Find inexpensive things to do. Try a museum on a free-admission day. It’s a fantastic date, and your partner won’t have to think about who’s paying for what. It’s also the season of holiday craft markets. It doesn’t cost much to wander around, talk about what you see, and grab two hot cocas. Doing stuff shouldn’t always be so expensive! Try to design cheap, weird dates for your own enrichment, not just because of the layoff.

Low-cost dates will also help you stave off resentment. Sure, you want to be kind, but this could turn into a very long stretch of generosity. Maybe you make all the money in the world and don’t care about any of this, but it’s OK if you’re frustrated sometimes. 

Another idea? Let your partner know it’ll come back to you. I remember that when I was making zero dollars, friends who made more money would say, “I’ll get you tonight – you’ll treat me when you earn a more livable wage!” Years later, I treated them as much as I could. You can say, “Hey, when this is all sorted out, you can take me to a fantastic dinner.” It’s a “when,” as opposed to an “if.” The statement tells your partner you believe a great job is coming – and that you want to be around to celebrate. 

– Meredith