Are you feeling deprived of romance in your relationship because of the economy? Are you watching your expenses, living frugal and cutting back on everything – even romance?   I'm all for frugal living and cutting back, but there are some things in life that should not be cutback on, like romance and intimacy.  

The dictionary defines intimacy as "a quiet and private atmosphere, a confidential and personal utterance or action, and a close personal relationship."  It didn't say that intimacy has to be pricey, expensive or luxurious.  Being intimate is romantic.  Romance entails spending quality, quiet, intimate time together.  

Romance is present when you decide to bring or keep romance in your life.  Regardless of your employment situation, the economy, or your finances, below are tips to make romance a part of your busy and unpredictable lives.

Dream Together: Schedule a date to talk about your dreams.  Do you both have the same vision regarding finances, career, business or spiritually?  What dreams or expectations do you have for your relationship?  Are you both headed in the same direction?  Write down your dreams separately.  Then discuss them together.  What do you have in common?  What dreams are different?  Talk about ways you can fulfill your dreams as a team.

Get Healthy Together: It's always a good idea to be healthy.  So why not get healthy together.  Start taking walks together.  Do you have time on the weekends?  Spend time getting to know your partner all over again.  Talk.  You are different individual then when you first met.  Find out who your partner is, and get healthy in the process.

Play Together: Go to the park, play cards, a board game, put a puzzle together, play tennis, basketball or videos.  Laugh, smile, joke, sing, and have fun together.  It's the simple pleasures in life that reminds us why we love spending time with our significant other.

Pray Together: There is nothing more intimate than praying with your partner.  Opening up your heart, soul, and spirit and making yourselves vulnerable.  Pray for your relationship, get direction together for your purpose and vision, and ask for guidance and wisdom in making decisions.  Being in unity is romantic.  Being in unity is intimacy in action.

Cook Together: Cooking is fun, and can be very romantic.  Pick a four course meal from a cookbook, and cook it together.  Or work as a team, and have one cook and the other clean.  Have fun talking, reminiscing, laughing, and working together as a team.

Do you want more romance? What are you doing about it?

Sharman Lawson a columnist on Fabulously40, and a financial coach, speaker, and author of the book 12 Steps to Eliminate Debt Forever!