There are other ways to interact which don’t imply treating people to things. Yes, in this case the person spent money on tickets, but he could have been on his way to any other activity and invited the person to join that. Or he could have offered the person to buy their own ticket and join.
“Hey, I’m on my way to play frisbee in the park, want to come?” – totally free.
Even if you aren’t treating people to stuff you still end up spending money. Just being out and about costs gas in the US because everything is so spread out. You get hungry and need to eat, there’s 10-20 bucks unless you’re lugging around a lunch box with you.
You want to socialize every once and a while it’ll add up. If you want to socialize consistently (which is key to establishing strong friendships or finding a significant other) you honestly need to be touching grass everyday and then it really adds up.
Also, pay attention to my words: Trying to maintain this is unsustainable in the US. I did not say it was impossible to do once in a blue moon, but that’s not really a meaningful social life. Seeing a person for an hour once every few weeks to play frisbee at the park (or equivalent activity, in my case board games) isn’t going to create a meaningful bond. Most people in my area make maybe a little over half what I make in pay at best and I can barely afford to socialize consistently. I currently do almost all my socializing at work and that shit doesn’t really count. I used to spend a lot more and had an actually fulfilling social life, but atm I’m trying to save money.
Sure, to a large extent existing in the US costs money, and you’d need to spend some on transportation or pay a premium to live in a walkable area. But beyond that there are still affordable activities you could do. Some things I’ve done in the US which only cost me the price of transportation:
Aforementioned frisbee in the park
Hiking with friends (met one of them at work, joined his group, brought a lunch box)
Various activities at a local community center or library (not all places have one, some places churches are the closest you can get)
Attended a weekly meetup about a topic I was interested in
Chatted with someone while waiting in a line
Sure, a lot of the more affordable activities you’ll probably only be able to do once a week. You can do multiple activities. Sometimes you meet friends who invite you to other activities. Help, I have too many activities!
There are other ways to interact which don’t imply treating people to things. Yes, in this case the person spent money on tickets, but he could have been on his way to any other activity and invited the person to join that. Or he could have offered the person to buy their own ticket and join.
“Hey, I’m on my way to play frisbee in the park, want to come?” – totally free.
Even if you aren’t treating people to stuff you still end up spending money. Just being out and about costs gas in the US because everything is so spread out. You get hungry and need to eat, there’s 10-20 bucks unless you’re lugging around a lunch box with you.
You want to socialize every once and a while it’ll add up. If you want to socialize consistently (which is key to establishing strong friendships or finding a significant other) you honestly need to be touching grass everyday and then it really adds up.
Also, pay attention to my words: Trying to maintain this is unsustainable in the US. I did not say it was impossible to do once in a blue moon, but that’s not really a meaningful social life. Seeing a person for an hour once every few weeks to play frisbee at the park (or equivalent activity, in my case board games) isn’t going to create a meaningful bond. Most people in my area make maybe a little over half what I make in pay at best and I can barely afford to socialize consistently. I currently do almost all my socializing at work and that shit doesn’t really count. I used to spend a lot more and had an actually fulfilling social life, but atm I’m trying to save money.
Sure, to a large extent existing in the US costs money, and you’d need to spend some on transportation or pay a premium to live in a walkable area. But beyond that there are still affordable activities you could do. Some things I’ve done in the US which only cost me the price of transportation:
Sure, a lot of the more affordable activities you’ll probably only be able to do once a week. You can do multiple activities. Sometimes you meet friends who invite you to other activities. Help, I have too many activities!
this is a lot of semantics over an absurdly minor point, comparatively