Hi all! Today I’m excited to share a guest post from my good friend, Debbie Sutherland. My husband and I have known her and her family for quite some time, and always enjoy getting to see their lovely family when we visit New England. Debbie runs a blog on fun and frugal living, and today’s post that she is sharing with us is all about frugal nature-themed date ideas. Love it. I’m married to my guy, but I still want to date him! Thanks for the ideas, Debbie!
-April
Going out on a date with a loved one does not have to cost a lot of money. As a matter of fact, some of the best memories I have of my husband and I are outings that cost us very little to no money at all. Going on a FUN DATE should be just that, FUN and exciting not full of worries as to how to pay for it. – OR the regrets of money spent once the outing is over.
Get creative and use nature as your spring board when you plan your outings. Nature has so much to offer with its awesomeness and beauty of each season.
Here is the first part, of many, on how my husband and I spend our summer days, all while staying on a budget- and “HAVING FUN”!
Watching The Sun Set
As simple as this may seem, it is my favorite thing to do with my husband. There is something about choosing that special spot to watch the sun set with the one you love, that simply never grows old. My husband and I love to go down to the ocean and pick a nice quiet spot to have a picnic dinner to watch the sun set. It is just so peaceful with no distractions. It is a time that we can connect and enjoy each other without the business of life.
Nature Walks
Another really simple but wonderful way to spend time with someone you love to be with is to go on a Nature Walk. This is such a peaceful time. Bring the binoculars to spot that unique bird or the deer in the woods. Take time to take in the beautiful nature that is all around you. Enjoy taking pictures of flowers and unique bridges and more. I took the picture above, last year, while walking with my husband. I just love the way the bridge was reflecting on the water to make a complete “Eye Into Nature”. The walks can be brief or take several hours, either way, it is just so peaceful and relaxing.
Kayaking
Kayaking is another wonderful time spent with a loved one. Once you own a kayak, we bought ours from Craigslist, it costs nothing. Kayaking puts you up close and personal with nature. My husband and I own a tandem kayak allowing us to visit the whole time. We bring snacks and drinks in the kayak, and go on some great outings. We like to choose the end of the day or first thing in the morning when the animals are very active.
Here is a photo I shot while kayaking of a swan. Look how beautiful his reflection is. This is one of many photos I have of beautiful creatures we see along our kayaking adventures. We see turtles, deer, birds, frogs, rabbits, and more almost every time we go. I have albums filled with beautiful shots like the one above. Just another fun way to spend time with your loved one without the distractions all around you. Time to “just be”.
Finding New Bike Paths
Another one of our favorite things to do is to find a new bike path. Each path has new beauty to it, one more beautiful than the next. We love finding new bike paths and taking on the challenge of riding them. Biking is a wonderful way to enjoy exercise and time together while enjoying the breath taking beauty. Here is a picture I shot of the Bristol Bike Path (Bristol, RI) that we love to ride. At the end of this path is a State Park that runs along the Atlantic Ocean. We often find ourselves at this bike path on a nice warm summer evening ending it with a picnic dinner watching the waves and the sun set.
-Debbie Sutherland
All great ideas! Be sure to check out Debbie’s blog, Frugal Living and Having Fun, for other budget friendly posts, coupons and ideas. :)
-April
Cool ideas! And you right, the things that doesn’t cost much are the things that’s easiest to recall. Hope you’ll have a wonderful day and week.
Oh, I agree so much with that … so often pouring a lot of money into something isn’t the key to making it memorable! I love Debbie’s ideas! I just wish I was better at biking, I think I’m the worst cyclist in the history of ever, haha :)
I’ve never been kayaking but it sounds like so much fun! Maybe someday. You have such great ideas. I really need to get my own bike so we can all go riding, haha, another someday thing I guess :)
Yeah, Debbie’s idea of kayaking sounds so fun to me, too! I’ve been canoeing, but never kayaking – it looks fun! Oh, and I like paddleboating, too, especially if you have kids along. :)
Great advice and beautiful photos! More people should keep dating after they’re married–they’d stay married! :D
Ha, good point, Kristi! :)
We love going on walks together! Took one yesterday afternoon, actually. Fun and free!
Nice! We should do that more. Although lately with temperatures over 100 degrees, spending time outside has been not quite as high on the priority list, haha! But looks like things should be a little cooler soon, and it would be lovely to go on more walks.