My "$0 date night" challenge actually made my relationship worse

I kept seeing posts about how spending nothing on date nights was the ultimate budgeting win. So I tried it for a month with my girlfriend Sarah in Chicago. We did free museum days, picnics in the park, and Netflix at home. By week three, she was really frustrated because she felt like I was prioritizing saving $50 over actually putting effort into us. I learned that cheap doesn't automatically equal thoughtful, and sometimes spending $20 on a nice dinner out does more for a relationship than forcing a free activity. Has anyone else had a budgeting strategy backfire on the people around you?

2 comments

2 Comments

ben2062d ago

Wow, only three weeks in? That's brutal, man. I honestly can't believe she stuck it out that long before saying something. I get trying to save money, but turning every date into a forced coupon hunt sounds like it'd suck the fun right out of things.

amy1542d ago

Did you ever ask her what she actually wanted to do, or did you just decide free stuff was the only option? A walk in the park is fine sometimes but mixing in a $20 pizza place with a cheap bottle of wine shows you're still thinking about her, not just your wallet. The whole point isn't to spend nothing, it's to not go broke while still making her feel like you gave a damn. Budgeting is great, but don't let it turn you into a cheapskate who forgets that effort matters more than the dollar amount.