The cost of date night in Texas

In Texas the average cost of dinner, drinks, and movie is $99.60, the 25th lowest in the country. The price of regular gasoline as of Aug. 6, 2019 is $2.44 (8th lowest in the country) according to USA Today. There are other costs such as babysitting couples need to consider.

I believe in date nights. They are a great way to invest in my marriage. Zeke and I are in year 13 of marriage and we are enjoying the benefits of going on dates on a regular basis. We are not immune to the barriers that are part of scheduling a date.

We don't spend $99.60 each time we go out. What we count are the benefits instead of being burned with the cost of going on a date night.  Here's how we make the best out of it:

We make it a priority - We put it in my schedule and getting a helper (sitter) involved in the process.

We get help  - Our children are small, so we still need help in order to go on dates. Last year, we went on dates during lunch time at work. That was also a great way to connect. I understand that not everything can afford a babysitter. I know everyone can find a creative solution.

We enjoy the experience - I can look back at my super early years of marriage and see that I was so eager to get this date thing right that I wasn’t really enjoying the experience. I was concerned about what I needed to talk about. I would hear a podcast on the subject and bring my 52 questions to ask Zeke during a date. It was awkward. As the years rolled by, I learned to enjoy the experience. The more I focused on relaxing, the easier it became.

Marriage is so important. I find delight in invest because of the rewards I cannot count such as a deeper connection with my husband.