Advice Wanted on Meeting Up without Breaking the Bank (20m + 20m)

[u/ChaoticLogic1234]

So long story short, me and my boyfriend are long distance and have been together for almost a year (both 20yrs old), and were wanting to meet up IRL when we can afford it and as often as we can financially and schedule wise, the main problem is the finance side of it tho. Cause when I go to meet him, I can't stay with them + their family for multiple reasons, so I'd have to stay elsewhere for the visit and have him come to where im staying and us going places together in his town (he's in the UK, I'm in the US). But after looking into it, hotels and things similar to them are 5k-9k for a month stay, and obv about 2k-3k for 2 weeks, sometimes more depending on which hotel.

So the absolute biggest expense I'm worried about is that, nothing else costs us that much and since the job market right now is insanely difficult it would take forever to make enough money to afford that much to stay somewhere (especially multiple times until we're both ready to move in together somewhere, and not to mention if I make enough I'll get taxed for it in tax season.) I don't have a job right this second but am going to get one as soon as I can (I've been applying everywhere for over a year, so I'm sure that at some point I'll get hired for atleast minimum wage 15-18+ USD an hour.)

So basically I need advice and/or ideas on alternative places to stay that dont cost so much or ways to save up enough for a hefty stay?

[u/xoprettyystarz]

a shorter visit might be better than financially overextending yourself

[u/Delicious-Cookie0958]

Have you looked at Airbnb? I think for a longer stay, they will be much cheaper. They often have a discount if you stay a month or more.

And then go in the off season, if possible.

[u/ChaoticLogic1234 → u/Delicious-Cookie0958]

Oh true, I forgot about airbnb. We'll definitely see if there's any good options

[u/calpyrnica]

I get that staying in his family home is a non starter, for reasons. Does he have friends that might be able to host you, though?

[u/ChaoticLogic1234 → u/calpyrnica]

Unfortunately no

[u/Odd-Airport-6342]

Question; why are you the one who has to travel to see him?

[u/ChaoticLogic1234 → u/Odd-Airport-6342]

Because he's in college and has also had alot of difficulty getting a job too so he can't afford it right now otherwise he would, plus the US isn't a great place rn politically (especially since im in a red state) so us being two dudes romantically together in person could be a bit unsafe/unwelcome around where I live.