$10 Great Dates: Connecting Love, Marriage, and Fun on a Budget

$10 Great Dates has definitely helped us get out of the rut and put some fun and good conversation back in our relationship. Man friendly!

Couples committed to staying connected to each other and strengthening their marriages will find lot of creative date ideas in $10 Great Dates: Connecting Love, Marriage, and Fun on a Budget by Peter and Heather Larson and David and Claudia Arp.

The book is filled with ideas for what the authors define as "great dates." The common elements of a "great date" include quality time together, giving each spouse a break from the normal routine, a shared activity, and conversation. And each date idea in the book certainly delivers.

$10 Great Dates features:

- Adventure Great Dates

- Out-on-the-Town Great Dates

- At-Home Great Dates

- The Great Outdoors Great Dates

- Marriage Pick-Me-Up Great Dates

- Romantic Great Dates

- Seasonal Specials Great Dates

- Unique and Unusual Great Dates

Besides that, each date includes "Before You Date" suggestions as well as tips for when you're "On the Date." There's also a "Great Date Takeaway" for each date--a thought to ponder and apply to your relationship. On top of that, the authors even include ideas for cheap childcare options.

I found this book to be encouraging and practical, yet full of fun. $10 Great Dates is filled with do-able dates for normal people like me who desperately want to keep dating their spouses and grow in intimacy together, but who lack creativity. Plus, they all stick to a budget! What more can you ask for? In fact, the book helps you realize that the dates aren't really about how much money you spend, but quality time spent together having fun and enjoying each other--recapturing some of the excitement that brought you together in the first place.

This is one book I highly recommend for all married couples. In fact, I'd also recommend it as a wedding or anniversary gift. This is a must-have for any household's library.

* Note: I received a copy of the book from NetGalley for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

"Dating after marriage" or "fun after marriage?" Absolutely! Fun and dating does not end with marriage, or at least it shouldn't. These two Christian couples, Peter and Heather Larson, along with David and Claudia Arp, give ideas for doing just that. Since nothing costs over $10, the author's have kept things affordable.

Ultimately, dating after marriage is just another word for spending time together, a way to continue to grow closer to each other. All relationships, especially marriage, are about connecting with each other, keeping common ground with another person. Maintaining a strong bond between spouses is something that always needs to be nurtured. Sometimes couples may find themselves in the same room, but not interacting with each other. If that is happening more often than not, shake things up a bit.

Just in case you can't think of anything, this book gives some ideas. To be honest, a lot of their dates are probably things you have already thought of, or you would not find appealing. The idea of this book--couples truly interacting with each other without spending a lot of money--can be used as inspiration to come up with ideas more to a couple's liking. I highly encourage married folks to keep dating. However it is done, get out there and interact with you significant other!

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through Bethany House Publishing for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner. Despite my receiving the book free, it has not influenced my judgment, and I have given an honest opinion.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

$10 Great Dates was written by two sets of married couples and was written w/married couples in mind. So many of us who have been married a really long time tend to think that we can't afford to date our spouse anymore/or simply just don't take the time to date our spouses, but this book proved that there are a number of 'dates' $10 and under, that we can achieve w/our own mates, w/out breaking the bank.

The main reason I wanted to read this book was to give me even more ideas for dates w/my hubby of almost 28 yrs, b/c we tend to do the same types of dates on a regular basis and I wanted some new, fresh ideas for the both of us. The authors certainly need to be applauded for doing just that. With the ideas that you get from both sets of couples it was really fun thinking 'outside the box' for several of the dates. I never would have even thought of some of their creative ideas, however, some were a bit more simplistic in nature, but they all were referred to as not just dates, but 'GREAT' dates, which I thought was rather unique/charming, and is geared to make you draw closer to each other as a couple, with God at the head of your marriage.

Each chapter was only a few pages long, making it a quick read, plus you got great tips on 'before your date', 'on your date', 'talking points' and 'great date takeaway'. I loved these features, it really got my creative juices flowing.

I'm sure I'll pass this 'great' book on to my own son/future daughter-in-love when they get married next summer.

There are a few reasons people don't date their spouse. One is not feeling like you have to keep pursuing them since you married them. Another is not having child-care available or knowing what to do if child-care isn't an issue. The one that seems to be the biggest one in our house is no money.

The Larson's and Arp's did a great job giving 52 (one for each week of the year!) date suggestions. They're $10 or less, unless you count the price of gas for a couple of them. The great part is, they're not all "mushy" dates! You don't have to do all of them exactly as they're suggested either. That's just what they are, suggestions to help you make plans!

I've already recommended this book to a couple people who were asking about inexpensive date ideas. Definitely worth the money if you're stuck in a "date-rut".

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.