10 Fun At Home Date Ideas When You Can Not Go Out

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Here are some at home date ideas when you can’t afford to date your husband. In some seasons it’s hard to make dating your spouse a priority. Don’t miss these ideas on how to date your husband when you can’t afford dates.

As mamas of young children, we tend to focus most of our time and energy on our children. Especially for those mamas who stay home with their children, it’s hard to change this mindset.

It is for me anyway. All-day every day my attention is on my children. When my husband comes home, I’m done. As my daughter would say, “I don’t even have one energy left.”

Mom Life with never ending laundry and toys everywhere

You’ve heard you should date your husband, but once those words are said you zone out.

You know it’s important. You know your marriage is struggling because your time is consumed with kids, the house, work, laundry.

So how do you make marriage work when you can’t afford to hire a babysitter once a month, let alone once a week?

It’s easy to turn on the television or hop on Facebook or Pinterest, watch Instagram Stories, and zone out. It’s even easier to give up and throw up your hands because it’s pointless to plan a date night when you know the babysitter will cancel or a kid will get sick.

But friends, that is not how we feed our marriage.

Let’s stop this cycle right now.

Maybe you are like us. We don’t have family around who can watch our children for free. If we go out, we have to get a babysitter. That costs money and isn’t always an option. Here are some practical at home date ideas for how to plan date nights when you can’t afford to date. Affiliate links have been used below.

10 At Home Date Ideas with Your Husband

1. Picnic and a Movie at Home.

Go ahead and fix dinner for the kids. You could already have them in bed when your husband comes home, or while one of you is getting the kids ready for bed the other can be set up the picnic. You could pick out a new release or a movie that brings back memories of when you were dating. We love using Redbox to rent movies. You can’t beat the price. Just remember to take it back on time! Netflix is another great option if you already subscribe. For the picnic, keep it simple. You want to be able to enjoy your time together.

Stay at Home Date Night

2. Take an online cooking class together.

This isn’t for everyone, but I think it would be fun. Put the kids in bed early and spend the evening in the Kitchen cooking together. I know I’ve heard a lot of good things about America’s Test Kitchen. There are also 20 Essential Cooking Techniques (w/ Brendan McDermott) or Craftsy Food and Cooking Classes just search for baking, which look amazing.

3. If you didn’t want to take a class together, you could still make a meal together.

Making sushi together and then eating your creations. Making his favorite meal together with you. If you got neighbors involved (it would really need to be a next-door neighbor since children are sleeping), you could have a cook-off. A stay at home double date!

4. Phone and/or text him during the day to let him know that you are thinking about him.

I am more of a texter, but if you’re not, I’m sure he’d still love to hear your voice. If he immediately answers and asks what’s wrong, you might need to make more contact during the day :).

5. Leave notes to brighten his day.

On the screen of his laptop, in his briefcase, on the steering wheel of his car, on his cell phone, in his lunch if he takes one. Place a note, or multiple notes wherever you look most.

*If you’re going to write something racy, I would come up with code words together or use emoji’s to save everyone from embarrassment. Just sayin’.

DATE SPOUSE

6. Go outside.

Sit on your front porch or back porch together. Hold hands. Talk. It’s really the simple things that we forget to do. It doesn’t have to be big and elaborate.

What would life be like if you could flip a switch and be “in the mood”? Okay, maybe there’s no switch. But you can totally change the way you think about sex! 

7. Go for a walk as a family and hold hands.

8. Kiss each other first thing in the morning, before he/you leave for work, when he/you return home, and before you go to sleep at least.

9. Make a list of what you love about him.

If your kids are old enough, ask them what they love about Daddy and write them down.

10. Talk.

I don’t suggest talking about budgets or finances during this time though. Save that conversation for later. But one of the reasons for at home date ideas is to communicate and talk about life, your feeling, reconnect, and see how you are really doing.

Are you with me? I would love for you to share your ideas on how to date your husband in the comments. Marriage is something that we have to work on. Every. Single. Day. We can’t put our marriage in vacation mode or autopilot and expect it to survive. Be intentional. Date your husband. You’ll be glad you took the time.

What are some ways that you can be intentional about dating your husband this week?

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140 Comments

  1. I love these ideas. My husband and I try very hard to keep connected since having our daughter. It is incredible how one little person can change your relationship so dramatically! Great post this is something more couples need to keep in the fore front of their minds.

  2. I love having movie nights with my finance! During my first marriage, we lost our sense of togetherness. We did not take the time for each other and in the end that is one of the things that tore us apart. I refuse to make the same mistakes twice. And that is why my relationship now is 100 times better.

  3. When I got married 20 years ago, my mom had me choose a number between 1 and 30. I picked 2. She told me every month on the 2nd of the month I needed to do something thoughtful for my hubby. A shoulder rub, favorite meal, movie he likes etc…. Because the day of the week varies he has never figured out my plan, and it keeps me thinking of something free but thoughtful to do for him. He in turn feels appreciated 🙂

  4. After the birth of our son, I was quite surprised by how neglected husbands can feel! I just took it for granted that he understood that the baby needed me for now. But, in truth I found out that I actually had 2 babies on my hand!! 😛
    Truly we mamas focus most of our time and energy on our children. But, It is really important to make time for that “oldest child” – our husbands! Thanks for this post. There are some things here I could use. 🙂

    1. YES! I had no idea. I was so focused on our new little bundle and trying to figure out what to do with her, plus recovering from all the childbirth stuff. I thought my husband and I were on the same page and he understood, but alas, no. I’m glad you found it helpful!!

  5. My hubby and I don’t have much time to date but I made him a gift (got the idea off of Pinterest) where I printed a paper that said “I love you because…” And I put a line under it. I also wrote in the word “respect” so it reads “I love and respect you because…” And I put the paper in a frame. Whenever I think of something To write I use a dry erase marker and write why I love and respect him. It can be something silly like “because you go get me cocoa puffs to satisfy my chocolate craving” or it could be “because you always put others first” etc. the other day my husband told me how much it means to him and that it encourages and inspires him

  6. Great ideas. We have a sticky note pad on the shelf beside the toilet. Odd place you say? I leave him a note and guess what…he sees it first thing the next morning while getting ready for work and with the pen that’s laying there he writes me back! Also…another idea. We send each other on treasure hunts to get ready for our date nights. We each make up an envelope with little cutouts of a shirt skirt pants etc. Each one leads to the other leading us to what each wants the other to wear etc. Kinda scary sometimes but I know that whatever he picks out he must like. 😉

  7. Picnic at home is a good idea., or better yet prepare a candle light dinner at home then prepare his favorite food that you can share together.

  8. Our 8 year old daughter “created” a date night for her father and me. She had so much fun decorating the house, putting little notes everywhere, and pulling out table clothes. Then she “planned” the entertainment while her father and I ate by candlelight. We dressed nice and my daughter did “stand up comedy ” after dinner. Then she was in charge of music too. We danced in the living room as she chose the songs. We had a wonderful time and our daughter was so proud.

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