12 Romantic and Affordable Date Night Ideas for Couples
It’s easy to get caught up in the routine of work, household chores, and other responsibilities. But couples must make time for each other and keep the romance alive. Going out for a fancy dinner or seeing a movie can be fun, but it can also be expensive. If you’re looking for some cheap date night ideas that are still romantic and enjoyable, here are some options to consider:
Have a picnic in the park date night.
Pack a blanket, some sandwiches or fruit, and a bottle of wine or sparkling water. Find a nice spot in the park and enjoy each other’s company and the beauty of nature.
Visit the dungeon.
In Dungeons and Dragons, of course! If you love table-top or RPGs, Amazon sells a dungeon adventure just for couples. Build your characters, hunt for treasure, and slay monsters in this campaign. One significant benefit of this campaign is that it’s meant to span several date nights, so you can have fun while getting the most for your money.
Have a starry date night with star-gazing.
Find a spot with minimal light pollution and bring a blanket and some hot drinks. Lay down and look up at the stars. You can even download a star map app to help you identify constellations. Feel free to spice it up with some slow dancing to your favorite songs.
Go on a bike ride as a couple.
Rent a couple of bikes or use your own and ride through a scenic area or a bike trail. It’s a great way to exercise and spend quality time together.
Have a game night.
Dust off those board or card games and have a fun night in. You could also teach your partner how to play your favorite video game. That way, they’ll be prepared to show off their skills at your next GameTruck party.
Do a hobby date night as a couple.
You can try new activities like painting, drawing, or writing. Many stores and online retailers sell kits containing everything you need. There are plenty of different options, from candle-making to creating fake tattoos.
Go to a local event together.
Check out what events are happening in your community, such as farmers’ markets, art fairs, or music festivals. These events are usually free or low-cost and provide couples a fun and unique experience.
Go for a hike.
Explore a nearby trail and take in the beauty of nature. Remember to bring some water and snacks.
Go to a free or cheap museum for an affordable date night.
Many museums offer free or discounted admission on certain days or hours. It’s a great way to learn and appreciate art, history, or science together.
Have a backyard or balcony barbecue.
Grill up some burgers or vegetables and enjoy a casual and intimate dinner together.
Take a date night walk through a new neighborhood or area.
Discover new sights and sounds and enjoy each other’s company.
Be the chef your college self dreamed of for an affordable date night idea.
Relive those college days by cooking some Ramen and spicing it up with items you love. Steak, shrimp, fresh vegetables, and anything else you’re in the mood for.
There are many ways to have a cheap and enjoyable date night with your partner. It’s all about being creative and finding activities that you both enjoy. Remember, it’s not about how much money you spend but about the time you spend together and the memories you create.
8 Must Read Books for Adults
Reading books as an adult can be a fun and rewarding experience. Not only does it allow you to expand your knowledge and experience, but it can also be a great way to relax and destress.
Did you know that a mother’s reading skill is the greatest determinant of her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors, such as neighborhood and family income. It is! Studies have also shown that those who read for pleasure have higher levels of self-esteem and a greater ability to cope with difficult situations. Reading for pleasure was also associated with better sleeping patterns. Reading for just 30 minutes a week can increase life satisfaction.
If you’re looking for books that will help you improve your life, look no further than the self-improvement section of the bookstore. There are a variety of books available that will help you achieve your goals, from personal growth to business success. And if self-improvement is something that interests you, don’t forget the section of the bookstore dedicated to books for adults. Here you’ll find books that cover a wide range of topics, from personal finance to fitness. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced reader, there’s likely a book available that will help you improve your life. So go ahead and take a browse – you’ll be glad you did!
Here’s our list of self-improvement books to help you develop a confident life in your parenting, marriage, friendships, and career.
Fearless Social Confidence: Strategies to Live Without Insecurity, Speak Without Fear, Beat Social Anxiety, and Stop Caring What Others Think
Change the inner voice that tells you ”they’ll think you’re dumb”, or ”I’m not good enough”. Stop letting fear run your life. Fear of: judgment, rejection, laughter, awkward silence, feeling silly, saying the wrong thing, or making a bad impression. Is this always what you’re fixated on? Control your thoughts, be respected and heard, and stop caring what others think. Fearless Social Confidence gives you more than victory over shyness – it gives you social invincibility and forever eliminates the feeling that you’re just not good enough. This is a unique book that takes a deeper look into social confidence: what causes it, what drains it, and most importantly – what you can do about it. It recognizes how confidence is built, and takes you step by step through the various mindset changes and action items. You’ll walk away knowing exactly what to do to help yourself. Learn to feel comfortable in any situation and ignore self-consciousness, how to banish negative self-talk and other toxic habits, the art of self-acceptance and correcting skewed thoughts. Escape your comfort zone and meet who you want, always know what to say, and be respected and heard.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything
Based on twenty years of research and Fogg’s experience coaching more than 40,000 people, Tiny Habits cracks the code of habit formation. With breakthrough discoveries in every chapter, you’ll learn the simplest proven ways to transform your life. Fogg shows you how to feel good about your successes instead of bad about your failures.
This proven, step-by-step guide will help you design habits and make them stick through positive emotion and celebrating small successes. Whether you want to lose weight, de-stress, sleep better, or be more productive each day, Tiny Habits makes it easy to achieve—by starting small.
Make Your Bed
If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Taking inspiration from the university’s slogan, “What starts here changes the world,” he shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life; and he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves-and the world-for the better.
12 Rules for Life
What does everyone in the modern world need to know?
Renowned psychologist Jordan B. Peterson’s answer to this most difficult of questions uniquely combines the hard-won truths of ancient tradition with the stunning revelations of cutting-edge scientific research.
He tells us why skateboarding boys and girls must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why you should always pet a cat when you meet one on the street.
What does the nervous system of the lowly lobster have to tell us about standing up straight (with our shoulders back) and about success in life? Why did ancient Egyptians worship the capacity to pay careful attention as the highest of gods? What dreadful paths do people tread when they become resentful, arrogant and vengeful?
Dr. Peterson journeys broadly, discussing discipline, freedom, adventure and responsibility, distilling the world’s wisdom into 12 practical and profound rules for life. 12 Rules for Life shatters the modern commonplaces of science, faith and human nature, while transforming and ennobling the mind and spirit of its readers.
The Happiness Trap
In The Happiness Trap, Dr. Russ Harris provides a means to escape the epidemic of stress, anxiety, and depression, unlocking the secrets to a truly fulfilling life.
Learn how to clarify your values, develop self-compassion, and find true satisfaction with this bigger and better guide to:
• Reducing stress and worry
• Handling painful thoughts and feelings more effectively
• Breaking self-defeating habits
• Overcoming insecurity and self-doubt
• Building better relationships
• Improving performance and finding fulfillment at work
The Happiness Trap is for everyone. Whether you’re lacking confidence, facing illness, coping with loss, working in a high-stress job, or suffering from anxiety or depression, this book will show you how to build authentic happiness, from the inside out.
How to Begin
This is your practical guide to finding the focus and courage to set a Worthy Goal: one that lights you up, compels you to grow, and serves a bigger game by being thrilling, important, and daunting.
With Michael’s trademark humor, compassion, and laser-focused clarity, you’ll walk through a tested process to:
– find and strengthen your Worthy Goal to the very best it can be;
– get absolutely clear on your commitment so you know what you’re up for;
– develop the resources to cross the threshold, so you don’t have to travel alone;
– build momentum, progress, and impact.
Don’t regret a life half-lived. Use this book to start doing something that matters.
The Motivation Myth
It’s comforting to imagine that superstars in their fields were just born better equipped than the rest of us. When a co-worker loses 20 pounds, or a friend runs a marathon while completing a huge project at work, we assume they have more grit, more willpower, more innate talent, and above all, more motivation to see their goals through.
But that’s not actually true, as popular Inc.com columnist Jeff Haden proves. “Motivation” as we know it is a myth. Motivation isn’t the special sauce that we require at the beginning of any major change. In fact, motivation is a result of process, not a cause. Understanding this will change the way you approach any obstacle or big goal.
Haden shows us how to reframe our thinking about the relationship of motivation to success. He meets us at our level–at the beginning of any big goal we have for our lives, a little anxious and unsure about our way forward, a little burned by self help books and strategies that have failed us in the past—and offers practical advice that anyone can use to stop stalling and start working on those dreams.
Haden takes the mystery out of accomplishment, proving that success isn’t about spiritual awakening or a lightning bolt of inspiration.
Success isn’t for the uniquely-qualified; it’s possible for any person who understands the true nature of motivation. Jeff Haden can help you transcend average and make lasting positive change in your life.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be “positive” all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.
For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. “F**k positivity,” Mark Manson says. “Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it.” In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.
Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—”not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault.” Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.
There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.
Reading has a lot of benefits for adults, so jump right in! If you’re looking for books that will help you improve your life, look no further than the adult self-improvement section. Here you’ll find books that will help you learn new skills, improve your relationships, and live a more fulfilling life. Whether you’re looking for a book on personal growth or self-help, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for here. And best of all, these books are written by experts in the field – so you can be sure that they’ll help you achieve your goals. Start browsing the adult self-improvement section today and see for yourself how great these books can be!
How to Learn a New Skill – 5 Secrets to Mastering any Skill
Learning a new skill can be a rewarding and enriching experience, and there is always time to pick up something new. Whether you’re looking to improve your career prospects, pursue a hobby, or keep your brain active and engaged, there are plenty of ways to learn a new skill as an adult.
One of the best ways to learn a new skill is to find a class or workshop in your area. Many community centers, adult education programs, and private organizations offer courses and seminars on various subjects, from cooking and art to technology and finance. These classes are typically taught by experts in the field and provide a structured and supportive environment for learning.
Another option is to find an online course or tutorial. The internet is a wealth of resources for learning new skills, and there are countless websites, videos, and other materials available for free or for a fee. Many of these resources are self-paced, so you can learn at your own pace and schedule. Check out platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and _______.
Consider finding a mentor or tutor if you prefer a more hands-on approach. This can be an incredibly effective way to learn a new skill if you want to improve in a specific area or have a particular goal in mind. A mentor or tutor can provide guidance and support as you work to master the skill, and they can offer personalized instruction and feedback.
Did you know that many libraries offer members a LinkedIn subscription that has classes you can take for free? They do! Plus you’ll receive a certificate to display on your LinkedIn profile.
No matter which method you choose, it’s essential to be patient and persistent when learning a new skill. It takes time and effort to master something new, and there will be times when you feel frustrated or discouraged. However, with practice and dedication, you can learn just about anything.
To help you stay motivated and focused as you learn a new skill, it’s a good idea to set specific goals for yourself. This might mean setting a deadline for when you want to master the skill, or it might involve breaking the skill down into smaller, more manageable goals. Whatever your goals may be, tracking your progress and celebrating your achievements along the way is important.
Finally, feel free to ask for help when you need it. Whether you’re learning a new skill through a class, online course, or mentor, resources are available to help you when you get stuck. Feel free to reach out and ask for guidance or assistance when you need it.
In conclusion, there are many ways to learn a new skill as an adult, whether you prefer a structured class, self-guided online learning, or one-on-one instruction. You can learn about anything with patience, persistence, and the right resources. So why not try something new today?