When you live with your significant other or are “Netflix and chilling”, it can be hard to come up with new unique and romantic date night ideas when spending the evening together. We all know that “Netflix and chill” rarely involves much Netflix. During the warmer months your options aren’t limited to the indoors, but a night out at a restaurant or show can become expensive. Sometimes a night in can be even more intimate and personal. Plus, staying in can potentially help you save some serious bucks.
If you and bae are homebodies, here are some fun and cheap date night ideas for a romantic evening in your apartment:
Have a Game Night
Don’t eliminate a good old game of Monopoly or Heads Up from the date night mix. You can even get a little physical and competitive and bust out the NERF gun. Competition gets sparks flying, so it’s a more romantic idea than it might seem. If you have a smaller apartment or physical activity just isn’t your thing, video games can be a better option — if you’re both into it. Raise the stakes by betting on who wins. Loser makes dinner. Or, pull out the cards for a little one-on-one poker. Instead of betting poker chips, have the loser tell a secret or answer a personal question. You’ll have some intimate conversations with each other, and have a lot of fun at the same time.
Set Up a Home Theater
You probably love having movie nights, so set this one up to be extra special. Place all of the pillows, cushions and blankets you can find on the floor so you can curl up together while you’re watching whatever film you picked for the evening. Pick out a rom-com you both love or watch a classic romance for the first time, like “When Harry Met Sally” or “The Notebook.” Or choose a scary flick that will make you want to cuddle up as close to each other as possible. And don’t forget to keep popcorn, chocolate, and even a bottle of wine on hand! Turn off all the lights, and set up some candles for added ambience.
Don’t miss these new features coming to Netflix in 2017.
Cook Together
Instead of going out and buying a meal, cook a fancy dinner yourselves. This is where a service like HelloFresh can help. Keep the night exciting by hosting your own “cooking show” in your kitchen by using the same ingredients to make different meals, and scoring the finished products as objectively as possible. You will have a great time trying to one-up each other and get a pretty amazing meal out of it (and a lot of leftovers).
If he isn’t Food Network’s next top chef or neither of you feels super confident in the kitchen, cook the meal together to create a few delicious dishes you can both be proud of. You’ll enjoy working as a team, and the food will taste that much better because of it.
Pamper Yourselves
An at-home spa night will allow you both to spend some quality time together and decompress. Massages and other pampering services are a romantic way to spend time together, but they’re even more intimate when you pamper each other. Stay in and set up a home spa in your apartment. Put on some relaxing music and start the night with a bubble bath. After you have spent some time together in a warm bath, give each other back, scalp, hand, and foot massages. Have a glass of wine and snacks nearby. You will be surprised how little you need to pamper each other. Do this on a Friday to release some tension after the work week!
Look at the Stars Together
If you have a yard, deck, balcony or another great spot for spending time outside, grab a pair of binoculars, head outdoors and look at the stars together. If it’s winter, bundle up under the same blanket, and bring out some hot cocoa to stay warm.
If you are in a warmer climate, looking at you Texas and Florida, lay the blanket on the ground and bring out some chilled wine or champagne. Look for constellations, and use the time to talk and get personal with each other. If your spot is secluded, you’ll feel like you’re the only people in the universe!
Have a Picnic
One of the most fun date night ideas is to spread a blanket on the floor of your living room and gather a variety of easy-to-eat or bite-sized foods for an indoor picnic. Fondue, though not ideal for a real picnic, is a fun idea if you’re staying in your apartment. Plus, you can have chocolate fondue with strawberries, other fruit, and marshmallows for dessert! Try this Slow Cooker Rocky Road Fondue recipe.
Play truth or dare, chat about your childhoods, or ask each other funny questions (Start with something like, “If you had to spend the rest of your night in one aisle of the supermarket, which aisle would you choose?).
Give Your Partner a Night of Doing Nothing
If you both know you want to stay in rather than go out one night, give your partner the gift of doing nothing that evening. Set up your place with mood-lighting, candles and music, cook dinner and clean everything up without your partner having to lift a finger. Treat them to a massage to make the night extra relaxing.
Host a Tasting
Gather a few different bottles of wine, and have your own wine tasting. Set up fruit, cheeses and a selection of charcuterie, and taste small amounts of each varietal, paying attention to how they pair with different food flavors. If you both love wine, you’ll really enjoy spending time enjoying multiple flavors in this unique way, rather than sipping on just one bottle.
