So you went all out for your first anniversary celebration, but now the second one is approaching and your wallets are not ready for another celebratory splurge — does that mean you can’t celebrate year two in style? Or are there some budget-friendly second anniversary date ideas that can do your relationship justice without having to go into debt? The answer is, of course you can! Sure, going all-out and having a big splashy anniversary to commemorate your love is really nice but, if you think about it, what makes an anniversary special isn't how much cash you spend, but rather, about taking the time to be together and mindfully celebrate the love and life you share. It's also a way of reaffirming that the two of you have a future, so keep that future debt-free by being honest and realistic about your budget.
Now, being good about sticking to your budget doesn't mean you can't or shouldn’t do anything to celebrate your second anniversary at all. It just means you should be thoughtful about how lavishly you celebrate. My advice when choosing an anniversary date: Focus on picking activities and destinations that maximize your quality time together. That way, it won't feel like a sacrifice at all when you minimize the cost. Here is some budget-friendly date idea inspiration to get you started.
Spending the weekend at a bed and breakfast is super romantic — but it can also be super expensive, so instead of renting a room, turn your home into your very own B&B for the day or weekend! Buy some easy-to-make breakfast items for a morning meal in bed. Get some massage oils and give each other a couple's massage. Most of all, clear your schedule so that you can can just relax and snuggle up together without any distractions.
It's amazing how many local activities are going on that you likely don't know about if you aren’t actively keeping track. So, find your local community calendar or parks and recreation site online to see what events are coming up in your area. There could be outdoor concerts, movies, or festival that could make for the perfect anniversary activity.
Another sweet and romantic way to celebrate your relationship is to go back to where it all began with your first date. Go to the same restaurant where you had dinner, or the coffee bar where you first met, and reminisce about how you felt that first time you were together.
This date idea is both free, and really hard, but totally worth the effort. Go on a quality time date, and by quality time I mean no mobile phones. Put them away and just focus on one another. You can go for a walk in the park, play board games at home, or go out for a cup of coffee. The activity itself is less important than intentionally deciding to set aside all distractions and really just connect.
There is a good reason this date is a bit of a cliche, and that's because it's so fun. Plus, it's pretty darn budget friendly. So, go rent some shoes, grab some nachos and a couple of beers at the snack bar and just get goofy together and remember why you chose one another to share your lives with.
Do you prefer to party on your anniversary? Well, one way to celebrate in boozy but budget-friendly style is to start early. Instead of going out for a night on the town, hit the bar crawl during happy hour and take advantage of all those drink and snack specials. Feeling like you're gaming the system together can really give you quite the buzz.
If you have a drive-in nearby, your second anniversary is the perfect excuse to make the trek. Who cares what's playing? The whole point is to take this opportunity for some old-school making out.
Honestly, this date is totally underrated. It's so sweet and relaxing and can be done on just about any budget. You can practically do it with things already in the house. So, grab a blanket, a bottle of wine, and some snacks and just find a beautiful and quiet place for some quality anniversary time.
Most of the cost a road trip is the accommodations when you get to your destination, so cut that cost out completely by making your road trip into a day trip. Pick a destination far enough away so that it feels like a getaway and change of scenery, but not so far that you can’t be home later that night. Consider places with natural romance, like dining out over the water, or strolling through somewhere scenic.
As I said, your anniversary is as much about reminiscing about the past as it is about looking toward the future together. So, why not get literal with it and visit a palm reader or tarot card reader to see what the next year has in store for you. That way, you can start making plans and getting excited about what’s to come.
There are plenty of really fun and romantic ways to celebrate your second anniversary without going broke in the process. Even if you aren't worried about your budget, prioritizing quality time and fun over spending money is a great way to remind yourself that, in this case, the best things in life truly are free — or at least reasonably priced.
