Can I actually afford to have friends?

With the prices of travel, restaurants and nights out on the rise, it can feel like simply staying afloat comes at the cost of maintaining a social life. We share how social butterflies have felt the squeeze and found more budget-friendly alternatives to their favourite activities.

Here’s how a few people maintain a community without incurring exorbitant extra costs:

'My friendships are worth breaking the bank for'

Rachel, a marketer from Essex, accepts that socialising can be financially tough.

'My best friends live in Hampshire,' she says. 'I never mind paying to visit them, especially as it's cheaper overall for me to travel to them rather than dragging them both up to Essex.'

'I’ll do anything for my friends – they always lift me up, and we've been through hell and back together, so they are worth any extra cost.'

Rachel estimates that each visit can cost from £100 to £1,000. 'In September, I actually spent money I was saving for a holiday to go to Hampshire for my best friend’s baby’s first birthday. It was so worth it to celebrate her getting through that first year of motherhood.'

'I try to maintain a balance, but you’re only young once'

Paul from Ilkley says he spends around £60 a week going out with his friends.

'It’s extremely difficult to socialise and save for a house or flat. But I try to ensure I manage my money so that I am able to do both,' he explains.

Paul thinks maintaining a social life is worth it, given the benefits it brings for his mental health and overall well-being.

'I work hard and would rather have memories than material objects,' he says. 'You are only young once, and I want to be able to look back on my twenties with joy.'

'I organised a massive, free picnic'

Jeweller Emma has had to find other ways to socialise due to rising costs. 'A trip to a coffee shop can cost a tenner or more, plus the cost of petrol and parking,' she says.

'Alcohol is so expensive now. I rarely even drink, but my partner does, so we’ll just have a drink at home instead of going to the pub. It's just not possible to socialise half as much as I used to.'

But Emma and her friends have found an alternative that works for them: 'We do little food and movie nights. In the summer, I organised a massive picnic with family in the fields behind my house. We just ate and played games.'

'Foraging and sea swimming are free!'

As a pensioner, Sheila remembers a time when socialising was inexpensive – and thinks it still can be.

'After making do with snatched outdoor visits in lockdown, I realised that I didn’t need to pay for a meal in town every time I wanted to see a friend.'

A keen wild swimmer, she meets up with hardy friends for a natter and a swim during the warmer months. And throughout the year, she shares homemade treats with her friends.

'I’ve always been what’s now called a forager,' Sheila says. 'I make cakes with the fruit I find. My husband and I have also brewed our own alcohol for years.'

'I don’t feel ashamed of not having enough money to go for expensive lunches and drinks,' she says. 'Real friends understand this and are happy just to meet up and chat.'

Whatever you decide to do, look after your money. Chase's easy-access saver account lets you start saving with as little as you like.

18+, UK residents. A Chase current account is required to open a saver account.

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