Alpha Consumer Challenge: Best Date Night

Has the current economic squeeze killed date night? I don't think so. We just need to get more creative about it.

The third edition of the Alpha Consumer Challenge asks you to describe your most creative, money-saving strategy for date night. Do you shun $20 movie tickets for some Netflix action? Or overlook the newest hot restaurant for your favorite recipe at home? Some indulgence is OK—there's no need to spend $0—but submissions will be judged based on their originality and frugality. While $50 might be a lot for dinner, I'll be impressed if you can plan a weekend getaway on that amount.

The winner will get Break Down Your Money: How to Get Beyond the Noise to Profit in the Markets by Fox Business Network reporter Tracy Byrnes.

To get you in the mood, I'll share my favorite plan. My husband loves steak. I love wine. We also love fancy restaurants, but we've cut them out of our budget while we save for a house. So to dress things up, we go to Whole Foods, spend about $30 on steak, wine, vegetables, and appetizers, and then have a five-star dinner at home. Yes, $30 is still pricey for a meal, but if we ate that well at a restaurant, it would easily cost double or even triple that. Plus, we can listen to our favorite music and don't have to worry about driving home afterwards.

Now it's your turn. What's your best date night on a budget?