Is Date Night a Thing of the Past?

For many of us, there is seldom time to get out with our spouse and catch up on some much needed couple time. Oftentimes, it is only on anniversaries and birthdays, if that, that we can "make the argument" that we should get out for dinner and drinks or a movie or even an overnight. And, it is not only time that is difficult to find, but oftentimes money is hard to budget too. The more kids you have, the more expensive the babysitting. Add up the babysitter with the night's activities of dinner, drinks, movie or coffee and you have easily spent over $100. Yikes! No wonder we drag our feet on setting up our date nights! Well, a few ideas to help make the costs lower and the opportunities greater:

Babysitting Co-ops: Many people are starting babysitting co-ops to help defray the costs of babysitting. You babysit a friend's or neighbor's children and they return the favor by babysitting your kids another night. It may not be idea (different cities, number of kids, behavior of kids etc). But, let's face it, there is never a perfect way to get out for a date night. For more on babysitting co-ops and creating one, visit this Twitter Moms post.

Taking a Date Night When Visiting Family: Why not let family or close relatives get to know your little ones a bit better while you have a nice dinner for a couple of hours? It isn't as sneaky as it sounds...oftentimes, the relatives would love to play a game, go to a museum, take your kids to pizza while you are out having some quality couple time. If you ask nicely, most family will be happy to give you a little "down time".

Make Daytime Dates with Your Spouse: Dates are not just for night time. And, there may be more chances to steal away together for a few hours during the day. As your children get older, the birthday parties are "drop off" vs. chaperoned and then certain weekend activities such as practices or classes may allow you the opportunity to set up a carpool with other families to give you some free time once or twice a month. If you schedule it right, you could find time together that you didn't even know you had on the weekends!