It’s no secret that money is the most common thing that couples fight about. In fact, money is a leading cause for divorce. Could a couples challenge help?
Doing a financial challenge is a great idea for couples to try! In addition, other types of fun challenges or at home date night ideas can strengthen your relationship and help you accomplish goals.
If you're wondering what a couples challenge is, it's pretty simple. It’s a fun way to spend time together, grow your relationship and achieve something great while working towards a goal.
How can a couples challenge help improve a relationship?
Before we dive into our couples challenge ideas, let’s pause and consider exactly how they will improve your relationship.
Whether you’ve only been dating for a few weeks or married for decades, friendly competition in relationships is healthy and a great way to spice things up.
Setting goals together can strengthen your bond by simply spending quality time together. It also helps you to grow and learn more about each other.
How can you improve your finances with a couples challenge?
Saving money can be hard, but when you do it together it’s a lot easier.
Money saving challenges are a popular and enjoyable way to motivate you to save more money.
They make saving fun, which also makes it a lot easier to achieve your financial goals. Couples money saving challenges are double the fun because you have somebody to do them with.
Being financially stable also takes money worries and stress off a relationship, allowing it to grow.
20 Great couples challenge ideas
So, ready to get closer to your goals (and to each other)?
We’ve found 20 fun finance and couple challenges to give a go. The hardest part will be agreeing on which one to try first.
Grab your other half, get comfortable and let’s get started.
1. No eating out couples challenge
Are you both guilty of blowing your savings on take-outs and visits to your favorite restaurant? If so, this challenge is for you.
The concept is simple. Ban all fast food and dining out for 30 days. You’ll be surprised at how much cash you can save by hiding the take-out menus and trying some home cooking instead.
Planning your meals together and taking turns to cook is the key to success in this challenge.
2. No shopping challenge
The no shopping challenge can be a fun way for couples to save money and spend more time together.
For a set amount of time (usually a week or a month), you and your partner are not allowed to go shopping and spend any money that isn’t on bills and essential items. So new clothes, gifts, entertainment, beauty treatments, and furniture are all banned.
Not only will you save some money, but you’ll also have less clutter in your home from unnecessary purchases.
3. The pantry challenge
Do you actually know what’s in your pantry? Take on this challenge with your partner!
The purpose of this challenge is to put your grocery shopping on hold until you’ve used up all of the food in your pantry, fridge, and freezer.
This is a great challenge to not only save money and reduce waste but work together to figure out what meals you can make with items that you already have.
4. Roll the dice savings challenge
Are you feeling lucky?
This challenge is designed to help you save a bit every day. Just how much you save is down to fate!
Take a six-sided die and take turns rolling it each day. Whatever the die lands on, you save. For example, if you roll a “2” you save $2 that day.
It’s an interesting activity for couples to do right away in the morning or last thing in the evening. You may even find your competitive streak and challenge each other on who can save the most by rolling the highest number.
5. Christmas savings challenge
If you both love the festive season, this couples challenge is for you.
It’s best to start this one in January, but you can start it at any time of the year and adjust it based on how much you want to save before the festivities begin.
Talk to your partner about how much you want to spend at Christmas this year. Take this figure and divide it by how many weeks you’ve got left to meet your target.
For example, if you want to save $500 for Christmas and you have five weeks left until the 25th of December, you’ll need to work together to put aside $100 a week.
6. The 100 book challenge
Fun challenges for couples don’t have to have a financial incentive.
So why not spend some downtime together and reconnect over a book or 100? In fact, reading can increase empathy, helping you to better understand your partner.
With the 100 book challenge, enjoy sharing your thoughts and feelings on some of the greatest works of literature of all time.
7. The 30-day ab couples challenge
If you’re looking for fun challenges for couples that are a bit more active, give the 30-day ab challenge a go and boost your physical and mental health.
After all, couples that sweat together stay together, right?
In addition, you’re more likely to stick to a fitness program if you also have a partner to work out with you.
The concept is simple, complete a selection of ab exercises every day for 30 days.
8. Spare cash challenge
At the end of each day, empty your pockets and purses and collect any spare change in a pot. You can also turn this challenge into a fun game by setting a timer and challenging each other on how much loose change can be found around your home.
You might be shocked at just how much has found its way down the back of your sofa!
Don’t forget to regularly check your progress to see how much you’ve saved in spare cash.
9. The bad habits money jar savings challenge
Bad habits – we all have them. And chances are your habits are irritating your partner and affecting your relationship too.
Turn bad habits into a money saving booster by choosing an amount, then every time you or your partner commit your bad habit, you have to put that amount of money into your savings account.
Whether it’s leaving crumbs on the kitchen worktops or not listening, this challenge is a great way to strengthen your relationship and get to know the other person better.
10. The coffee break challenge
Americans drink an average of 3.1 cups of coffee every day. Are you and your other half one of the country’s coffee lovers?
If you buy your coffee, this can work out to be an expensive habit. If you both spend $10 a day or more at Starbucks, that’s $140 between you that you could have saved instead.
The coffee break challenge prevents you from spending money on take-out coffee and encourages you to make it at home to save money. This can be a tough habit to break, so it’s important to motivate each other to keep going!
11. The steps challenge
Could you walk thousands of steps a day for this fun and healthy couples challenge?
Choose interesting walking routes near you that will inspire you and give you something to talk about with your love on the way around. Also, talking is essential in any relationship and walking is the perfect opportunity to open up.
Aim to complete at least 10,000 steps a day for optimum health benefits.
12. Diet challenge
Perhaps you are both on a health kick and need some motivation in the form of couples challenge ideas.
Challenge each other to give up your favorite junk food.
Who will give up first? Whoever can go without their favorite food for the longest time wins!
13. Weather Wednesday savings challenge
Fun challenges for couples can also include external factors such as the weather and Mother Nature. With this challenge, record the temperature in your state or town every Wednesday.
Use this figure to top up your savings. So if temperatures reach 100 degrees in the summer, transfer $100 to your joint savings account.
To make it more manageable as a couple, divide the amount you need to contribute in half. The fun part? Nobody knows how much you will save over a year!
14. Save every time you post on social media challenge
Do you both spend too much time on social media? This fun couples challenge will save you a load of cash and give you more quality time together without the distraction of social media.
Agree on a figure and a time period, then every time one of you breaks the rules you transfer the agreed amount into your savings pot.
The winner is the person who contributes the least amount of money by the time the challenge ends.
15. The common goal savings challenge
Shared goals are a great way for couples to share their dreams and plan their future. And when you work together, you build a stronger relationship.
Sit down and write a list of your financial goals. Once you have shared them with each other, focus on similar goals.
This could be saving for a home, starting a couple's side hustle, or clearing debt. Regardless of the goal, combining your efforts will make you more effective at saving money.
16. The 30-day declutter couples challenge
Productive couples challenges can be extremely satisfying.
Challenge your partner to declutter their belongings then host a garage sale. The person that sells the most wins.
Simple, but oh so good for your mental health, and your savings fund.
17. Utility savings challenge
Everyone wants to save money on their utility bills. So why not turn it into a fun challenge and see who can save the most on their bills?
Part of this challenge includes changing your lifestyle to be more energy efficient and the other part is seeing who can haggle and get the best energy rate from their supplier.
The winner is whoever saves the most money over a specific amount of time.
18. Movie challenge
Watching a movie is the perfect way to chill out on a Sunday afternoon. But did you know that it can benefit your relationship too?
Studies have found that couples who watch movies together and then talk about them are less likely to get a divorce.
You can either find a list of movies online or create your own together.
19. The salary trim challenge
In this challenge, you both need to save 1% of your annual salary over a year. So if you earn $40k, you will need to save $400.
Help each other by brainstorming ways that you can both cut your monthly expenditure and regularly monitor your progress.
It’s a great way to kick-start your joint savings and get one step closer to achieving your shared goals.
20. No name brand money challenge
Similar to the no-spend challenge, this money-saving technique is a fun way to work together and cut back on expenses.
During your grocery shop, swap any brand-named goods for non-brands. This challenge also works with clothes, technology and pretty much everything that you buy!
Keep a record of how much you save and decide together how you want to spend that money.
Couples financial challenge tips
Your finances are a huge part of your relationship. When you have common goals it can help you win with money.
Follow these top ideas for how to handle finances as a couple.
Talk about your finances regularly
If you don’t talk about your savings goals, the other person won’t be able to help.
You may also find that each person’s financial wants are conflicting, making it even more important to discuss them with your other half. Goals change, so regular conversations are important.
Make financial decisions together
Handling financial worries on your own can have a huge impact on a relationship. Take the pressure off by taking joint responsibility for any financial decisions that you have to make.
Review outgoings regularly
Go through your expenditure together to identify areas where you can cut back. Use comparison tools to help you find the very best prices for your joint outgoings. This could potentially save you lots of money.
Celebrate achievements
Saving isn’t all about hard work and cutting back. Be sure to treat yourselves to a meal out or buy something you want when you reach your financial goals.
Tips for all types of couple challenges
When you collaborate together as a team, you are helping each other, and creating a solid relationship. Here are some tips to help you complete any of the challenges, not just financial, successfully.
Communicate at all times
Communication is important in any relationship. It allows you to share feelings, opinions and expectations.
During a couples challenge, talk to each other about the challenge and how you are finding it. You'll feel closer to your partner simply by sharing your feelings.
Be friendly
Healthy relationships are based on a solid underlying friendship. Remember to treat your partner with the same kindness, especially during the challenges.
Competitiveness can be healthy in a relationship, but don't let it get between you as a couple.
Challenge your way to a healthier relationship and financial freedom!
A fun couples challenge can change everything, from your relationship to your finances.
So why not give one of these fun challenges a go with your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife? You can achieve more by working together.
Let the challenges begin! And for even more fun, try out these at-home date night ideas, or read up about ways to be successful with your finances in marriage.