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Full disclosure

February 11th, 2008 at 03:47 am

Normally my parents take our boys overnight, every Sun and Wed. They take them to school the next day and pack them lunches, so this means my hubby and I are free both nights with no kids. This has been going on for ages, since they were born, and sometimes they even stay over there on Saturdays! Thank goodness for my parents, we have had it pretty nice all these years. But the downside to this is what my DH and I usually do for our "date nights". This is the full disclosure part-gets interesting now.. Well we live in Colorado and anyone who lives here or has been to visit has probably heard of our gambling casinos. It's in a town called Blackhawk and these casinos have been a constant downfall of ours. In the past we have gone up there sometimes two times a week! They have poker which is fun and sometimes we can play for hours and leave with our money plus some. But that is not always the case. So our plan together is to stop going up there. This is harder than you think because on average our life's are centered around this house. We work from home, all day, don't eat out much, don't go to the movies much, etc. We are ALWAYS at home! In the past this has been our night out. Well this has to stop so we have implemented a NO BLACKHAWK plan. But we still struggle with it because we get bored. So tonight was our date night and around 6:30 DH was bored and wanted to get out the house, so we went to McDonalds and got an ice cream cone, then went to Borders book store and browsed around, we bought one board game for our boys, it was 50% off so it was $16.29 or so, total for our date night $19.29. So far so good. We at least got out of the house and didn't go gambling. Now to make up for some of those "urges" we did setup a sort of budget for online poker, and that's our entertainment now. But we really need to find another hobby. Something where we get out and move and get out of this house. We're still looking so we will take any suggestions you have. I know our money is better spent getting out of debt and putting it in savings, so thats why I need full disclosure, list every penny I spend here so everyone can see our progress or lack of it and help keep me accountable. I have to remember how good it will feel each month to have no debt.

A toast to:
No more gambling date nights! And to finding something more constructive to do with our time.

16 Responses to “Full disclosure”

  1. JanH Says:
    1202705704

    Maybe a matinee movie? Summertime could be a putt putt golf game or a picnic in the park. DD and boyfriend got bikes for Christmas and they bike on nice weekends.

  2. jaiparis Says:
    1202706830

    We used to do some movies, but I eat to much popcorn!! But I really like the putt putt golf idea, I never actually thought of that, I'm going to start a list and keep track of the ideas! Keep them coming!

  3. Ima saver Says:
    1202736882

    Well, we eat out a lot, but we get cheap meals, under $20 and we are allowed to brown bag it! When it is warm, we drive out to some property and watch the sunset or we set out over the creeek and listen to it.

  4. scfr Says:
    1202747189

    Kudos for coming up with alternatives before temptation strikes!

    Some suggestions:

    - Go grocery shopping (easier w/out the kids along, right?)
    - Take walks or hikes
    - Go for bike rides
    - Go out to eat, inexpensively (look for coupons to restaurants, or pack a picnic)
    - Work in the yard

    And if you don't mind staying in one night, since you like poker and the kids are away, dare I suggest strip poker w/ the hubby? Wink

  5. jaiparis Says:
    1202747635

    Thanks everyone! Keep the comments coming! Grocery shopping we already do without our boys, usually during the day, and biking we love and do this in the summer, I'm not to good with the cold and living in CO right now it's cold, wet, snowy and icy in some places still. The eat out might be nice every now and then, I need to start looking for coupons, and might be nice to brown bag it and just take a drive someplace.

    Also - I'm sure my hubby would love strip poker! lol

  6. Broken Arrow Says:
    1202751212

    I don't really have any advice. I'm just here to wish you guys good luck! Big Grin

  7. Mr. Meager Says:
    1202753491

    Thumbs up on not totally giving up on gambling. I am setting up myself with a online poker fund too. I often feel guilty about gambling because it tends to be more risky that the average penny pincher needs to take.

  8. creditcardfree Says:
    1202755215

    Public library for reading, walking and window shopping at a mall...those are the ideas off the top of my head.

  9. Broken Arrow Says:
    1202756769

    I actually don't have a problem with casinos so long as your budget is sound and the money coming from your entertainment budget. Even though I'm not much of a "gambler" at all, I love the idea of all the sights and sounds... and food(!) of Las Vegas. I'd like to vacation there some day.

  10. Mr. Meager Says:
    1202757276

    BA, Vegas is the best as using food and other deals just to get you into the casinos hoping you will gamble some. I'll admit myself that I have sat in on some timeshare presentations for free show tickets.

  11. ceejay74 Says:
    1202768075

    These will all cost you, but maybe not as much as gambling--and if you look around town you may be able to find a good deal:
    Pub quiz/trivia night at a bar
    Play pool
    Go bowling
    Get massages
    Video arcade/Gameworks
    Greenhouse/indoor gardens? There are a few here in Minneapolis, so you can get some nature even when it's cold.
    IMAX theaters/science, history or art museums
    Cooking class

  12. zenith Says:
    1202771063

    How about doing some volunteer work? It defintely gets your mind off your own problems.

  13. Lost in debt Says:
    1202780938

    There is a nice restaurant with a lounge here and they have a solo artist usually singing or playing some music on cerain nights of the week; we go there just for glass of wine and sit and listen to the music, there is no charge for the entertainment and if we are lucky we see friends and acquaintances who might come in while we are there. Are there are little pubs that you could go to with free entertainment?

  14. jaiparis Says:
    1202789254

    We do love Vegas as well, but can't go there, to tempting to spend, spend spend! But playing pool or perhaps finding a little bar like lost in debt suggested sounds fun. We are in the 'burbs' and really everything good like that is in Denver - which by the way really isn't that big of a town compared to other cities, sometimes we wished we lived in Brooklyn, a good friend lives there and we love it every time we go there, because you could just step outside and go for a walk in the neighborhood and check out all the stores, people, little cafe's etc. But we don't live there so have to make do with finding/driving for stuff to do.

  15. jIM_Ohio Says:
    1202846452

    plan a poker night with friends if you need to get the gambling fix. But bet with quarters, dimes and nickels.

  16. reflectionite Says:
    1202974142

    my parents like to gamble quite a bit, so they have done a few other things to distract themselves too.
    do you have any spas around where you are? they are relaxing, and the ones here are open til 7pm, which means you could get there at 5pm, leave at 7 and then have a nice relaxed dinner afterwards. it will get you out of the house for a few hours.
    have you thought about buying some board games for yourselves?
    there are always movies, shows, and live bands, if they play near you. maybe you could go camping overnight and really get away from everything.

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