Winter is here, and with it comes the annual struggle:
- Do you go out and pretend you don’t mind losing feeling in your face?
- Or do you stay in, wrapped in a blanket burrito, living your best cozy life?
If you chose the second option, congratulations—you have taste. Staying in is elite. It’s warm, it’s comfy, and (if done right) it’s the ultimate budget-friendly date night move. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship, testing the waters with a new crush, or just hanging out with someone you technically matched with for their dog, we’ve got the perfect at-home date night ideas that will keep things fun, romantic, and way cheaper than going outside.
And because we know the student budget struggle is real, we’ve got SPC partner discounts to help make your cozy night in even sweeter.
1. Movie Marathon & Takeout – Because Leaving the Couch is Overrated
There are two types of couples in this world:
- Those who can agree on a movie instantly.
- And those who will still be scrolling through Netflix two hours later.
If you’re in the second category, skip the decision fatigue and stick to the classics—romantic comedies (10 Things I Hate About You, anyone?), animated gems (Shrek 2 reigns supreme), or terrible horror movies that make you question your life choices.
🔥 What You Need:
✔️ A streaming service. (Bonus points if you already stole your friend’s login.)
✔️ Uber Eats – 30% off your next order because cooking is a tomorrow problem.
✔️ A cozy blanket and enough snacks to last the entire movie (or at least the first 20 minutes).
👉 Pro Tip: Can’t decide what to watch? Just pick something so bad it’s good. (Sharknado never fails.)
2. Game Night – Nothing Says Love Like Ruthless Competition
Want to test your relationship? Play Uno. You’ll find out real fast if your partner is a good sport or a chaotic evil mastermind who lives to ruin your winning streak.
🎲 What You Need:
✔️ A game—board, card, video, or even “guess what I’m thinking” (Warning: high risk, low reward).
✔️ Mastermind Toys – 10% off in-store and online, so you can grab something fun and save money.
✔️ The willpower to not rage-quit when you lose (or, you know, “accidentally” shuffle the deck in your favour).
👉 Pro Tip: Want to make things interesting? Add a prize. Loser does the dishes. Winner gets bragging rights for life.
3. DIY Spa Night – Pampering, But Make It Romantic
Picture this: Candles. Face masks. Soft music. You and your partner, looking absolutely terrifying in matching sheet masks. This is peak romance.
🛁 What You Need:
✔️ Bath & Body Works – 10% off in-store because smelling like a dream is essential.
✔️ MAC Cosmetics – 15% off to upgrade your skincare game.
✔️ Fluffy robes (or just steal your partner’s).
👉 Pro Tip: Want to level up the luxury? Offer your partner a 5-star hand massage. (And by “5-star,” we mean aggressively rubbing their palm until they regret dating you.)
4. Cook-Off Challenge – “Yes Chef” Energy Only
Sure, ordering takeout is great, but you know what’s even better? Competing in your own version of Chopped where both of you pretend to be Gordon Ramsay-level chefs despite having zero skills.
🍽️ What You Need:
✔️ Hello Fresh – Up to 25 free meals + free breakfast for life (because we know your fridge is currently just condiments and expired yogurt).
✔️ A timer for maximum reality TV chaos.
✔️ An emergency snack (just in case one of you burns everything beyond recognition).
👉 Pro Tip: If your dish turns out inedible, just call it “rustic.” If it’s really bad, act like you did it on purpose. (“Oh, you don’t like overcooked pasta? Hmm. Interesting.”)
5. Chocolate & Chill – Because Dessert is the True Love Language
Fun fact: Sharing dessert with your partner improves relationships (we made that up, but it feels true).
🍫 What You Need:
✔️ Chocolats Favoris – 10% off because cheap chocolate is an insult to love.
✔️ Something to watch (romantic movie or trashy reality TV, your call).
✔️ The ability to defend your dessert when your partner inevitably tries to steal it.
👉 Pro Tip: If they say “I don’t want dessert” and then proceed to eat half of yours… RED FLAG.
6. DIY Mixology Night – Bartender Vibes, But at Home
Your mission: Make fancy drinks without setting off the smoke alarm.
🍹 What You Need:
✔️ Rexall – 10% off so you can grab syrups, mixers, and other fun ingredients.
✔️ A shaker (or just aggressively stir with a spoon).
✔️ Zero actual bartending skills, but a ton of confidence.
👉 Pro Tip: Name your drinks something dramatic like “The Tuition Tears” or “Broke Student Blues.”
7. Breakfast-for-Dinner – Because Pancakes Are Always a Good Idea
Who made the rule that breakfast must be eaten in the morning? Not us.
🥞 What You Need:
✔️ Tim Hortons – 3x Tims Rewards points when you link SPC and Tims Rewards because coffee = survival.
✔️ A debate about waffles vs. pancakes (spoiler: waffles win).
✔️ Matching pajamas for ✨aesthetic✨.
👉 Pro Tip: Stack your pancakes absurdly high just because you can.
8. Indoor Fort Night – Your Childhood, But Make It Cute
Blanket forts are elite. This is a fact.
🛋️ What You Need:
✔️ Every pillow and blanket you own.
✔️ Snacks. So many snacks.
✔️ A refusal to act like an adult.
👉 Pro Tip: Add fairy lights. Boom. Instant romantic masterpiece.
9. Paint & Sip – Get Creative, Get Messy
You do not need talent for this. Just vibes.
🎨 What You Need:
✔️ Cheap canvases and paint (or just go rogue and use cardboard).
✔️ A playlist full of emotional throwback songs.
✔️ Snacks (because snacking is 90% of any good date).
👉 Pro Tip: If your painting looks awful, frame it anyway and call it “abstract.”
Final Thoughts: Stay In, Save Money, Win at Love
Why freeze outside when you can have a top-tier date night from the comfort of your couch? Whether you’re battling in Mario Kart, making questionable cocktails, or building a blanket fort, you can have an iconic date night for less.
And if you’re still not an SPC member… wyd?! Get SPC now here and start saving.
Spend. Save. Repeat. With SPC.