As a military family, my husband and I have spent many wedding anniversaries apart.  

But even when we weren’t with each other in person, we did our best to celebrate our wedding anniversary in creative ways to show one another how much we care.  

Celebrating doesn’t just show the world that love and marriage still go hand in hand, it nourishes the love within you. 

A few weeks ago, we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary.  Just one week after moving from Germany back to the United States, and fumbling our way through getting the family settled, we once again put our ingenuity to the test to make that day special.

Here are some of the things we’ve done over the years to commemorate the day we said I do.  Try one, or two, or three – you’ll be glad you did!

25 Free & Frugal Ways to Celebrate Your Anniversary:

1. Write a love letter to your spouse. Spray it with your perfume or kiss it with your favorite lipstick. Here is an anniversary letter I published on my blog last year when my husband was serving in Afghanistan.
2. Blow up a balloon for each year of your marriage and put a piece of paper in each one with something nice about your spouse. My husband enjoys popping the balloons and reading what I have to say on each one.
3. Go out to breakfast instead of dinner. It is much lighter on the wallet and is a great way to start off your day.
4. Dress up and dance all night in your living room or bedroom.
5. Enjoy a quiet game night at home preparing your favorite snacks and beverages. If you feel like it, invite some friends to join in earlier in the evening, reserving the late evening for the two of you.
6. Make a special dinner with choice ingredients at home. Spice it up with candles and your favorite music playing softly in the background.
7. Go out to dessert instead of dinner. This is a great way to have time alone while going easy on the budget.
8. Bake an anniversary cake together. My husband and I bake together every chance we get and we use this time to test out our newest recipe ideas.
9. Record a video using your webcam or cell phone telling your spouse what you appreciate about them. My husband and I have done this several times during deployments and it is such a wonderful memento to keep!
10. Order takeout from a local restaurant and eat under the stars.
11. Go to a local wine tasting during the day.
12. Ride bikes at a favorite recreation spot. Our personal favorite is along the coastline near the ocean.
13. Make ice cream sundaes at home.
14. Take pictures of one another and make some fun collages for free at a site like Picmonkey.
15. Take a shower together. This is something that in the business of life many may not do. Not only is it fun, it is free.
16. Eat a picnic lunch at your favorite spot. We have done this at the beach, on a mountain, at a park, and even in the desert.
17. Learn how to say I love you and happy anniversary in several different languages. Once you learn this, show it off on your anniversary.
18. Play your favorite sport together. Don’t have a favorite, then learn a sport together – even better! 
19. Paint or draw pictures of one another. Hey, you might not be an artist, but let me tell you, it will be a time of laughter and fun – that’s for sure!
20. Have a fun night of intimate games planned. Get a new special “outfit” for the occasion and enjoy one another.
21. Go bowling.
22. Go on a hike.
23. Go on a boat ride. If the food is expensive, just bring some of your own to share on the ride.
24. Read aloud a book to one another.
25. Have a dream night. Hubby and I have done this on several anniversaries. We just dream big together setting long and short term goals. We are both big dreamers so this is a wonderful thing for us to do.

This is your special day.  Whatever you do, don’t allow financial challenges to get in the way of celebrating the wonderful union you share.  Set aside the time and get creative!

QUESTION: What are some of your favorite ways to save money while celebrating your anniversary?

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