play table tennis and basketball and have had a blast! We also have a summerfest in our city every Saturday night the month of July. There's live music, street performers, free face painting and balloon animals for the kids, etc.

We also enjoy going to the dollar movies. I can't remember the last time we went and saw a full priced movie. We subscribe to Blockbuster Online and for about $20 a month we have unlimited rentals and can swap the mail ones in the store so we're never w/o movies.

We're big poker fans, so we also host a weekly low stakes poker game with friends. It's a $10 buy in and the top three get paid out. Lots of fun and mentally stimulating.

Those are all that come to mind at the moment, but I know there's plenty more. We've been doing very cheap dates for years and are pros at it! I'll post again when I think of more.

[samssugarmomma]

We go on what we call a "high school date" - dinner at Wendy's where we order off of the 99 cent menu and then air hockey at the video arcade or a matinee movie.

[PrincessFiona]

Picnics are fun. DH and I still enjoy doing it....Go on a nice walk and then settle down with something to eat that you've brought from home....It can be really romantic and it is a lot better than sitting through a movie, etc when time together is at a premium!

kris

excellent

excellent ideas, we'll have to try them out. doing the same old thing gets old. keep em' comin!

let me add another parameter: after 8pm dates. When all the kids are asleep, we can get free sitters (other med students who will come and sit in the house and study so we can go out). Several of your suggestions still work. Just wondered if this sparked any more ideas (or sympathy! )

A friend once told me she and her husband would take their kids to a playground where they could park right in front of the play structure. The kids could play while the two of them could talk and enjoy chinese food.
On the days when you can't get a sitter, you can still make it out. Of course, there are some ifs--like if your kids are old enough to play independently, if you are in a safe area, etc. You can feed the kids beforehand, and promise a treat if they play nice for a specified time.

I like to get a pastery breakfast - bagels or muffins, something freshmade for a little time together (though we usually have the kiddos so you'd have to get out w/out them)

Or go to a coffee house get something warm - decaf if it's late, and grab a cookie

Or split a dessert and share a class of tap beer - depends on where you go if this can be done for $10, but it can be done

I also like to go get a drink (coffee, a wine, whatever) then go the bookstore and look around, and make out like wild adrenaline rushing teenagers in the parking lot

DH and I used to go to Borders or Barnes & Noble on the weekends and just putz around reading magazines and seeing what books were new. We would just grab a coffee at a table and could spend an entire afternoon there, sharing things we read.

[MDPhDWife]

DH and I used to go to Borders or Barnes & Noble on the weekends and just putz around reading magazines and seeing what books were new. We would just grab a coffee at a table and could spend an entire afternoon there, sharing things we read.

Oh yeah! I forgot to mention this one! We love doing this and we get a lot of great ideas of books to check out from the library.

I also forgot that now we take the dog for long walks around nature preserves or a local park. I love spending time outdoors to just unwind and reflect - remind myself how my worries and troubles are so insignificant when the world is so large.

[Momo]

This post depresses me...a date what is that???

Re: Your best $0-$10 date?

Sometimes you can surprise yourself with stuff you have around the house. One year DH and I had a low budget new years. We moved the mattress down from the bedroom and put it smack in front of the fireplace. Made many many different interesting appetizers with what we could find in the pantry and bought a bottle of Cook's champagne. We just watched whatever movies were on that night. The whole thing was silly, but it stands out as one of the funnest nights I had with him.

Re: Your best $0-$10 date?

Sometimes you can surprise yourself with stuff you have around the house. One year DH and I had a low budget new years. We moved the mattress down from the bedroom and put it smack in front of the fireplace. Made many many different interesting appetizers with what we could find in the pantry and bought a bottle of Cook's champagne. We just watched whatever movies were on that night. The whole thing was silly, but it stands out as one of the funnest nights I had with him.

This reminds me of years ago when DH and I would hang out, watch a movie on our "louch" that's right, a louch. Louch definition: when a couch and love seat are put together with coushions touching for ample leg room

, ahh good times despite the work