50 Ways to Be Romantic on the Cheap
Every Tuesday is Finance & Family Day at Zen Habits.
Normally my Family Day articles are about spending time with your kids, but today we’ll talk about another important aspect of families: couples. If you’ve got a significant other, I highly recommend you keep the spark of your relationship alive and find ways to show you appreciate each other, every week and every day, if possible.
Look for little, inexpensive ways to be romantic, and it will pay off for your relationship in innumerable ways.
Why inexpensive? Well, you could rent a limo and take your love to a snooty French restaurant, or whisk him or her off to a trip to the snow-capped Alps, or rent a stadium and have the Three Tenors sing love songs for you while the New York Philharmonic plays in the background. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to do that kind of stuff more than a few times a month. The rest of the time, I have to resort to cheaposity.
Before we get into the list, let’s look at a few notes on how to use the list:
- Weekly dates. I recommend you have a date at least once a week with your partner. It doesn’t have to be an expensive one, but at least find some way to spend a couple hours time together. If you’ve got kids, like I do, find a babysitter.
- Communicate. Romantic gestures don’t take the place of real communication. Take time to talk about your goals, your dreams, your plans for the future, your current lives, things you’re happy about, things you love about the other person, things you’d like to work on, things you’re grateful for.
- Inspiration. This list contains a lot of obvious stuff — you could probably come up with twice as many good ideas yourself. But the list doesn’t aim for originality — it aims to be an inspiration. Pick and choose some good ideas, or use it to spark some of your own. Sometimes we just need a little reminder.
- Forget Valentines. Boycott Valentine’s Day, as it makes people think they should be romantic on special occasions. Instead, pick one of these ideas and do it any day of the week — no need for a special occasion.
OK, enough talk. Let’s look at some ways to be romantic without breaking your budget (note to my mom: don’t read this, as there are a couple of sexy-time things later on):
- Write a poem.
- Cook a romantic dinner.
- Give a full-body massage.
- Pack a sunset picnic.
- Pick wildflowers on the way home.
- Burn a CD with love songs.
- Give dark chocolates.
- Read poetry together.
- Prepare strawberries with fondue chocolate.
- Snuggle together on a rainy day.
- Leave little love notes everywhere.
- Send a love email every day.
- Take a moonlit walk on the beach.
- Snuggle together while watching romantic movies (Casablanca, Audrey Hepburn are my favs).
- Get good wine, watch shooting stars.
- Take a bath together (use bubbles!).
- Bring home good coffee or a decadent sweet.
- Take a walk down memory lane — visit some of the special places from your early days of dating.
- Make warm chocolate cake for dessert.
- Make a scrapbook with photos, mementos, and little notes from you lives together.
- Kiss in the rain.
- Ride a ferris wheel.
- Sneak away from a party and make out.
- Bring home great take-out, and light some candles.
- Fix something or fix up the house just to make your partner happy.
- Slow dance to romantic music.
- Take a nap together.
- Kiss slowly, touching his or her back and neck and nape — slowly.
- Make a list of everything you love about him or her.
- Write a love letter.
- Clip or email things that make you think of him or her, every day.
- Go to a movie, ignore the movie, and make out like teen-agers.
- Groom yourself, and try to look good for your partner.
- Take some quiet time and talk about your day.
- Write little notes, one for each way he or she drives you crazy.
- Feed each other grapes.
- Recreate your partner’s favorite romantic movie scene.
- Pretend you’re going on a first date — show up at the door with flowers, all dressed up, with your car washed and cleaned, looking spiffy. Recreate the first time.
- Create a little box with a bunch of your partner’s favorite things inside.
- Paint each other with flavored body paint. Be creative!
- Try some sexy role-playing. Get dressed up, be daring, have fun.
- Give a little token to your partner to wear, and say it’s to remind him or her all day that you love them.
- Sing a favorite song to him or her. Only do this if you can sing fairly well.
- Have dinner on the roof, with some candles. This doesn’t work if your roof slopes sharply.
- Hold hands, and walk somewhere with lots of pretty lights.
- Say I love you. In a different way, every day.
- Blindfold your partner. Use a feather. Slowly.
- Declare your love, very publicly.
- Fruit or berries and freshly made whipped cream.
- Play Sade. Do what comes naturally. Slowly.
Other family day articles:
- How to Become a Patient Parent
- How to be a Great Dad
- Organize Your Family with a Family Binder
- 50 Grocery Shopping Tips
- Best All-time Children’s Books
- How to Teach Your Kids Good Habits
- Get Your Kids Outdoors
- 100 Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids for Free or Cheap
- Family Day and Family Meetings
- Baby Makes Eight: Raising Six Kids, Part 1 (Finances)
- Baby Makes Eight: Raising Six Kids, Part 2 (organizing)
If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us. Thanks!
- Posted on 3 June 2007 in Finance & Family |
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Comments (46)
Tantowi Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 9:42 am
1. Send her a bouquet of red roses. Nothing says it more than a dozen roses.
2. Listen to what she’s saying. Really listen. Active listening involves eye contact, repeating what the other person has said, mirroring their body movements, etc. Don’t try to give a solution to her problems, just provide a listening ear.
Som Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 10:08 am
And always remember when you do something for her/him..do it for her/his happiness, do not expect anything in return (thats the key). Its tough, but practice will get you there :)
Easier said than done, but true love fosters on that thought and will keep the relationship sparkling for ever.
Richard Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 10:34 am
43: “Sing a favorite song to him or her. Only do this if you can sing fairly well.”
IMPORTANT: Seek a friends opinion first. I know people who think they can sing alright… and it sounds like a bag of cats being swung around. ;-)
Richard Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 10:35 am
44: “Have dinner on the roof, with some candles. This doesn’t work if your roof slopes sharply.”
Hehehe
nav1 Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 11:48 am
The best gift I ever gave was, curiously, the least expensive. It was a heart-shaped balloon filled with little papers, each written with a reason why I liked her, and a little note with a pin attached to the balloon, so she could pop it and read them all. Everyone of her friends also loved it.
Jess Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 16:24 pm
Along the same lines as doing nice things for your partner:
Take the time to notice the things (big and small) that your partner does for you to make your life easier. Recognize it as an expression of love and thank him/her for doing it.
I think this is especially true for those whose partners have trouble being very emotionally expressive. For example, my dad isn’t very traditionally emotional or romantic but he does all kinds of little things for my mom, like fill her car with gas every week and pull out her chair for her at dinner every night. And my mom recognizes them as his way of telling her how much she means to him.
Adam Snider Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 17:20 pm
Great tips, Leo. Like you said, they aren’t really that original, but they’re simple things that help to cheap the romance going in a relationship.
I find that, most times, the inexpensive dates/gestures are the ones that have the biggest impact, and the most fun. They also tend to be a lot more intimate, because you can put more pof a personal touch on, say a home cooked meal, than you can on a meal from an expensive restaurant.
Shmily Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 21:31 pm
11) Leave little love notes everywhere.
This kinda goes with it http://www.theromantic.com/stories/iloveyou/shmily.htm
Richie Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 21:56 pm
FOR THE ADORABLE BAD BOY
Tell your girl that you’ve been a bad boy. When she says why, tell her “because i cut this a rose from your neighbor’s back or front yard for you!” (give her rose and smile)
Motorcycle Guy Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 21:59 pm
What about taking her to sonic family night for half price burgers then going to the dollar movies on half price night (both tuesday!).
Richie Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 22:07 pm
Send an e-card.
Abel Says:
June 3rd, 2007, 23:40 pm
I always cook nice dinners on special occasions but when you do just assume there’s nothing special is going on. And Leo is right, it doesn’t need to burn a hole in your pocket to be romantic. I find that simply give a hand-drawn card (to my surprise, my wife told me it’s her first hand-drawn card she received) to show my love and appreciation can do the trick. The key is surprise and women love surprises.
More ways to say I love you:
http://marriage.about.com/od/loveandromance/a/iloveyou.htm
Brenna Says:
June 4th, 2007, 1:15 am
Send e-cards whenever you think of them. Give a full body massage. Spend a quiet day in each other’s arms.
International Farmer Says:
June 4th, 2007, 4:01 am
51) Don’t get into a relationship with a woman unless you are ready to have children. They will fill your life with stress and frustration. Can anyone say, “JADED?”
Billco Says:
June 4th, 2007, 8:21 am
These are probably great for the innately cheesy types ;) But what can a bad boy do to (barely) reach beyond his lust-covered shell, without feeling like he’s trading his masculinity away for a chia pet ?
KevinQ Says:
June 4th, 2007, 10:36 am
For one of my most romantic gestures, I mixed 4, 6, and 26.
I planned a sunset picnic in a park overlooking the lake, with the sunset in the background. Then, I filled my iPod with slow romantic music, and gave each of us an earbud so that we could dance to the music that only we could hear.
It was quite effective.
K
AbundanceAttracting Says:
June 4th, 2007, 12:04 pm
Aw… these are all great ways to spend quality time with your partner!
How about getting into shower or bath together with some candles and romantic music? And scrub each other’s back… ;)
CW Says:
June 4th, 2007, 16:30 pm
Do all this, and she’ll still get sick of you. Be a man, just be one, and she’ll love you no matter what you do.
Richie Says:
June 5th, 2007, 3:27 am
DIGITAL ROSE
type ascii code for rose @–%– in her text messanger
Tawny Says:
June 5th, 2007, 22:24 pm
Dollar store romance:
Get:
Some candles
A card
some chocolate
ENJOY!
Renee Says:
June 13th, 2007, 8:35 am
#51. Make sure you know you’re partner before you do any of these.
Write them a POEM??? Um, only if you’re a professional and published poet or she writes poems to you too. Because otherwise, GAG. Actually, a lot of these are GAG.
Kurt Says:
June 20th, 2007, 15:09 pm
Send a ME-card from MushyGushy. They have some romantic e-cards that you place your own heads into and then star together in the animations. Free site and a sure way to make a real romantic impression.
Julia at How to Date Says:
June 21st, 2007, 18:14 pm
Those are some excellent and helpful tips! I love it when my guy sends me a simple romantic e-mail (we met online, so it’s nice to get those reminders of how we started 5 years ago). He’ll also send me lyrics to songs he hears that remind him of me. It doesn’t take a million bucks to make most girls happy! We just want to feel cherished and loved.
By the way, I found a link to your article at 15minutedate.com’s blog, and I just wanted to thank you for providing such a fun list of ways to keep the romance alive! I’ll be linking to you from our How to Date site!
Kqluevvv Says:
July 3rd, 2007, 9:38 am
very interesting
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Jakob Says:
July 10th, 2007, 8:36 am
This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title to Be Romantic on the Cheap | zen habits. Thanks for informative article
Callie Says:
July 19th, 2007, 17:52 pm
This is very cute and fun to do! All you need is a audio cassette tape and a gold or silver gel pen. Snip the end of the tape and put a tab that says pull on the end of it. Write on the tape w/ your gold/silver pen like how much you love him/her or list everything you love about him or her! Then trace a cassette cover and cut it out and decorate it! Its fun and comes straight from the heart!
Holly Says:
September 30th, 2007, 1:31 am
My husband & I had about five months before he left for deployment and we made every Thursday night our date night…on the cheap. He’d pick me up from work (or walk downtown) and we’d go to a happy hour that we had already researched was a good deal. You’d be amazed at happy hour specials. We joked about starting a column/website regarding the deals we found. It was cheap but fun to get a little more dressed up on Thursday morning instead of the usual work uniform. It was special and made our time together even more meaningful.
P.S. for you guys who think these are cheesy, take it from an Army wife, who was in the Army herself, they aren’t. It really is the little things that count for us girls. We just want to know you think we’re special and think about us often. How are we supposed to know unless you show us somehow.
Mark Kavanagh Says:
October 1st, 2007, 8:21 am
16. Take a bath together (use bubbles!).
I thought I’d give this a try. I ate a plate of beans to achieve the desired effect. I was banished to the dog-house for days!
Bobby Rio Says:
October 29th, 2007, 21:33 pm
This is a good list of ways to be romantic… but I think there is more to being romantic then cliche activities like writing a poem or kiss..
Fred Says:
December 3rd, 2007, 5:30 am
I’m glad Im doing things right, just read this for the first time and have done more than half the things on the list.
The Audrey Hepburn movies with my girlfriend are one my favs
*steph*@-%- Says:
December 30th, 2007, 8:24 am
Wow this stuff is good but all you really have to do is find a spot alone just you and your partner kiss them all over in different ways and tell them you love them and just let you feelins slip if its your girl tell her shes amazing and its not hard to love her and for your man tell him you love him and hes the onley person you want to be with and when ever you see your partner tell them simply “i love you”
amj121 Says:
January 2nd, 2008, 4:28 am
Good list, I’m sure I can use one of the list. Just want to add, don’t forget to hug your partner every morning right after woke up and say “I love you”. If you are out of town, send SMS every morning saying “I love you”. Your partner will love it. Send flowers when you are out of town. Use online service, you can find it here at Send Flowers Cheap Online
arun Says:
January 21st, 2008, 13:44 pm
wow!!
ssarnold Says:
January 24th, 2008, 0:54 am
some of you who think these ideas are stupid must be single and lonely or your mates are stupid
and we all see why
grow up everybody needs to feel the love man
this is a good site great, ideas good, variety very inspiring!!
Fred Says:
January 28th, 2008, 18:49 pm
Live in cold area’s like me…. write in the snow… us your feet or colored water…. something short but sweet…. like a heart with your initials inside it… be creative…
Kyle @ Rather-Be-Shopping.com Says:
February 11th, 2008, 15:29 pm
Some fun tips. I did a similar post,50 Valentine’s Ideas That Won’t Break The Bank that might give some of you romantics out there a little inspiration this Valentines Day.
saahir Says:
February 13th, 2008, 14:17 pm
these are really romantic tips above.but i don’t have a single friend.anyone who read my comments plz join me and add me in his contect only men over 45 can add me. i am from pakistan lahore.
saahir Says:
February 13th, 2008, 14:19 pm
these are really romantic tips above.but i don’t have a single friend.anyone who read my comments plz join me and add me in his contect only men over 45 can add me. i am from pakistan lahore.
raggablasters@hotmail.com
A fellow Says:
April 1st, 2008, 0:21 am
Well these ideas are pretty good for first timers, in my opinion if you know your loved one, you know what they like. My girl loves to have her hair played with, its like a full body massage at my finger tips. Also, poems are the best, you express your thoughs and feelings. It doesn’t have to be shakespear, it just has to be from the bottom of your heart.
Biggest tip of all, you must give to recieve, but don’t always give for the reason of recieving. If you show your love, your partner will show it back, but don’t do something romantic just so you can get something out of it *cough* sex *cough* do it because you love them.
Iris Says:
April 5th, 2008, 4:10 am
Thank you for the good Blog. You should always remember that you takes time for your partner, also if you have big stress. Because thereby you wins so much strength for the everyday life.
Ryan McLean Says:
May 4th, 2008, 9:52 am
This is an awesome post. Me and my girlfriend have dates every week on a thursday night. I am a student and pretty poor so these tips helped me heaps.
I am looking to propose to her just trying to save up $1500 for a ring (she found one she LOVES!)….so I am blogging to try and earn some extra money to put towards it.
Your blog is awesome…my blog is also awesome…and will be just as good as yours soon…
Thanks for the ideas
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