10 Ways to Romanticize Your Weekends Without Spending Much

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what it actually means to live a full and whimsical life, especially when you’re not flush with cash. My friend recently told me she’s been trying to find little ways throughout her week to find her whimsy and she’s even been challenging her kids with the idea. It’s been so fun to hear about. For me, the challenge has been romanticizing my weekends on a budget and honestly? It has completely changed how I experience my days off.

What’s wonderful about both of these ideas is that most of them don’t cost much at all. It’s essentially giving yourself permission to say yes to something silly, sweet, adventurous, or a little bit magical.

Now, most of my weekends have been eaten up by YTT lately but that ends very soon. When I do have a weekend free, future Mr. Trip Side and I try hard to be productive without being so productive that we forget to have fun. Here’s what that looks like for us.

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Visit a Neighboring Town

Car rides are so nostalgic to me and there’s nothing this adventure seeker loves more than a change of scenery. I love packing snacks and jumping in the car for a mini getaway. To keep costs low we’ll book a hotel one night well in advance and make a point of only supporting the smallest, most local businesses we can find.

Go to the Drive In Movie Theater

I cannot think of anything more old school charming than a drive-in theater. The movies start at dusk, you have to get there early, and there’s something so romantic about the whole thing. Grab some popcorn and soft serve and tell me what more you could possibly ask for!

Turn Your Home into A Cafe in the Morning

This is one of my favorite things to do alone and my fiancé is slowly coming around to it. I turn on some lo-fi jazz, start the espresso machine and the kettle, and once we have our preferred caffeine, we spend an hour pretending we’re at a cafe. I journal or work on the blog and he reads or plays his gaming console. I also love making blueberry muffins (in my jumbo muffin tin) the night before so we have something warm to go with our drinks.

Make Time To Work On Your Hobbies

Friends, we all need to do this on weekends. I know it’s hard to carve out even an hour but it is one of the most genuinely romantic things you can do for yourself. I’ve been making a point to work on my sewing and I’d love to get back to knitting, gardening, scrapbooking, and letter writing too. Not to mention the hobbies I want to pick up like watercoloring, ceramics, and decorating my paper planner.

Create a Vision Board for the Next 6 Months

Vision boards are dreamy because you’re quite literally building the image of the life you want. You don’t have to make a physical one but it helps to see it every day. I’ve been creating a Pinterest vision board every year since 2017 and every year I’ve built more of the life I wanted, brick by brick. I can’t recommend it enough. If a year feels overwhelming, start with just six months.

Dance In the Kitchen While Cooking or Baking

Dancing in general is a huge mood booster but dancing in the kitchen while you cook? Undeniably lovely. It makes you smile just thinking about it. Just keep an eye on the stove. 🔥

Do Something Active With a Friend

You see this in every romantic comedy and girl drama for a reason. Two friends speed walking through a park, taking a yoga class together (eyeing this new cork mat), window shopping through a small town. It’s one of my favorite things and fairly inexpensive. Some of my best conversations happened on a walk.

Hide Little Love Notes For Your Partner To Find

Everyone needs a little romance, especially your partner. Admittedly I got this idea from Ad. He started tucking little notes into my wallet, my nightstand, the glove compartment, and under my pillow and I am still finding them. These tiny gestures are painfully sweet and such a good reminder of why you fell for someone in the first place.

Meet the Girls for a Picnic in the Park or Brunch

How darling is a picnic in the park? This is one of my favorite spring and summer traditions, especially around the equinox. There’s something a little extra special about marking the start of a new season with people you love. Keep it inexpensive by having everyone bring one item, their own blanket, and a reusable cup (I’m dying over this one – NEED).

Read Read Read

I don’t care what anyone says. Read. Reading is romantic. Even if it’s about gardening or gaming, who cares. The act of reading is beautiful and comforting and genuinely resets your nervous system. And it’s completely free as long as you have a library card. You pay taxes to fund that library and you should absolutely use it.

Well, this was a fun little post! How do you like to romanticize your weekend on a budget? I’d love to know in the comments below.

xoxo