I was reminded of one of my favorite cheap dates today when I was reading my blog feeds. Abigail at I Pick Up Pennies [editor's note: I do too!] blogged about reading out loud as a good way to get high value for low cost.
This is something Matt and I both enjoy. He's not a big reader, but he does like non-fiction and some stories. On our trip to Iowa this past November, I read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods out loud to him as he drove. It's a fabulous book about a non-hiker who decides to do the Appalachian Trail, and it was the perfect pick for us two outdoorsyish folk. It was really fun to be able to stop, discuss funny points, and then keep going with the book. In a way, it's a mini-bookclub.
We also read kids' books together. And by we, I mean that he snuggles next to me on the couch as I read him my favorite books. Sometimes, we even go to the library to check some out together. (Side note: I get all my books from the library. It's a good, frugal habit. I only buy books if I think they'll be particularly useful for curriculum development or frequent reference.) And right now, we're slowly working through a stargazing book he bought me for Christmas.
If you've never done this before, I suggest giving it a try. It's minimal investment, and it could turn out to be a fun activity for both!