Author Archives: The Jewish Lady

How to Make Date Night Affordable

Good relationships don’t just happen by magic; they must constantly be encouraged along. One thing I believe keeps them strong are regular date nights—times to enjoy one another, have fun, talk, share your hearts and dreams and struggles, and just be together away from the normal hustle and bustle of life.

Oftentimes, a date night can easily cost $50 or more. If you want to have a weekly date, those occasions can really start adding up. However, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, if you’re really creative, it doesn’t have to cost much and sometimes it’s even free. Here are some cheap date night activities we’ve enjoyed:

1. Walking

During the warmer months, this is something we love. We walk around town later in the evening when it’s calm and quiet. Because we’re doing something active, it seems easier to talk, too. (My guy, like many, will not talk at all if we’re sitting face-to-face.) We have resolved many conflicts during a walk, shared a few laughs, and had some really remarkable conversations I doubt we would’ve had otherwise.

2. Books & DVDs

Another activity we enjoy is going to the library. We each pick up books and DVDs to enjoy separately, plus something to watch/read together. If we can’t find any good DVDs at the library, we’ll check Redbox. Since they consistently have codes, these rentals are super cheap and sometimes free.

3. Warm Weather Activities

In addition to walking, we’ve also enjoyed taking a picnic to the park, spending time at the beach, and going out for ice cream.

4. Cold Weather Activities

When it’s too cold to be outside, we go out for coffee, browse at the mall, make cookies, play board games/cards, and take long rides in the car.

5. Meals

By far, our favorite date night is going out to dinner. This is also the most expensive. One of the easiest ways to save money on meals is by using coupons. I also sign up for emails from eateries we frequent, which alerts me to promotions.

I can also recommend mystery shopping. We’ve gotten paid to eat at many restaurants, from casual to fine dining. The meals are always reimbursed, but each shop offers different things (think dinner, drinks, appetizers, and/or a dessert). All I had to do was pay close attention to details while at the restaurant and record our experiences later. Since I’m a fairly attentive and detailed person, this is not hard for me to do and I can still enjoy our all-expenses-paid date night to boot!

Another great way to pay for dates is with gift cards. Anyone who enjoys taking online surveys can earn enough for at least one card per month. I’ve been doing this for over 10 years now!

6. Museums

Thanks to passes from the library, we’ve been to many local museums for free! Getting to visit an aquarium, see priceless art, and pet animals at the farm museum are just a few highlights. Check your local library and I bet you’ll find something similar.

Remember: there is no right or wrong way to celebrate date night. The key is to spend regular time together while interacting on a more personal level. One couple I know goes to their weekly couples therapy on date night. That wouldn’t work for us, but I’m glad they like it.

Depending on our budget, we usually do the cheaper dates, but I like to save up for a special occasion too. Because we track all of our expenses with Fresh Books, I’m able to plan/save easily and this gives me an incentive.

Do you have a weekly date night? If so, what do you enjoy doing?

Dogs Love Wild Calling’s #TheArtofNutrition

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This post is sponsored by Wild Calling! and the BlogPaws Pet Network. I’m being compensated for helping spread the word, but I only share information that’s relevant to readers. Wild Calling! is not responsible for the content of this article.

I feel so blessed to have Oscar in my life. This adorable Chihuahua adds so much fun, friendship, and excitement to every day. Keeping Oscar happy and healthy is always top priority and when selecting his food, I try to find companies that share this view.

One of my favorites is Wild Calling!®. Instead of a strategy, they have a story—one that’s real, honest, and true. Quality is their concern. They believe in using the finest ingredients—including hormone and antibiotic-free meat, poultry and fish. They believe in grain free nutrition. Rich meats help create an optimal amino acid profile to support healthy muscle growth & increased energy.

Wild Calling! makes a variety of fantastic products, all of which are manufactured here in the USA. Both wet and dry options are available, with each offering these unique features:

Wild Calling! dry food:

zero egg, yeast, corn, wheat and soy
100% grain and gluten free
formulated as 82% digestible, up to 77% single animal protein diets
especially good for dogs with sensitive stomachs or specific dietary needs
GlycoEdge combines tapioca, sweet potatoes and lentils for consistent energy, limits glucose and prevent insulin spikes
Digentle is a unique blend for gentle digestion
immune system support from sun-dried fruits and vegetables as well as vitamin C and E
available in 25, 13 and 4.5lb bags

Wild Calling! canned food:

zero vegetable protein, egg, corn, wheat or soy
100% grain, gluten and carrageenan free
formulated as a highly digestible, single protein diet
each cans liver is protein specific except in salmon and triple delight flavors
available in 13oz dog can and 5.5oz cat cans

Making sure Oscar has access to all natural food matters, but taste has to be paramount. The little guy can be very picky, so I’m pleased to say that Wild Calling tickles his taste buds. He loves their stuff and I love knowing it’s safe for him and will help to maintain his “wild” spirit.

To learn more about Wild Calling! and to find where it’s sold in your area, check out their web site. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Super Savings…Monday?

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This week’s edition of Super Savings Saturday was delayed because yours truly got food poisoning on Passover! Needless to say, it’s been a difficult few days around here. The culprit turned out to be hard boiled eggs. I’m always careful about food safety/handling, so it’s a mystery how it happened. Regardless, I’m just very glad it’s over now. I think it will be a looooooooong time before I can even look at an egg, let alone eat one.

Most of my deals were found at Target. It tends to be hit or miss, but sometimes I stumble on a bunch at once. I also found some nice mark downs at Hannaford. All 3 drugstores were a complete wash. By consistently couponing every single week, I’m able to stock up for very little and it’s ok if one week is off.

Target:

4 Up & Up sponges, regular price $1.04. I used a $3.00/4 Target Cleaning Supplies coupon. Total: $0.29 each!

2 Gold ‘N Plump chickens, sale price $4.50 with $2.00 markdown coupons. Total: $2.50 each! (My first time buying this brand and it was great. Very mild, tasty meat. I’d definitely buy them in the future.)

3 M&M candy eggs, on sale $1.00. I used a $2.00/3 manufacturer’s coupon. Total: $0.33 each!

2 Starburst Juicy Fruit gum, regular price $1.00. I used 2 $1.00 Target coupons. Total: Free!

2 Magnesium citrate oral solution, regular price $0.99 each. I used 2 $1.00 Target Digestive Aid coupons. Total: Free!

Hannaford:

2 packages of ground beef, marked down to $2.49/Lb, plus $0.50 and $0.75 store coupons. Total: $3.89! (I love it when I stumble upon deals like this. There were 6 additional packages and I would’ve bought them all, but another lady needed them more.)

2 heads of cauliflower, marked down to $1.25 each. Total: $2.50!