We Want to Go Out, But We Can’t Afford a Sitter
| June 28, 2012 | Posted by thecheapskatemom under environment, fun, kidsandpets, lifestyle, money-management |
7 Ways to Save $$’s on a sitter, and spend it on date night instead!
By Christy Pessemier, author of 20DollarDateNight.net
One of the most common excuses couples use for not going out is not having a babysitter. It seems difficult and impossible, but it’s easy to solve. These ideas will have you back to going out in style and falling back in love again, without breaking your budget.
1. Swap with other parents! You have neighbors, right? Friends at church? Ask them to switch. They watch your kids one night; you watch theirs the next night. Hubby and I did this for a year with some good friends of ours. The bonus? We got to be closer to them, and their kids!
2. If your kids are teens, revolve date nights around their youth group activities, or sports. Take advantage of these opportunities! It’s not often you will find free childcare that you know you can trust.
3. Barter. Maybe you have a service you can provide in exchange for someone trustworthy watching your kids. If you’re a massage therapist, can you trade massages in exchange for a night of babysitting? Trading is a smart way to exchange value. Take advantage of it!
4. Teens can be great company for your friends with younger kids. We have a lot of friends who have young children that love to play with older kids. This also helps give the parents a break too.
5. Go on a lunch date when the kids are in school. Who says date night always has to be at night?
6. Have a movie night at home. On nights when you aren’t able to work out any of the above options, you can always plan ahead and get a movie you’ve wanted to see for a while. Put some thought into it. It’s not just any night, it’s date night!
7. Take the kids to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. We try to do this once a month. Our kids love the time they spend with their Grandparents, and the Grandparents, of course, are thrilled. Extra perk? You get a lot more hours together, and can relax and enjoy your all the fun spots you visit on date night.
Don’t let not having a babysitter keep you from spending time together, separate from the kids. Start asking around and see what other families you can partner with to make it a win-win situation. Remember, it’s never too late to bring back date night in your house!
For more date night tips for couples-come visit Christy and her husband Tom as they share their date night adventures on 20DollarDateNight.net
