Hoping to understand why saving doesn’t mean an end to having fun? Saving money to buy a house after marriage can be equally as exciting as getting married, but costs astronomically more than your wedding. An overwhelming thought, I know! Once you and your partner decide to start saving your money you may feel like you can’t afford to do anything. We’re here to tell you it’s not true.
While it is important that you think about exactly how to allocate your money and keep track of your monthly expenses, you shouldn’t forego all extra-curricular activities such as going on out on dates or making small purchases once in awhile. When couples decide to save all their money it leaves little room for having fun through experiences…or just plain living life!
Don’t get me wrong, you can live your life at home and enjoy yourself, but after a while you’ll be sick and tired of the same-old-same-old all the time. Think about it, how often can dinner and a movie on your couch be the most fun you’ve ever had?!
Here are some helpful tips on what you and your partner can do (socially) while still saving up for the biggest purchase of your life!
Plan a monthly happy hour or dinner with friends. It doesn’t have to be at the hottest spot in town to be a great time! You could host a pot-luck dinner at your house and ask each guest to bring one thing, keeping the cost down for everyone. The perks are that you don’t have to pay high prices for your dinner, cocktails or leave a tip at home! A great site for party planning themes, tips and recipes is hostesswiththemostess.
You and your spouse can go out for a lunch date, rather than a dinner date (since lunch prices tend to be lower than dinner entrees). This allows the two of you to enjoy quality couple time out without paying higher prices– often times way over-priced, without sacrificing your dates all-together. Depending on where you go, tips may not be necessary (i.e. any place that you don’t have a waiter/waitress serving you)! While these places may not offer a romantic ambiance, what they do offer is a place for the two of you to catch up and simply enjoy one another’s company.
If you’re the active type; you may be interested in participating in a charity event (spending money, but on a good cause—BONUS: tax write-off!) A great site to search for events is active.com allowing you to select the type of event you’re looking for and a specific date range, displaying all the events for your region or in the country!
If you are dead set on saving every penny, then the two of you could do some research using the internet or read your local paper to find out about free local events. Many communities have free festivals, concerts, church socials, etc. especially during the summer months!
What are you and your partner doing to keep things interesting while saving for your dream house? Share your stories or tips and help out other newlyweds in the process!