How to Budget in a Long-Distance Relationship
What’s this?! Another guest post! Heck yea dudes. This week’s blog comes from Chad Methner, a fellow low-income personal finance friend that the universe introduced via Twitter. Chad graciously agreed to detail how he and his girlfriend make long-distance work on a low income.
“One of the toughest parts of a long-distance relationship is being apart. The advantage is you have more time to save for bigger trips and more exciting adventures.”
Expect the Unexpected
Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance
When planning for travel and accommodations in a long-distance relationship my partner suggests expecting the unexpected. A good plan is one that can be adapted and still help things run smoothly. Be willing to put your plans on hold. Be willing to be flexible if your partner isn't as able to be flexible in their lifestyle.
Planning months ahead can be advantageous. Credit card travel rewards can cut costs on travel, lodging, dining out, and other adventures. Rewards cards when flying can save on checked baggage fees, cancelations, and more. Planning can also help you find the best deal on flights and lodging. Know your partner's work schedule or other appointments and commitments ahead of time. Having surplus travel funds can lessen stress and add more value and adventure as well.
I've recently come across a YouTube channel from a company called Pack Hacker that has great videos on quality products to make travel more enjoyable. Pack Hacker helped me find a few products (on a budget even) to help me better prepare for travel. Not only for visiting my partner but for conferences and other financial meetups as well.
Emergencies Near and Far
Emergencies can happen on both ends when partners don't share living spaces and are miles apart. Talk through some potential emergencies that could change plans. Check to see if your rewards card has free trip insurance or cancelation fee waivers.
Creativity Is Key
Meals and Cheap Eats
My partner suggests getting creative. Tying into planning for travel and emergencies, meal planning can help not only save money but can make a fun date night! Looking forward to creating a spectacular meal together (or dining out and knowing your budget) increases that spark of being with someone you don't always get to spend time with as much as you'd like.
Low-Cost Dates
What is in your area that your partner doesn't see all the time? What might be exciting for them to visit when they come to see you? Is there something interesting, historical, or unique to the area? Is the region known for something? Even if it isn't the lowest cost, it can still be planned and budgeted for. The most important part of the date is to make the time meaningful.
There are many ideas available for low-cost dates. My favorite date, as mentioned above, is cooking a meal together. There is also an idea I saw with a penny flip where partners flip a penny several times. Each penny flip is a left or right turn and the destination is based on the number of penny flips. So if a left turn is heads and a right turn is tails and the penny is flipped 15 times. the destination of the date is where you end up after 15 turns.
(Hi! Mackenzie here. Groupon always has deals on events and activities based on your location. Definitely check them out for low-cost activities. Okay, carry on!)
Creativity and Dates - Free Fun
My partner and I support each other through creative dates. We hop on a video call with each other and have a laptop and/or pen and paper nearby. We discuss our future plans, how we are expressing our creativity, the next steps towards our shared projects, and other general support.
Discussing future plans and travels not only helps with forecasting costs but also allows you to have things to look forward to. One of the toughest parts of a long-distance relationship is being apart. The advantage is you have more time to save for bigger trips and more exciting adventures.
Fund Your Travel Fund with Creativity
Find freelance or side opportunities to boost your travel fund. The point of earning money at some point is to enjoy it. Why not take what you enjoy and let your creativity flow to help fund the expenses of seeing your partner? Perhaps there is an opportunity available that you and/or your partner can take advantage of while you are together, exclusive to the area. Get creative and get paid to enjoy a date together!
Family and Friends Discount
My partner and I are fortunate enough to have family and friends who have offered to host us on a few trips. I'm not saying to take advantage, but if they don't mind, staying with friends and family can save on lodging costs. It also gives you a chance to meet/see family and friends you haven't seen in a while without breaking the bank.
Aside from lodging, food is another expense when traveling long distances to see a partner. There are many great tips and tricks available to save money on food costs. I like the high-calorie snack approach. When traveling I pack nuts and seeds, beef jerky/sticks, granola/protein bars, and other non-perishables. The Pack Hacker YouTube channel I mentioned previously also uses this approach. I also keep a water bottle by my side everywhere I go.
Talk About Finances With Your Partner
My biggest point would be to not be afraid to talk about finances with your partner. My partner and I have separate finances, but we talk about shared goals. As seen in our creative dates. But we also talk about bills, future housing situations, downsizing and upgrading, and other future plans that are impacted by our budget. Communication about finances and life is one of the biggest hurdles of a long-distance relationship. The best advice I could give is to make it fun for you and your partner. Even if you aren't in a long-distance relationship and have been married for years, make your shared dreams fun for both of you.
Enjoy the journey together.
Meet the Author:
Chad, who resides in central Ohio, graduated from the Ohio State University with a Bachelor’s in Communication Technology and holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Franklin University in Ohio.
After obtaining his MBA, he started to become interested in personal finance. Chad started blogging in late 2016 that tracked his net worth while paying off over $40,000 in consumer debt.
In 2018 he switched careers to increase his income and get out of debt faster. During this switch, he found frugal hobbies like day trips, hiking, urban & rural exploration, photography, home cooking, and personal finance meetups.
Currently, Chad is actively working on growing a central Ohio-based personal finance group as well as shifting to service-based entrepreneurship.
He is also writing a book focused on helping introduce financial independence.
You can find more of his work on his website, ChadMethner.com, and Twitter.
(If you enjoyed this blog post or my content in general, feel free to send an iced coffee my way via my Buy Me a Coffee tip jar or hire me for your next blog post.)