Remember all the sweet things you did for your husband when you were dating? Make music mixes, bake brownies, write silly love notes, shower. Girl, you were irresistible! Now you’re married and life happens, often pulling you away from the very person who at one time made you giggly.
Sometimes in relationships, we grow complacent, myself included. We put our kids, jobs, and communities first and neglect our marriage; we take it for granted. We take each other for granted, and we forget what it means to nurture our love. We become unconscious and unaware. How can we keep our love fresh, fun, and alive on a small budget? Below are 15 ways to say “I love you” without spending a fortune:
- Send him an email or text at work with a favorite quote or song lyric. Thinking of you . . .
- When he’s running out the door, send him off with a snack that includes his favorite chips or candy bar. If you’re going for “Wife of the Year,” pack some homemade chocolate chip cookies.
- TiVo re-runs of a his favorite childhood sit-com. When the kids are in bed, snuggle up on the couch. Don’t forget the ice cream sundaes.
- Suggest a date night that includes popcorn and a guy movie instead of a chick flick. How many sappy love stories has he watched for you?
- Download some new songs from his favorite music artist and sneak it into his car. When the car starts, surprise! This is a surefire way to start his day off right.
- Tape a love note to his steering wheel or slip it into his pocket. You might want to add, “Don’t forget to pick up milk.”
- Make a reservation at his favorite restaurant. Just the two of you. If it’s pricey, consider just appetizers or just dessert.
- Let him sleep in on a Saturday morning. Awaken him with the smell of pancakes and bacon.
- Take the kids and get out of the house for a few hours, so that he can watch “the game.” Or send him off to the driving range for some alone time.
- Challenge him to a round of Tiger Woods Golf on the Wii. Mind you, we don’t have one. But he sure would love it if we did.
- On your next stroll through the mall, buy him a little something that he wants but doesn’t necessarily need: those new cargo shorts or flip-flops, a gadget from Brookstone, a cool grilling tool. Sometimes it’s nice to get a present for no reason at all.
- Give him a half-hour massage that doesn’t need to be reciprocated. Touch is a powerful way to show affection. (I’m not taking it any farther than that.)
- Make note of a book he’s been itching to read. Then, grab a copy at your local bookstore or library and leave it on his nightstand. If he has a long commute, pick up the CD version.
- Put on your hiking boots, or grab a tennis racquet. Get outside, doing what he loves to do!
- In the middle of the day, send him a funny e-card or picture of you and the kids making silly faces. Guaranteed to make him laugh.
What are some other small ways to tell your spouse, “I love you”?
Mir says:
For Andy’s birthday one year, I made him crabcakes- one of his favorites. It was special, because I’m deathly allergic and had to wear baggies over my hands when I was mixing and forming them :0) They were a huge hit!
July 9, 2009 at 10:59 am