Have you ever found yourself in the midst of another night of binge watching TV clear up ’til bedtime and thought to yourself, “Wow. This is actually kinda boring.”

I mean, to be fair…I’m all about my TV time. I’m a huge fan of it in general. (Just started Westworld and OMG that show is nuts!) But sometimes you gotta mix it up.

If you’re one of those people who has a gajillion dollars to drop on elaborate meals out and worldly experiences, then by all means. Go for that.

However, if you’re someone of simpler means (Ballin’ on a budget!!!) then you might be looking for some date-night inspiration that doesn’t involve spending a bunch of dough. Or maybe you HAVE a bunch of dough but it’s January and cold where you are so you’re like, “I need to stay in my sweats, kthanx.” Either way…date night FROM HOME is a great solution. Here are three ideas…

3 DATE NIGHTS THAT DON’T INVOLVE LEAVING YOUR HOUSE (OR NETFLIX)

EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING

Take everything you love about a lazy morning at home and move it to the evening times. Sound confusing? Here’s the deal. Weekday mornings can be rushed and weekend mornings can get crowded out by sleeping in or rushing to make that brunch reservation with friends. (Or if you’re me, trying to make it to Target before the rest of Miami wakes up. I’ll go to great lengths to avoid a crowd.)

But long, lazy mornings are soooo nice. Cozy pj’s and a floofy robe. A big mug of something warm. The New York Times spread out across the table. (The crossword that’s inside just waiting to be completed!) A blues-y Spotify playlist playing softly in the background.

Now you’re getting the idea! Put on those jammies early tonight, make breakfast for dinner, crack open the paper, and linger at the kitchen table for as long as you like. Best part? You get to go “back to bed” after this breakfast.

DINNER AND A (COOKING) SHOW

I love watching cooking shows and recipe tutorials on YouTube. Sadly, I’m guilty of partaking in these more for entertainment than actually following the instructions and…you know…cooking. You too?

That’s why I think it would be fun to pick a cooking show or a few video recipes that you’ve had bookmarked for ages and GO FOR IT. And thanks to the magic of your laptop or tablet, you can watch and follow along right from your kitchen. Isn’t technology swell?!

If you really wanna up the ante you could turn this into a competition of sorts. Both you and your partner could make different versions of the same dish being described on the screen. Try them both and decide who came out on top.

GETTIN’ CRAFTY 

Pull out your DIY supplies and get comfy spread out on the floor. The possibilities here are kind of endless. The end goal is the same…MAKE something together. Like something to hang on your walls (cheap art!) or a stockpile of gifts to give your friends when their birthdays roll around (cheap presents!).

A few summers ago Chet and I got really into hunting down cool looking hardback books at thrift stores and then turning them into journals. (Kinda like this.) Even though our living room turned into a disaster zone after an evening of our crafting (paper scraps EVERYWHERE!), it was such a fun way to pass the time together. And we gained a bunch of beautiful, HANDMADE notebooks.

And, because I love a theme, I can’t resist the urge to tell you to indulge in your favorite CRAFT beer during your crafty date nights. Sorry, not sorry.

Do you guys have any at-home date night ideas to share? Leave them in the comments!