100 Things to Do as a Couple (On a Budget)

Bored? Broke? Looking for something to do as a couple? Pick from these 100 things to do as a couple.

Relationships thrive somewhere between predictable, comfortable routines AND spontaneous moments found through exploring new things together.

And guess what? Doing new stuff together doesn’t need to cost much.

Especially when you’ve got this list of 100 things to do as a couple.

100 Things to Do as a Couple

Broke? Bored? Want to experience life together in new ways? Keep reading.

1. Have a Skipping Stones Competition

My husband has this superpower I didn’t even know about until like year 10 of us being together: he can skip rocks along a body of water like no other person I’ve seen.

It’s impressive!

He is trying to teach me, which has been a lot of fun. It’s a couple’s activity we definitely recommend (even if both of you are bad at it to begin with).

2. Virtually Tour Banksy Street Art

My husband and I watched a documentary a few years ago on Banksy, a very famous and currently anonymous street artist.

It was really fun to learn about it together.

You guys can do the same and even take virtual tours of some of his famous finds.

Hint: if you’re in the D.C. area, there are two Banksy’s at the Hirshhorn museum, too. I was pleasantly surprised to see them!

3. Create a Fun (or Ridiculous) Couple’s Avatar

Use Canva’s free avatar creator apps and create individual AND a couple's avatar to use around the web.

Hint: Oh my gosh – some of these turn out HIDEOUS and are absolutely hilarious! Like…what did they make my husband into in this one?!? Haha!

4. Read the Same Relationship Book at the Same Time

Buy one copy of a relationship/marriage book, then check out a second copy from your local library.

Each of you read the book at the same time – say, weekly deadlines for each chapter.

Then, talk about it! Make notes. What could you work on? What reminds you of your partner? Do any exercises that are in the book, too.

My husband and I did this with The 5 Languages of Love, and we learned so much about each other!

5. Hike to a Waterfall Together

There are so many waterfalls across the United States. Some of them are easy to get to, like a one-mile hike off the road.

And others? Well, you'd better pack some energy bars and put on your hiking boots.

Choose from this list of noteworthy waterfalls in each state, and witness something beautiful together.

6. Do a Superhero Movie Marathon

Do you know how many Superman shows and movies there have been over the years?

It’d be so fun and interesting to hunt down each of the Supermans as far back as you can and watch them over a period of months together.

How has Superman changed? What’s your favorite one?

7. Go On A Moonlit Walk Together

Things are different in the moonlight. Conversations. The way the street looks. What’s open and not open. The animal sounds.

Take the time to appreciate the dark together by taking a moonlit walk.

8. Record a Hilarious Voicemail as a Couple

One of my fondest memories I have of my aunt and uncle was the day they took a noise-producing toy and created a rap song to record the voicemail message everyone would hear on my parents’ phone.

Utterly hilarious.

I can’t remember the lyrics. I can’t even remember how long my parents kept the message.

But they LOVED it!

You can do this together, too. How fun that when someone calls one of your phones, they’ll get to listen to a hilarious message!

9. Go on a Cross-State Road Trip

Have you ever explored the corners of your state?

It’s kind of fun.

Look at a detailed state map together, and figure out where you’d like to go on your cross-state road trip.

To the upper left corner? The bottom right? A specific town? North?

It’s up to you guys. Take the time to get to know your state even better.

10. Piece Together a Film Festival At Home

Choose a specific producer, a specific actor/actress, a specific time period, a specific type of media, etc.

And create a film festival out of it.

Choose 3-7 of the movies/films/shows to watch together over a period of time (3 nights, 3 weeks – whatever works for you guys).

This will give you something to talk about together. What are the similarities from one movie to the next? What are the differences between each? Which is your favorite, and which is your least favorite?

That type of thing.

11. Play Arcade Games Together

I haven’t played an arcade game since I was in my early teens. My husband hasn’t, either.

Going to an arcade and playing 3-4 games is not only affordable (if you cut yourself off), but it’s a lot of fun.

There are some really wild games out there now!

12. Go on a Silent Retreat

Have you heard of silent retreats? You might find one at a monastery (yes, they exist in the United States), like the one we have just one hour from our home.

We haven’t tried it yet, but we’re very excited (okay…me, more than him) about doing a silent retreat together.

The cost is actually quite reasonable (for traveling – from what I’ve seen), and it seems like a good growing opportunity (if not a talking point…for later days).

13. Take Pictures of Your State’s Wildflowers

Each state has its own combination of beloved wildflowers come spring (and even into the summer).

Find your own state's famous flowers and where to go to view them, and create a photo bouquet of the two of you prancing about and kissing in the fields.

My husband and I did this once with Texas bluebonnet fields. Once when it was just us and we were newlyweds, and once after our son was born.

Such fun memories!

14. Learn Self-Defense Together

Some choices:

• Introduction to Self-Defense for Beginners (3-4 hours long)
• Basic Self-Defense for All (31 minutes)
• Women's Self-Defense Tips (1 hour, 4 minutes)

15. Play Pool at a Local Pool Hall

One of the most fun, down-to-earth times I’ve ever had with my husband was when we first moved in together and decided to go to a pool hall.

Just the two of us and a pool table.

A couple of drinks, a couple of rounds, and lots and lots of smiles and giggles.

16. Take Financial Peace University

If you don’t have a church or your church doesn’t offer this, then I highly recommend you search around for churches in your area that offer Financial Peace University.

You and your partner will work through all kinds of important money stuff, life stuff, etc. And since you do it together, it’ll strengthen your bond.

(Sure, you might have a disagreement or two throughout, but overall, you’ll feel quite accomplished at what you got done together for your collective future). 

17. Read a Book Together, At the Same Time

My husband and I haven’t done this much, but when we have, it’s really upped our conversations.

Such as when we read the couple’s book The 5 Languages of Love at the same time.  

It was like a private book club, only the two of us were in on together!

Psst: you could pick the book out on a bookstore date.

18. Get Pedicures Together

My husband’s brother – who you would think would never, ever, ever get a pedicure – actually gave us this idea years ago.

He would go with his wife to get a pedicure every so often.

Paul and I have now done this about three times together over the years. And it’s always a delight!

19. Set Up a Chore Chart Dartboard and Use It

Use a dartboard (even one you find at a thrift store) to divvy up your next round of chores.

Write what needs to get done on little slips of paper, then compete against each other to get the ones you want.

Hint: You’ll likely save some arguments and silent treatments by doing this, too.

20. Solve a Murder Mystery Together

Consume a murder mystery together at the same time – by podcast, documentary, escape room, etc. – and give yourselves something to mull over together.

Who do you think is the suspect? What clues do you think were weird? What questions do you still have?

Episode by episode, work through it together.

Hint: This is a fun thing to do together at a coffee shop. Here are other coffee shop date ideas.

21. Take the At-Home Date Night Challenge

I created the 3-month At-Home Date Night Challenge – to get back into the rhythm of regularly dating your spouse again – after my husband and I went on an unplanned, 1-year dating hiatus.

Whoops.

And it was SO much fun to put together. We actually did all of the dates I discussed – the $5 pub trivia at home date night, the '80s-Kid Charcuterie Snacks Board + B-Rated Shark Thriller Night, and more – there’re lots of photos! Check it out.

22. Order and Try Each Other’s Favorite Drinks

Order each other’s go-to Starbucks or bar order and drink it.

What do you think?

23. Create a Wall Mural Based on Hike Finds

Grab a giant net, and hang it on a wall in your home (even in your master bedroom works).

Each walk or hike the two of you go on together, pick up something and bring it back to put into the mural.

Hint: Not wild about a mural? You could get a large jar and add things as you find them.

It’s a really nice visual of something you’ve created together over time.  

24. Complete an At-Home Yoga Challenge Together

Every January, my friend and I do Adriene’s 30-day yoga challenge together. The videos are free, released each day of the month, and available on YouTube.

It would be so fun to do this as a couple! Fun couple’s challenges can really add to a relationship.

25. Work on a Giant Puzzle Together

Sometimes, just having one location to gather together, without a screen, at the end of the day is comforting.

Start a puzzle on your dining room table and try to get it done in a month. Work on it here and there together while talking about your day.

Then when it’s finished? You can frame it!

Psst: don’t have the room to keep a puzzle out on a table? Here’s a puzzle mat that you can put the pieces on, and it’ll keep them in place even when you roll it up.

26. Skip Work and Have a Picnic

Each takes the day off work. Not for doctor appointments, or when you’re sick, or anything like that.

Just to go on a picnic the two of you make together. Could be in the middle of a city or a local park.

Could be out in your front yard.

The location doesn’t matter – just connect.

27. Tour a Local Brewery Tour

I’m amazed at all of the local micro-breweries that have popped up. Many have tours and samplings.

Stay local and get to know what’s brewing around your area.

Hint: You can save bottle caps from each place and make fridge magnets out of them. We did this over a decade ago and still have a few hanging around! Just use these and a hot glue gun.

28. Do “The Great Sex Weekend” Together

Imma just gonna leave this one here for you to check out (I found it in a used book store years ago and was quite inspired…).

29. Take a Winter Staycation

Everyone talks about summer trips and summer staycations…but what about a winter staycation?

I’ve got loads of fun winter-themed staycation ideas here that you can do together. 

30. Make a Love Is Art Canvas Together

Have you heard of the Love Is Art set for couples?

My husband and I actually got one…and used it.

I’ll let you check it out here. Super fun (an at-home date night we’ll never forget).

31. Tackle a Couple’s Financial Goal Together

Paul and I did something right after getting engaged that really brought us so much closer together: we worked on a money goal to become debt-free before we walked down the aisle.

You can read all about that, here.

I truly think it started off our marriage on such a great foot (and not just because we almost began our marriage debt-free…again, read the story).

Another couple’s money goal could be a couple’s savings goal.

32. Go Skinny Dipping

In a pool, in a hot tub, in a lake…going skinny-dipping with your partner is one memory you both will never forget.

33. Ride the Metro to the End

Do you have a metro in a nearby city? Ride one of the metro lines all the way to the end (in D.C., at least, this was the Red Line until it actually comes out of the ground and goes up to street-level).

Then you can just catch the other one back to wherever you wanted to go in the first place.

34. Pick One Stop a Weekend to Explore

When I lived abroad, I used to pick a random train stop and exit it. Then, I’d walk around for hours on the street above.

This is such a fun thing to do together as a couple. You can slowly get to know your area together, and you don’t necessarily need to spend much to do so.

In just one month, you will have explored four different areas together!

35. Make Homemade Pasta Together (No Machine Needed)

Pasta is a very cheap ingredient to create, and with this no-machine pasta recipe, it’s one you can do any night.

Put some Italian opera music on in the background (I found lots of compilations on YouTube), and work on this fun, involved culinary project together.

Don’t forget to look up a pasta meal you’d like to create with it once it’s done!

36. Go Pet Window Shopping

Find a pet store and window shop. Talk about what pet speaks to each of you and what kind of pet you might want to get in the future.

What pets did you guys have as kids?

37. Split a Milkshake at a Diner

Find an old-style diner with a bunch of milkshake options, and order one to split. Done and done.

38. Fish for Your Dinner

My husband took our son fishing for the first time a few years ago, and they caught quite a few fish!

He then came home and cooked he and I the most wonderful fish’n’chips.

It was such a fun thing – to eat fish my son had caught (though he didn’t want to eat…).

39. Eat Breakfast for Dinner at a Waffle House

Ever been to a Waffle House at night together?

You’re in for quite a different experience.

Go ahead – go to your local Waffle House after dark and order breakfast. Change things up a bit!

Psst: And if you’re a broke couple? Order one plate and eat it together.

40. Watch a Black & White Horror Movie

Go to your local library and find some of the classic black and white horror movies to enjoy together.

Such as:

• Frankenstein
• Dracula
• The Mummy
• Etc.

You can also find an entire collection of black and white monster movies here.

41. Make Up Your Own Couple’s Mad Libs

Each of you write several paragraphs about your lives together, or a trip you took, or something you did together.

Then, delete specific verbs, adjectives, and a few nouns. Make a note of what type of word is needed in those spaces.

Now, ask your partner for those words to fill in.

Read the result out loud, and have a few laughs!

42. Alphabet Date Night Challenge

Have you heard of the Alphabet Date Night Challenge? I’m not sure who came up with it first (not me!), but basically, you go out on a date that corresponds to that week’s letter of the alphabet until you make it all the way through the alphabet.

43. Babysit a Niece or Nephew Together

Don’t have kids of your own yet?

It can be SO fun seeing your partner in a new light – and this one doesn’t disappoint.

Have fun babysitting together as a couple. Brainstorm a few fun activities to do with your niece(s)/nephew(s) and some food. And see where the evening takes you all!

Hint: the grown-ups in their life? Will be so thankful if they get the evening off.

44. Complete a Fitness Craze Video

There are lots of fitness fads to choose from, and fortunately, you can find many of them on YouTube.

Choose a silly one or one you’re interested in learning more about, and complete it together.

Such as:

• No equipment HIIT Workout
• Caribbean Cardio Workout
• Espresso Workout

45. Do a Retro Exercise Video Together

There are some hilarious fitness videos from the 80s, 90s, etc., that you can do together. If you can stop giggling long enough!

Like Jane Fonda’s original workout video. Or Prancercising…

46. Do Funny Little Body Challenges Online

Check out the:

• Chair Challenge
• Balance Challenge
• Couple’s Balance Challenge

Hint: Here are 41 more relationship challenges for couples to do together.

47. Go to Homecoming at Your High School

Go back to one of your old high schools for their homecoming celebrations. You can usually find the schedule on the school’s website.

Cheer on your sports team together, volunteer to chaperone something, and don’t forget the parade. Have so much fun together!

48. Share Each Other’s Childhood Cereal

What was your favorite childhood cereal (that you either were or were not allowed to eat)?

Each buys a box of your favorite childhood cereal and lets the other taste it.

49. Canvas an Entire Nature Area

Choose one nature reserve, national park, or state park and resolve to hike/walk each trail until you’re finished.

50. Browse a Library Used Book Sale

My husband and I absolutely love taking a lazy afternoon (or hour) and browsing a local library used book sale.

You never know what treasures you’ll find, and the price is definitely right!

51. Go Swinging in a Park

Got a local park with sturdy swings?

Some of our fondest memories together have been swinging in a park together (don’t worry – there were no kids around, or else we’d have given up our seats).

52. Pick a New Sports Team for a Season

Try on a sports team together by choosing a new one to follow as a couple. Try to watch several of their games together as the season goes on.

53. Do a Mini-Games Tournament At Home

I took butcher paper and layered our dining room table in it. Then I got a bunch of silly mini-games from Dollar Tree, with a prize (Pecan Twirls!), and my husband was surprised in a big way.

What a fun night!

Psst: I won 3 Pecan Twirls, and he won 2, by the way.

54. Try Out a Vegan Restaurant

Have you ever eaten vegan? We don’t…so it’s a very different experience.

You can either go to a vegan restaurant together, OR, save a little cash by choosing vegan frozen meals at a grocery store like Whole Foods.

55. Play Poker with Your Chores

Each of you write down a bunch of chores on pieces of paper. These are what you’ll be using!

Play several rounds of Poker. At the end, the chore slips of paper you have are the ones that your partner will need to do, and vice versa.

56. Dangle Feet Over a Dock

Find a pier or a dock, sit down together, and dangle your feet above the water.

Simple, free, and memorable.

Bonus points if you time it for a sunset!

57. Make Mug Cakes

Mug cakes are one of my favorite finds on the internet, and my husband would agree.

They’re fast to bake – usually just 1 minute in the microwave or less – and you don’t end up with a full cake to eat through for the next 5 nights (or three…).

Here are a few mug cake recipes to try:

• Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake
• Vanilla Mug Cake
• “The One” Chocolate Mug Cake

Hint: We especially love curling up with one of these mug cakes next to a fire when it’s cold outside.

58. Blind Taste Test Pop-Tarts

There are so many flavors of Pop-Tarts now – when I got to Walmart, there's like a wall of them.

Grab three of them, mix them up, and blindfold your partner.

Have them taste all three and try to guess what the flavor is.

Then, reverse – you get blindfolded, and they hand you random ones to sample and guess.

59. Watch a Romance from Another Country

Have you ever tried a Korean Romance (there are lots to choose from on Netflix)?

They’re kind of wonderful. And somewhat cheesy.

My husband and I got into one together, and it was a fun experience. Could be for you guys, too!

60. Feed Animals at a Local Petting Zoo

Petting zoos are a low-key and fun activity for couples – and it’s an experience to feed animals you likely don’t have together on a day-to-day basis.

Adorable & cheap.

61. Sleep in a Different Room of Your Home

Sounds silly, but even sleeping in your guest room can make it feel like a small getaway for the two of you.

62. Make Freezer Jam Together

My husband and I love doing projects together – I can see us totally getting into this, going to a farmer’s market and picking out the fruits, working in the kitchen together, etc.

Decide on the fruits you want to use as a combination – something about your relationship, or one each of you loves – and make a jam out of it.

Here’s a basic jam recipe you can use with almost any fruit/fruit combo.  

You can have a lot of fun with this, and even brand the jam “Amanda and Paul’s Jams”, or a name of your choosing.

63. Go Bowling After Dark

Find a bowling alley that has glow-in-the-dark pins and lanes and music, etc. during later hours…and have some fun together.

64. Volunteer with Bees

It’s no secret that the honeybee population in the United States – which is critical for our agriculture – is in a serious and dangerous decline.

Turns out there are lots of beekeeping organizations and associations, and many of them run on volunteers. Some you have to take a course beforehand, and some you can just start.

Check out your local beekeeping organizations, and see where the two of you can help.

65. Do a City-Specific Scavenger Hunt

You can purchase a pre-planned scavenger hunt for the nearest city to you guys and go through it together (it’s delivered on your smartphone).

66. Play Playdough Pictionary

Get some kid’s playdough from the Dollar Tree and print out a set of Pictionary cards.

Now, take turns picking a card, sculpting it out, and having the other person try to guess what it is.

67. Play Each Other’s Childhood Video Games

You can find a lot of free versions (with ads) of some classic childhood video games, such as Tetris or even the original Super Mario Brothers (that music takes me back!).

68. Give Each Other a Facial Massage

I think we hold more tension in our faces than we think!

Here’s a calming tutorial on how to give your partner a facial massage.

69. Meet Up for Library Blockbuster Pick Out

Do you remember meeting up with your date to pick out movies at your local Blockbuster?

My husband and I kind of miss that.

We recreate it every so often by going to the library’s DVD section and picking out movies to borrow together.

70. Visit a Plant Nursery and Get a “Love Fern”

You know that silly scene in How to Lose a Man in 10 Days where she gives the man a “Love Fern” to keep at his apartment?

Yep – my husband and I picked out our own relationship Love Fern. And you can, too! It’s pretty fun looking at all the plants together and picking out a pot.

71. Go on a Smoothie Walk

Grab smoothies from a local place (or make your own), and then take them to a nice park so that you can walk along a path and drink them together.

72. Go to a Cat Café

Do you guys like cats? My husband and I do!

Search for a cat café in your local area or the nearest city.

Go to it together (you can surprise your partner), order coffees, and snuggle/pet the little guys.

73. Fill a Vase with Rocks

Find a glass vase around your home, and keep it somewhere the two of you can admire it.

Each walk and hike you take, pick up one stone from it and put it in the vase. See the stones stack up!

74. Go to a Free Outdoor Movie

Lots of towns have free outdoor movies as the weather gets better. Grab a few candy boxes and snacks from Dollar Tree’s impressive snack aisle, and watch it together.

75. Share that One Song that Reminds You of High School

You likely both did not go to the same high school (how cool if you are, in fact, high school sweethearts!).

Get to know each other a bit better by sharing that one song that, whenever it’s played, takes you right back to gym uniforms and passing notes in Mr. Weakland’s math class.  

76. Take a Virtual Tour of Your Dream Home

It’s fun to daydream together –take turns finding your dream home on Zillow or elsewhere, and take a virtual tour (or just look at the uploaded photos).

77. Fly a Kite

You can find kites very cheaply (even at the Dollar Tree!). Attempting to fly one together is a pretty fun way to pass an hour.

78. Find the Hottest Hot Sauce Competition

Each of you has one job to prep for this: find and buy the hottest sauce you think you can.

When you get together, bring out snacks or even just crackers that can be dipped in the two hot sauces. Determine who found the hottest one.  

79. Taste-Test Oreo Flavors

There are a bazillion new Oreo flavors out there. Buy several packs and taste them together. Which one is the best? Do any of them beat the originals?

80. Text in Emojis Only for 10 Minutes

Communicate via text for ten minutes or so, ONLY using emojis. This can get quite funny…and cryptic.

81. Play Bingo at Local Bingo Hall

Bingo can actually be fun. If nothing else, it makes for great people-watching and gets the two of you out of the house for cheap.

82. Cook an Online Recipe Together

There are some really great videos out there of home chefs making yummy-tasting food.

Like this guy’s channel.

Look around, find something that looks amazing, and gather the ingredients. Cook it together.

83. Take a Free College Course Together

We live in a pretty incredible age – there are actual completely free college courses online that you can take. From big schools, too – like Harvard and Stanford (you should also check out OpenLearn).

Pick out a course you both have some interest in and sign up individually.

Just think about all the conversations you’ll have from doing this at the same time.

84. Take a Personality Quiz

There are lots of free personality quizzes online, and each can give you some insight into yourself AND your partner.

Here are a few to check out:

• 16 Personalities
• Truity
• Crystal Knows

85. Split a Grocery Store Sushi Box

Grab one of those grocery sushi boxes and two sets of chopsticks. Meet each other by a fountain, under a tree, or otherwise outside.

86. Complete a Mini-Savings Challenge

I’ve got lots of mini-savings challenges and couple’s savings challenges. Choose one, and change the course of your money life moving forward.

87. Watch All the Christmas Episodes of a Show

Near Christmas (or in July…) go through one of your favorite shows together and watch just the Christmas episodes.

We did this recently with Friends and again with South Park’s Halloween episodes.  

88. Drive Down a Random Road Together

We have this road between our home and church that looks like it leads right to Sleepy Hollow.

So one day? We took a right and drove down it.

Pick a road you’ve never driven down before, and just ride it through.

If you get lost (which is the fun part)? You can just use your phone’s direction app to get back home.

89. Ride a Ride Together

Go to your local fair or festival, and choose ONE ride to ride together.

Totally affordable, and it’ll bring out the playful side in you both.

90. Get Photobooth Photos Done

Here’s a secret: on our wedding night? We went out for an hour or so and found a photobooth. We took photos of ourselves just totally in love and lovin’ life, and we each keep a copy of them in our wallets to this day.

Create a similar memory for the two of you!

91. Sit for 30 Minutes Together and Read

If you don’t typically read together, then this feels “novel”. Each pick a book you’re reading or want to, sit in silence together, and just read.

92. Do the Other Person’s Hobby

Skateboarding? Hacky Sack? World of Warcraft?

No matter how much you might not want to, participating in your partner’s hobby once or twice can bring the two of you closer.

It’ll also give you a glimpse of them in a new light.

93. Bust Out the Rollerblades

Do you guys still own a pair of rollerblades?

Actually take them out down alleyways, sidewalks, or at the park together.

94. Do a Tripod Couple’s Photo Session

Do you have a tripod, or could you borrow one?

You can set your smartphone up on it and use a Bluetooth remote (many tripods now come with a free Bluetooth remote control that’s easy to sync up) so that the two of you can get dressed up and do a photo session somewhere fun.  

95. Design a Christmas Card Together

Doesn’t matter what time of year it is right now; you can get ahead by taking a photo/choosing which couple’s photo to use and then designing your Christmas card using a service like Shutterfly.

96. Shuffle Photos Around

You likely have frames throughout your home with various couple’s photos.

Look through your photos on your phone, print some new ones out at a local photo center, and then shuffle the photos in these frames.

It can really freshen up a room and at the same time remind you both of good times.

97. Use a Black Lightbulb After Hours Tonight

Surprise your partner by installing a black lightbulb (they’re cheap – Dollar Tree even sells them sometimes) in your bedroom.

The rest is up to you guys!

98. Join a Secret Society Together

Ever wanted to join a secret society? How about the two of you do it together?

Which one? I don’t know…it’s kinda a secret.

99. Do Fun Shadow Photos

Stand in the sun later in the day at the right angle, and take silly shadow photos of the two of you being a couple.

100. Make Plans Tonight ONLY Using Emojis

It’s so funny to try to have a conversation using only emojis! Try it out by making plans tonight using only emojis in your texts.