When is the last time you did something special with your spouse or significant other? Not THAT. Just spent 30 minutes doing something out of the ordinary, something you don’t get to do every day without worrying about what’ll happen tomorrow? With us, it’s rare. Our budget is tight, and when we think we have some wiggle room something comes up to show us otherwise. Well, two weeks ago we did something nice, and fun, and I didn’t care that I had no coupon. I went on a “date” with my husband.
We were visiting my in-laws, and it was a couple of days after he had his dental surgery but before the car broke down. Isn’t our life full of unexpected fun? Yep, never boring! Anyway, we were going to Publix because they had a kickin’ sale on some stuff. Right beside that Publix sets a TCBY. We don’t have one of those here at home, and our ice cream place leaves much to be desired so we decided we’d get one.
We normally do not eat overpriced ice cream. We’re doing good to spend $1.50 on a pint of Mayfield in our grocery store, and that can last me a good week or 2. But something just pulled us in there, and it was so nice to sit there and eat in that nice, cool little restaurant with my husband. It felt like one of our first dates way back in the day. I never balked at not having a coupon, and I’m sorry but that’s just totally rare for me. We rarely eat if I don’t have a gift card or a coupon or something.
My husband has mentioned a few times how he enjoyed that day, and that yogurt, and how it felt like a real date to him. We have no kids, so it isn’t like we don’t spend time togther. It just goes to show that even a childless couple like us can get wrapped up in everyday issues and not remember to appreciate one another. It’s the simple things that mean the most, it honestly is, so why not take $15-$20 every 2 or 3 months, or however often you can save it up, to have a special date with your significant other? Do something you can’t do often, like see a movie during the afternoon or go eat a frozen yogurt or a donut. Use coupons if you have to, and plan it if you must, but be spontaneous whenever you can. Get back that special feeling that every couple should have, and remember why you came together and stayed together. It doesn’t have to be gourmet, it doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to take all day. But knowing that it made my husband happy, and knowing that I was just as thrilled to be there, really made that a really special afternoon.
Special afternoons like that make memories that will last a lifetime. I won’t remember the last argument we have; as a matter of fact, I couldn’t tell you what we argued about. But I’ll remember that afternoon, those 30 minutes, til I meet my Maker. I hope you are all able to have a lfetime full of those memories.
A frugal person doesn’t let a coupon come between herself and a happy moment. A cheap person does. I don’t want to be cheap.
