Ideas for celebrating an anniversary in a tough year?

[Vortexing]

Our 5 year wedding anniversary is this year, and since we got married in grad school (and thus low on $$), we always thought that we'd do something special for our 5 year anniversary b/c we'd have jobs, etc. But now I'm preggo and literally due 4 days before our ann, and knowing me, I'll probably still be MASSIVELY preggo on our ann (I went pretty late last time). Also, we moved to a fairly expensive city, and will be adding another family member (obviously), paying off student loans, etc, so we're low on cash now too.

So does anyone have any "frugal" ideas on how to make this anniversary special (and not make it sad, since we'd for so long thought we'd do something really cool)? Not that giving birth to our second child ISN'T really cool or isn't the most awesome anniversary gift anyone's ever had, it's just not the type of thing we imagined. I'd like to do something for us too, since so much of our lives is focused on our DD and our next kiddo right now (which is how we want it, it's just that one day/event/thing focused on us would be nice this anniversary).

[madsommer]

Originally Posted by Vortexing

Our 5 year wedding anniversary is this year, and since we got married in grad school (and thus low on $$), we always thought that we'd do something special for our 5 year anniversary b/c we'd have jobs, etc. But now I'm preggo and literally due 4 days before our ann, and knowing me, I'll probably still be MASSIVELY preggo on our ann (I went pretty late last time). Also, we moved to a fairly expensive city, and will be adding another family member (obviously), paying off student loans, etc, so we're low on cash now too.

So does anyone have any "frugal" ideas on how to make this anniversary special (and not make it sad, since we'd for so long thought we'd do something really cool)? Not that giving birth to our second child ISN'T really cool or isn't the most awesome anniversary gift anyone's ever had, it's just not the type of thing we imagined. I'd like to do something for us too, since so much of our lives is focused on our DD and our next kiddo right now (which is how we want it, it's just that one day/event/thing focused on us would be nice this anniversary).

Can you cook? For one special event for DH and I, I just spent an extra 50$ at the grocery store and bought some things to make DH's favorite foods. We waited until the baby was asleep so that we could have an uniteruppted night and ate and watched a movie. To me, it's really just about spending the quality time together. Good luck.

[mum4boys]

Our fifth anniversary no it was our sixth (dh had always been deployed for the other 5) I booked a babysitter two months in advance made dinner reservation at a very fancy restaurant for just the two of us. 20 minutes before we were to leave our babysitter cancelled. At the time we only had two kids. We got them dressed up, threaten them with an inch of their lives and had a lovely evening. The kids were so well behaved. The next 7 years became very lean years. We could not afford anything let alone a babysitter for 4 kids. So we would go out for a Chinese lunch (we could not afford dinner) with all the kids. We would have such a good time. It was the only time we got Chinese food. Then in the evening we would put the kids to bed eat leftover Chinese food and have ice cream while watching a movie. It was the best (I remember one year how upset one child was when he found out we had ice cream when he was asleep) Now we can afford to go out if we want but none of the anniversaries have been memorable at all like the ones we use to have when we had no money.

[dancebaraka]

We renew our vows every year in a natural setting. It is really romantic and connecting and doesn't cost a penny.

[ChristyMarie]

Can you re-create your first date? I'm sure you didn't do something that cost a ton of cash way back then. Could be very romantic!

[annethcz]

For our 10th anniversary we had hoped to take a big week-long trip, and it just didn't work out. So instead, the kids spent the night at my sister's house and DH and I spent the day hiking and then went to dinner. We had a really good time.

[grazy101]

DH cooked breakfast for us and we enjoyed a nice breakfast in bed. Pancake, coffee and maybe some flowers from the yard.
For dinner, we grilled rib eye steak, baked potato with rosemary and a salad. For the price of one entree at a fancy restaurant, we were able to have an organic dinner that taste just as great.