When I began my long-distance relationship over two years ago, I had no clue what I was stepping into financially.
My partner lived in Puerto Rico while I was in Massachusetts. We quickly had to become inventive if we wanted a joyful relationship without empty wallets.
Looking for guidance on how to keep your long-distance relationship from becoming a financial burden?
Here are four strategies for maintaining a long-distance relationship on a budget.
1. Accumulate Airline Miles
Believe it or not, you don’t have to apply for a travel credit card to gather frequent flyer points. We didn’t!
In fact, there are multipleotherways tocollect miles without ever opening a credit card account.
My go-to is completing surveys through sites like PointsforSurveys, E-Miles, and E-Rewards.
It takes time — you’ll need to check for new surveys periodically, and it can be a while before you’ve earned enough for a ticket — but it’s free! Hard to beat that.
I also earn miles by shopping online.
Many airlines run shopping portals, like Southwest’s Rapid Rewards Shopping. You pick up miles for each dollar you spend at major retailers.
Warning: Don’t repeat my mistake and shop solely to rack up miles. The goal is to save money, right?
But if you already need to shop, you might as well earn miles while you do it!
2. Experiment with Travel Hacking
There are plenty of tricks to cut travel costs. You just have to be persistent.
Use sites like FareCompare, CheapFlights, and CheapOair to check and compare airfares.
They often allow you to subscribe for exclusive offers. It’s worth it — I once found a one-way fare for $43.
Another smart move is to travel outside peak periods. Being together for holidays is lovely, but it can be pricey.
We chose to visit more frequently at off-peak times rather than less often and only for holidays.
When in doubt, look to other travel hackers for additional suggestions.
3. Mix Up Your Travel Options
Sadly, because an ocean separated us, my partner and I had to fly.
However, if land travel is possible, I recommend using a variety of transportation choices — cars, buses and trains. You might spend more time traveling, but it’s usually worth the savings.
If you drive, GasBuddy can help you plan and budget for fuel. Even without your own car, there are inexpensive rental choices.
If you don’t want to drive but can handle a long journey, consider a bus or train.
For buses, I like Greyhound deals, though there are other carriers like BoltBus and Megabus. For trains, I’ve had positive experiences with Amtrak.
Look into what fits your routes. Do your homework — it will pay off, I promise.
4. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Lastly, when you can’t be together in person, there are free ways to stay connected over long distances.
Texting, playing games and video chatting helped us feel close while apart — and we didn’t spend a cent!
There are several free apps and sites that help maintain intimacy.
WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are my favorites for messaging.
I also like Couple and Avocado. These apps are geared toward couples and let you do more than just chat — you can draw and plan events, for instance.
We also enjoyed team-based games, like Word Streak with Friends.
For video calls, Google Hangouts remains my top pick. You can view videos, play games, draw and more directly on your computer.
You can even video chat with several people at once, handy when you want a change of scenery or to include friends.
The app helps save on mobile plan minutes by using Wi‑Fi for lengthy calls.
With so many free choices, there’s no need to spend on Skype credits or large texting packages.
Trust me — save what you can while you’re apart so you can spend together when you’re reunited!
Also check out budget friendly homemade dog food for other ways to trim costs in daily life.
Your Turn: How do you and your long-distance partner cut costs while maintaining your relationship?
