Tips for Planning Your Weekly Date Night

Sometimes you are too busy to plan dates or spend time with the person that you love. Sometimes you do not have the extra cash to go out for a date night. Or you cannot get a babysitter on time for the kids. Whatever the situation may be, here are some helpful planning tips to get you out successfully on your weekly date night.

Tip #1: Make Lists and More Lists

Making lists is a great way of recording things that you need to get done by a certain time. It helps to keep you organize and schedule for future events or important meetings. Grab your spouse, sit, and write down date ideas you would like to explore. You can create multiple lists for different occasions and dates. Here are some types of lists you may want to write with your spouse.

Bucket List

A bucket list is one of the most common lists to make for individuals who want to explore the world, cuisines, and activities before they die. This an excellent way for you and your spouse to write down fun, adrenaline rush activities that both of you would love to do. This will help you in choosing a date activity for the week easier.

To-Do List

To-do lists are the most popular lists to make because as individuals we are always running around completing daily, weekly, or monthly tasks. You may think it doesn"t work well with planning weekly date nights, but you'd be surprised how well it fits. For example, you may already have some of these on your list: go grocery shopping, walk or bathe the dog, go to the park, or go for a run. Now how can you turn your daily or weekly tasks into a date night? It's simple, bring along your spouse to complete the task together. Just being together in the same vicinity is all you need for it to be considered a date. Make it flirty and fun and add a treat to the end to make it official. These are great ways to bond, strike a conversation about how your week is going or, to see how you do things differently. It will become a part of your routine too.

Travel List

This is one of my favorite lists to make! Ever scroll through Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and see a post on a restaurant that serves fruit-flavored pancakes? What about beautiful, cascading waterfalls in the hills of St. Thomas, Jamaica? Or a picture taken by the Eiffel Tower in Paris? Wherever or whatever your heart yearns for, write it down, and plan a trip for one of your weekly date nights.

Book/Movie List

This one is perhaps a little less common but if you love books and/or movies, why not make it? It makes it easier to plan a date around a new book you and your spouse can read together and later share. Also, it helps to select a movie to watch for the next "Netflix and Chill" date night. There is no hassle in searching or fighting over which movie to watch next.

Lists are especially important to make to ensure you complete all your daily, weekly, or monthly tasks. Put the power of lists to work and see that it makes your lives easier when planning your weekly date night too.

Tip #2: Date Night Piggy Bank

You are always collecting quarters, pennies, and dimes for a rainy day in your cute, pink piggy bank. Why not create a piggy bank/jar for date nights? To make this even easier, attach an activity you want to do or a place you want to go with the bill inside the jar. So, every time you think about going on a date, you can pick one from the "Date Night Piggy Bank" without worrying about cash. I bet you never thought about that idea!

Tip #3: Calendar of Events

Purchase one of those big, office calendars and carefully select dates with your spouse for weekly date nights. Each month can consist of a free date night, a stay at home date night, or seasonal date nights. This is another way to keep track of what to do every week with your spouse. This can also be a date night idea. Crafting and organizing your weekly date nights for 52 weeks can be a fun date night in itself. Here are some examples you can follow and use:

January

1. Get tickets to a play - Broadway tours, high school plays or stage shows

2. Register for a 5k walk or run

3. Visit a comedy show

4. Stay at home fancy dinner

February

1. Set up a tent in the backyard

2. Go test drive some fancy cars you have no intention of buying

3. Stargazing together

4. Go to a park and have a picnic

March

1. An evening out on a boat or yacht

2. Late evening rollerblading or bicycle riding

3. Try out a new restaurant

4. Blanket forts indoors

Tip #4: Make the Transition

According to Holczer, "One of the things that I stress to my people is that they have transitions between work time and home time." She suggests starting your day by getting ready and then making some sort of transition at the end of your workday. Transitioning helps to move from Point a to Point b without the addition of stress or hassle. In the article Tips For Planning Your Best Stay-Home Date Night, Holczer says "If you used to come home and change your clothes or take a shower, or take a half-hour to get ready before dinner or whatever the case may be, keep those transitions going."

Tip #5: Preparation Is Key

It is important to always be prepared for any future events that may occur unexpectedly or expectedly. The following are tips in helping you prepare for your weekly date night in advance.

• If you have kids, be sure to contact the babysitter 2 to 3 days before to avoid last-minute cancellations or hassle. If the kids are old enough to take care of themselves, leave them with activities to do and a curfew for bedtime.

• Take the time out to get a haircut or pedicure/manicure or shaved those hairy legs to be all dolled up for your next date night. According to Williamson, "Make your husband get ready first, take care of the dog, settle the kids, and/or go get the baby sitter while the wife finishes getting ready. You'll be surprised how comfortable that can feel to a busy wife and how transformative it can be for her."

• Ensure there are no distractions during date night. Turn off all electronic devices to focus your attention on your spouse only.

• Plan your date night conversations to avoid speaking about laundry or household chores.