Ladies’ Night on a Budget: Cheap and Easy Ways to Make Time for Girl Time

We see a lot of articles about date night ideas. Sure, it’s important to carve out alone time with your partner reconnecting and reviving the romance. But what about another aspect of our lives that is often tabled when kids come along: GIRL TIME.

While date nights looks different now, girls nights have changed a lot too. Yet, just because we aren’t leaving the house at 10 p.m., dancing on tables, and sleeping until noon the next day doesn’t mean we shouldn’t introduce our past carefree vixens to the more stable, if a bit more frazzled, versions of ourselves.

Maybe we actually need it now more than ever. 

Juggling careers, kids, pets, marriage, bills, the list goes on…is a daunting task to face alone.
So it’s critical and even therapeutic for quality girls nights to vent frustrations, share troubles, and hopefully even lighten up a little!

Admittedly, we all have busy lives and paying attention to expenses is always on our minds.
So let’s find ways to cut the excuses and make girl time a scheduled part of our lives with a few cheap and easy ways to do it!

Girls’ Time Out:

* Our weekend schedules are often packed too tight to sneak away. Why not venture out mid-week to take advantage of the many local Ladies’ Nights deals and Happy Hour Specials.

Portsmouth:
The District‘s Happy Hour is 5-7 pm with 1/2 off Burgers and Wings, $3 Drafts, and $7 wines
The Friendly Toast Not just for breakfast! In fact their best deals come out when the sun comes down. From 8-10 pm nightly, enjoy 1/2 off Appetizers, Mimosas, and Wine.
Rudi’s Make it a Thirsty Thursday with $6 Martinis and $6 Appetizers.

Dover:
Cinco De Mayo Blow off steam on Wednesdays nights with margaritas for$4.99 and $3 Drafts.
Blue Latitudes M-F 3:30-5:30. Sample from an Impressive Happy Hour Food Menu including $5 Mussels and Margherita Flatbreads as well as $7 Martinis on Tuesdays and 1/2 off Wine bottles on Thursdays.
The Falls Grill & Tavern Take in a view of the water while sipping $5 Margaritas on Wednesday nights or visit on Fridays for Ladies’ Nights with 1/2 off drinks from 8-12pm.

* Do Brunch!

Girl time doesn’t always have to mean ladies’ night. Brunch is a great time to enjoy adult conversation without interruption over Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas or bottomless coffee. 

The Oaks, in Somersworth, serves up an elaborate breakfast buffet and outdoor patio seating provides a relaxing atmosphere.
The Brickhouse in Dover has a full service “boozy brunch” menu and live music every Sunday.
Thistle Pig, in South Berwick, presents creative farm to table dishes and eclectic breakfast cocktails
SALT Kitchen & Bar in New Castle upgrades any girls’ day. Located inside the renowned Wentworth by the Sea, you’ll find an exquisite Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar. Combine breakfast with an afternoon at the spa for girls’ day at its finest!

*Prefer to get together and express your creative side? 

The Offbeat Owl, in Exeter, provides a full bar menu and a variety of themed paint nights. Sign up for a scheduled class or book a private group party.
Art With a Splash, located in the heart of Portsmouth, is a Sip ‘n Paint owned by a local family. It’s BYOB and you just pay for your materials.

Girls’ Night In:

Clothing Swap:
I recently co-hosted my first one of these and we had a BLAST.| Tell your girlfriends to start cleaning out their closets collecting clothes, jewelry, and shoes to come together for a night of shopping SANS GUILT.

Crafting/Scrapbooking Night:
Instead of procrastinating on another project, grab your girlfriends, pool your crafting supplies, and finally put a dent in some of these projects with good company and cocktails.

Host Your Own Wine Tasting:
Pick a favorite one, pick up a pairing cheese, voila, you’ve got a fancy sampling  in the comfort of home. This would be a relaxing way to spend one of the upcoming summer nights on a friend’s patio and taking a break from the crowds and expense of hitting those “other decks”.

Out on the town or kicking back on the couch, make girl time a priority.  When you return to your family, you’ll be refreshed, refocused, and maybe even a little closer to the last page in that baby book.

How do you stay connected to your “tribe?”

Where is your favorite Seacoast ladies’ night venue?