Waaaay back in my earlier days of blogging and relationship with Shaun I used to do a series called $40 dates. You can still find a few on the blog but a lot of places closed down and I took down the posts. As time marched on the economy changed and it became a struggle to find dates nights on $40, and as our income grew we didn’t need to be so tight with our spending and we started spending more on our nights out. But in 2022 as we reflected on our finances and took a temporary cut in income we realized how careless we had become with our spending. Sure, there were nights where we’d drop $150+ and have a wonderful time but there were way more nights when we’d spend $60, $80 or even $100 just to eat out for the sake of it and spend the whole time on our phones barely interacting. At some point we had become complacent in our relationship and forgot to take joy in the little moments together. Truth be told, we needed a wake up call and if a cut to our income was the only way to come to this realization than I think in the long run we will be better off for it.
There’s nothing wrong with splurging on a fancy date night if your finances allow for it. But I look back with regret at all the times we didn’t even appreciate our night out. So this year we’re returning to our roots and bringing back $40 dates. It’s been 10 years since we first started dating so sticking to a $40 budget will be even more challenging. But I think having to be creative and put effort into a date makes it easier to focus on enjoying the time together and appreciate the moment.
In general I try to have a date be food and an activity but I know that’s not always possible. If eating at a full service restaurant is involved leaving a tip must be included in the budget so food and drink cannot exceed $31. I will be sharing my $40 dates throughout the year here are some ideas to get you started from our past dating experience:
1. Bars and breweries with live music. If you like to have a few drinks on your nights out than eat dinner at home first. But, if you’re ok with cutting back on alcohol you should be able to share an app or two and get one beer each for $40. We love Mississippi Ale House in Olive Branch, MS.
2. Being on a budget doesn’t mean being fancy is off the table. Head to the bar of a high end restaurant or fancy hotel for drinks / dessert. We love The Peabody Lobby Bar for this! Two of the Toast to St.Jude cocktails, one dessert will run $40 even with tax and tip. The people watching is always great and the piano music is lovely
3. Find a local nature trail / park and pack a picnic. I love getting premade food options at The Fresh Market so packing a picnic doesn’t become too much work. You can get a pack of croissants and chicken salad for around $12 (it’s a total of four servings) and pair with some snacks. We also like grabbing items to build a charcuterie board.
4. Find a free local attraction for a day date and have brunch / lunch. Most restaurants are much more affordable during the day and you’ll be surprised the kind of nice restaurants you can afford for $40 all in at lunch. In Memphis, The Dixon Gallery and Gardens is offering free admission in 2023
5. Head to your local coffee house and bring a deck of cards or play on of the games they have there. Our favorite is Pink’s in Olive Branch, MS. I think it could be fun to check out a new local coffee shop in your city each week!
I hope that these ideas will help get your started on your own $40 Date adventures! I’d live to know what kind of dates you come up with.