Considering the current state of the economy but the unwavering feeling of stress, burn-out, and exhaustion, it seems impossible to find time to spend time away with your significant other. There's always something to check off the to-do list, an email to which you need to respond, a quick call that needs to be returned et cetera et cetera. However, it's just as important to take time out to disconnect and reconnect. Create time to disconnect from social media, friends, work and nagging expectations and instead use that time to reconnect mentally, spiritually and emotionally with your spouse and yourself; put it high priority on the priority list  to keep balance in your relationship. With this in mind, I've provided some best practices on how to keep this priority and make it mindless. 

In January 2022, I became a mother to a little boy, Otto. He's become our entire world and it's been quite the adjustment for my husband I (parents out there, I know you can relate). We've slowed down, re-focused our priorities, and have taken some of the attention off of what we want and put the focus on what he needs. My husband has been such a tremendous part of my support system through all the lows and highs. Because he's an entrepreneur, he's been the one to go out of his way to fill any coverage gaps in child care because my schedule isn't as flexible. For that, I wanted to go out of my way to show him how much I appreciate him BUT I had to do it on a budget. I'll let you in on how I did it. 

1. Choose a location

When choosing a location, choose a place that includes activities and scenery with your S.O in mind. Make sure to pick a location that is surrounded by what they enjoy - hiking, gambling, food choices, malls/shopping centers, etc. For me, I chose to whisk him away to a cabin in the Smokey Mountains because he enjoys the great outdoors and loves a good view. 

2. Set your budget

Now that you have an idea of where you want to go and what you want to do - price out your transportation, food, gift/souvenir money. I chose the intimacy of a road trip - which would give us time to talk, enjoy the scenic route, and arrive and depart at our leisure and convenience. 

When choosing where we'd stay, I decided on a vacation rental that included a kitchenette so that we could cut some of the food budget down by cooking. This also set the scene for a romantic breakfast without having to get dressed, a delicious dinner that we could enjoy in front of the TV, and some midday snacks in between adventures. This saved me a significant amount of money but also scored me some "thoughtfulness" points. 

3. Choose activities

This one is a two-fer because it can tie into budget and location. For me, I chose a location that was surrounded with activities that were inexpensive or free! The Great Smokey Mountains boasts beautiful hiking trails, zip lining, tours and more! I lucked up with my hubby because we both enjoy a good trail hike and we scored big time by being able to hike to a cascading waterfall which didn't cost us anything. We just needed to pack some water bottles (which we stocked up on the day before at the grocery store and put them in the fridge overnight... hint hint, kitchenette).

After our hike, we were in the mood to find something tangible to commemorate our trip. Instead of going to the shopping center near by, we opted in to visiting a local country shop with hand made trinkets and a good country vibe. It was less expensive, it forced us to stay present in where we were and we weren't tempted to blow our money on something we could've easily found online or at our local mall back home. 

4. Pick some place that induces extreme relaxation.

Although It's important to get out and explore your surroundings, on a weekend getaway, its just as important to relax and avoid jam packing your schedule. We get enough #FOMO at home; use this escape as a way to miss out and not feel guilty about it. Free yourself of schedules, wake up alarms, commitments, or anything else that will leave you feeling depleted rather than refreshed when you return home. Be sure to find the delicate balance of doing and being. One or two activities should be your limit! The rest of the trip should be filled with great sex, deep talks, belly aching laughs, fresh air and plenty of naps. 

That's it. That's my secret to surprising my hubby with a romantic getaway on a budget. Feel free to take the tips you need and leave what you don't. All in all, I spent less than $1,000 USD on this trip and I planned it about 2 months in advance. The budget included gas to and fro (I drove my own SUV), food, activities, lodging and buying my mom a souvenir as a thank you for keeping our son for the entire time we were gone. 

Leave your best practices and fave places to visit in the comments!