Yesterday, I talked about the broke years.  Some of my friends commented about it, that maybe living like we’re broke isn’t such a bad idea.  Perhaps we take some of the fun and adventure out of our lives when we have the money to do “grown-up” things.

• When you can always afford a hotel room, will you choose to camp on the beach?
• When you can always afford a steak, will you eat at the taco shack on the corner?
• When you can always afford to go out to eat, will you invite people over for a home-cooked meal?
• When you can always afford to go to the movies, will you invite friends over for game night?

I think we need to start a revolution, let’s take back our time and spend it with friends instead of with things.  Let’s spend our time doing things instead of being entertained by others doing things. Let’s embrace Milton-Bradley’s family game night.  Let’s hold on to our money for the better investment we can make with it, there may be a time we are broke again, so let’s hold on to it til then.  Let’s make a pact to return to the simpler things, when dinner out doesn’t cost $100, but maybe $14 instead – what can we do with that extra $86?  Can we help someone who needs it more than us?

A couple of years ago Rich and I were feeling especially broke on Valentine’s Day, so we wanted to find the cheapest date possible for a cold February night.  We found it, and we had fun in the process, no reservations required, we had Costco hot dogs and then went to the cheap movie theater.  Not counting gas, but popcorn included the whole date was $11 and we laughed as much that night as we have on any other date night, maybe more.  It was a fun challenge.  Tell me about your cheapest date, was it fun? was it romantic?