This week is Rekindle Romance week, a time to really show your other half just how much you care. Valentines Day was 6 months ago, but who says that romance should be confined to February? Wining and dining your other half or buying them a nice treat can be very expensive, so how do you get that spark back without breaking the bank? Moneysupermarket.com has put this guide together to show you how to woo your partner without upsetting your wallet…

Romantic Meal Out

Get your glad rags on and go for a slap up meal. We realise that this is an expensive concept, but eating out doesn’t have to be expensive anymore. The recession has seen the vouchers market grow by 50% year on year, meaning that more restaurants are seeing the value in offering discounts. Before you choose where to eat do a quick search on moneysupermarket’s vouchers page for restaurant vouchers. Whether you’re eating out at a national chain restaurant or a smaller independent there will be sure to be some kind of discount you can get off your total bill. Whether it is 2 for 1 on main courses, a free bottle of wine or a percentage discount off the whole bill, you can still save a considerable amount. And the best thing is you don’t have to tell your partner- just discreetly hand the voucher to the waiter/waitress- they’ll never know!

Romantic Meal In

Why not show off your cooking skills and eat in? This will show that you’ve put a lot of effort in to rekindling your romance and it can be very cheap if you shop at the right places for your ingredients. Go to your local butchers and ask for the best cuts of meat. Butchers near enough always offer local and fresh produce and it’s very likely to be cheaper than shopping in a supermarket. There is no packaging apart from a bag to take it home in and you can order as much or as little as you want, therefore eliminating waste- and the extra expense. Other independent shops, like fruit and veg, cheese, wine and flower shops are likely to stock things that you won’t find in the supermarkets, meaning you can add a sense of occasion to your home-cooked meal.

Romantic Walk

Choose a day/night when the great British weather won’t get the better of you, and head off out for a walk. Choose a route with great scenery that won’t be too busy and just enjoy each others company. To make it a little more special, take a picnic with you and choose a nice spot to just sit and relax. This is a great, free activity which can be as romantic as you like.

Romantic Gestures

Do something that you wouldn’t usually do and catch your other half off guard. Send some flowers to the office, run them a bath and light some candles, or even offer to run them some errands. The smaller things can be the most romantic as well as the cheapest, so take full advantage of them and enjoy surprising your special someone.

Romantic Weekend Away

A weekend away need not be overly expensive. You can get some fantastic offers on hotels in the UK which you can drive to or get relatively cheap train or coach travel for. You don’t need to spend a packet on fancy excursions or meals out- just getting away from everyday life can be romantic. Remember to go armed with vouchers for the surrounding area and do a little research about the surrounding areas first so you know what there is to see and how much it will cost you. You could even just opt to go for a day out. Choose somewhere that you visited when you first started dating to bring back some happy memories, or go somewhere new where you can create new ones.

A romantic money saving article, written by Rachael Miller at moneysupermarket.com

Romantic has different meanings for different people. A romantic date does not necessarily mean that it has to be in expensive and in fancy restaurants. It can be anything and anywhere. There are different types of dates that you can find and choose those that are ideal for you and your partner.

Active dates are those that involve outdoors and adventures. Holiday dates are going someplace with your partner. Other types include cheap dates, dream dates, social dates, travel dates and private dates. No matter which type you have chosen, there are a few options to each of the type.

The simplest idea is to go out for a nice dinner and a movie afterwards. If this is too classical for you, there are a number of ideas for your date. Go for a hand-in-hand walk. Drive to a beach in the evening, walk hand-in-hand along the beach and enjoy the sunset. You can think of other places where you can spend valuable time with your date. Another one is pack up for a small picnic and spend some quality romantic times together.

If there are ponds or lakes nearby, drive there and rent a boat. There are only the two of you on the boat in the middle of the lake without disturbances from other people. This is a good way to spend time with each other only. After the boat ride, you can take your date to a floating restaurant for a nice romantic dinner. If you can afford more expensive boat rides, there are boats available for sight-seeing and they provide meals on board.

It is usually not what you do that matters, but who you are with that matters the most. Find out what are the interests of your date and give her a surprise date. For example if she loves dancing, go to dancing classes with her. If both of you are already good with dancing, take her out to places where both of you can dance, such as restaurants.

Another way is to stay at home. Rent some romantic or comedy movies and order take-away food. Snuggle together on the couch and enjoy the evening together. If the two of you enjoy a bit of cooking, go to the supermarket together to buy things and cook your own dinner. If there are no nice movies available, grab some CDs and listen to the music together.

During the weekend, plan for some getaways once in a while. There is no need to go someplace too far or expensive. An overnight camping is one way of spending quality time together with your date in the presence of nature.

A romantic date does not need to be an expensive one. The most important thing is that the two of you will enjoy the date and have a good time together. It is the feeling that matters. Romantic dates are more meaningful when both of you are having a good time together doing the things that both of you enjoy.

Believe it or not, there are certain food out there that have impacts on your intimate life. These food works not only on that, but also by affecting your hormones, stress levels, energy and brain chemistry. Include these food in your menu during a romantic dinner with your partner and they might just work their magic on the both of you.

One of the food that you can try is bananas. Bananas are full of magnesium, potassium and vitamins B. Apart for that, bananas also contains bromeliad enzyme and chelating minerals which are believed to enhance the male libido. Avocado is said to boost immune system and contains lots of folic acid, potassium and vitamin B6. From its shape and growth on the tree, the Aztecs called avocados trees as testicle trees.

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For many years, the saying has been that “opposites attract”. Well sure, when it comes to science, this is often true. But we are talking about something else; does opposites attract when it comes to dating and relationships? This question has puzzled many people, some saying that opposites do attract, while others disagree. Then, there are those in the middle, who think yes and no. So who is right? Read on and we will find out. Read the rest of this entry »