Trying to create fun inexpensive things to do with GF but she wont cooperate

globetraveller

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
I've just worked out what WUM means!

neverdespairgirl

mummyoftwomonkeys wrote: »

Oh bless you, my husband wants us to play chess - I don't know how to play but he wants to teach me and it makes my eyes roll just thinking about it. I know you don't have money to go out but make the girl feel special, nice meal now and again nice music bottle of wine and some cuddles

OH and I have played chess a bit.

It's a game that only works if you are similar-ish levels. OH got well fed up, because I played a lot as a child and whipped him every time (-:

I don't know about the OP's game, but OH and I play backgammon sometimes, and I play bridge and chess with my parents and siblings.

My idea of boredom is watching films, really.

Hootie19

Am I the only one who can see exactly what the OP is getting at? Horizontal jogging is great, but seriously - surely you're not all suggesting that's ALL they can do do in their spare time when the kids are in bed? Cooking a meal is also something that a couple can do together in an evening, but dear god, I'd be hard pressed to make that activity last all evening!

I can see exactly what the OP is getting at, even if they were a bit clumsy in the explanation. They just want to find something that won't cost the earth, that they can do together as a couple when the kids are in bed in the evenings, cos they can't afford/don't want to be going out and spending loads each time.

If that were my husband and I, and I'd come up with something new to try, and he'd not even consider the idea, then I'd feel the same as the OP - really ticked off. If he'd tried it a couple of times and then said "no, this really isn't for me", that's a different matter. But presumably the OP's partner is also wanting to find something for them to enjoy together, so to not even give this card thing a go, is a bit unfair.

My DH is in his 50s and his games club has just "rediscovered" magic cards. He's spent about a week happily sorting out his decks from a few years ago. But he knows better than to try and even talk to me about the game! Just SO not my "thing".

It is hard to find something that both of you can do with equal enthusiasm. I get bored to death sitting in front of a film, just for the sake of watching a film, so that wouldn't be something that my husband and I could do regularly.

OP, I've no idea what the solution is, but I wish you luck in finding something. My DH and I used to spend hours playing backgammon, or card games, or other board games - not your run-of-the-mill type like Monopoly, but things that required a bit more strategy.

mummyroysof3

my DH plays WOW and similar games and used to play magic and till has all his cards....ive never played any of it...and i dont intend to...ever

Emmzi

MTG is not qctually a cheap hobby. Last b/f - £2k in a year getting special cards that'd give him an edge, new releases (2 or 3 a year).

Is a money pit.

Pick a different game. Check meetup.com for board games clubs in your area if you are into that. (Is fine to be into that, I am. Nice change from booze and food, made some good friends. Not every night tho!!)

Steel_2

Sorry but I'm with the others who think the card game sounds quite boring. Have you ever thought that with two kids you wife is actually a bit tired in the evening and just wants to chill out?

Why do you HAVE to do things together in the evening? Why not just be together in the same room doing things that each of your individually enjoy?

Hubby and I very rarely do hobbies together, but we're almost always in the same room in the evenings and talking to each other while we're getting on with things we find individually interesting.

I have no real interest in sourcing classic car car parts, reading the Pistonheads forum, or understanding how a car axle needs to stripped down. Likewise he has no real interest in the patchwork quilt I'm sewing or me redesigning the garden. However both of us will listen to each other and chip in with comments and advice when needed.

You do not NEED to be entirely focused on one another each evening to have a good relationship.

Unless you're horizontal jogging on the living room floor, in which case be VERY focused on each other.

VfM4meplse

crazyguy wrote: »

I once fell backwards onto a stick, jeez that bloody hurt, I can still feel it now !:eek:

So not really more fun than you can shake a stick at!

Tenuse

Hello! We are dull stay-at-home types who like gaming... some of the inexpensive things we do are:

• Play board games - you can get some great ones like Settlers of Catan, Diamant, Niagara etc which are much more fun than old standards like Monopoly. Scrabble and Backgammon are good for two players.
• Play games together on the Wii - silly rabbids ones or driving ones - obviously not cheap if you don't already have a Wii but a bit more sociable than sitting playing on your computer
• Do jigsaws - you can get jigsaws cheap as chips from charity shops, and they are easy to dip in and out of even while watching Eastenders! - if you can afford it get a jigsaw storage board thingy which means you can clear it away part-finished
• We also like to go for a walk (you might not be able to if you have kids to look after) - even if it's just to be nosy and peer into other people's windows when they've forgotten to draw their curtains :rotfl:
• Perhaps you could make something together? make biscuits or sweets, decorate a cake, make some presents of some kind - if you can get in touch with your feminine side (you don't need to tell any of your friends!!)

Ten x

euronorris

Demastras wrote: »

The activities she likes doing is watching eastenders and some others, they always seem to be on, all night in some cases. She insists that we do this together and i can seriously tell you everything about them as i take a really active and entusiastic stance on just knowing whats going on in them.

I think this is the crux of the problem right here. She insists that you partake in 'activities'(and I use the term loosely) that you don't particularly like, and you make an effort with them for her.

Now you want her to partake in an activity she doesn't particularly like, and she isn't willing to even try. Is that about right?

So, of course, that's p'ssed you off a bit, and you're trying to force the issue. Try a different tact. Be honest that you don't like the TV shows very much and don't want to watch them anymore, you were only watching them for her. And then suggest some activities that you both like doing instead.

Hopefully, that might work.

Oh, and also, I am guilty of getting too involved in the TV programs if my OH is busy working from home. I have to entertain myself when he's busy, and then he expects me to drop everything when he's ready. That irritates me, and I always resist against it as I had to wait for him to finish what he was doing, so now he can wait until I've finished watching the program (if I am really into it). Unless there is only sh't on the telly, and then I will happily turn it off.

euronorris

What about building models?

OH is very into his model airplanes now, with the engines etc that actually fly. I am not into it to that level, but.......the idea of model building seemed quite interesting and I thought it might be something we can do together. So, I found some wooden model sets in a cheap shop (think poundland or the like) and we made them together. We now have a wooden monkey and an airplane! lol.

What about games consoles like the Wii or Xbox Kinect? Do you have either of them? There are surely some games you could play together on those? OH and I do that also.

We're also the WoW and EVE online game types. ALthough, currently WoW is on a backburner as my laptop can no longer keep up with the graphics requirements and I can't afford a new one. EVE is alright though. I didn't like it much before, but they've introduced a new element to it.

Cycling is another thing we like to do, now we both have bikes, but is quite dependant on the weather. We don't really want to go out in the rain!

Oh, and sometimes, we just stick some music on and dance together. I love that. Have you tried that with the missus?