Cheap/free ways to meet people and make friends!

Wellyboots6

well I kicked him out and he isn't happy!

Think friends are the least of my worries at the moment!

Pinzy

I know you're after Real Life things, but I found Facebook to be quite handy when I hadn't been in touch with people for a while, I made little comments on their posts and gradually got to chatting more and then arranging to go out. My reason for losing touch was different to yours, but there are groups like Circle (women's meet up group) - haven't been along yet but things like that or W.I. can be good because they're more used to making a point of welcoming new people.

Well done on the life change, it's never easy, but it's better than stagnating.

Wellyboots6

Thanks Pinzy

I am really feeling the loneliness today and it has only been a few hours since I threw the ex out!

I guess being on your own takes an awful lot of adjusting to

zzzLazyDaisy

Well done for kickstarting your life! It is early days, so be kind to yourself and give yourself time to adjust. I was married to a very controlling ex and to be honest for the first two years I just got used to being on my own and didn't socialise much at all, apart from a couple of very close friends and my sister.

Ten years on (where does time go to?) I have a good network of friends. I have limited mobility and tire easily so a lot of the normal ways of making friends were not open to me. But I joined a women's meditation group, and through that another womens group. The second group often meets at my house, especially in the winter.

I've had a few false starts - I tried a card making grouo which should have been up my street, but I didn't 'gel' with the women there.

Places to look - meet-up (put the name of your town and an acceptable radius and see what comes up). Facebook - if you have a particular hobby such as dancing, search for similar groups, you may find that they organise events in your area or where you are willing to travel to.

Where do you live? Some of the smaller festivals can be very friendly places and lots of single people go to them. They don't have to be expensive. I'm thinking of the barefoot festival in derbyshire, for example. http://www.barefootfestival.com you'll also find their group on facebook, and if you join it, you'll gradually get links to other similar events.

Of course this is just an example - if you have other interests, google, facebook, and meet-up should give you some leads.

Good luck!

Dx

seven-day-weekend

I have made a friend from playing scrabble on the internet! We play lots of games, chatted during them and met for the first time earlier this year, had a great time and are meeting again in June.

Otherwise I would say join evening classes, join an amateur dramatic/operatic/reading group, walk a dog, join a church, volunteer....anything that involves meeting people. Even if you don't meet that bosom pal, you certainly won't be lonely!

Wellyboots6

I think one of my old school friends is going to barefoot festival, I may tag along with her and see what its all about

violettasomerset

Having a go at the kickboxing is a good way to meet people - I started at a kickboxing class about 10 years ago when I wanted to make more friends. I went along on my own for the first time, but immediately met another lady who was going for the first time - by chance we had the same name so that was an immediate bond! She gave up fairly soon, though we met up a few times outside class (until I realised it was one-sided on my part). But I did go on to make lots of other friends through it, and even met my now-husband, and these days I still do it and have achieved my black belt. I liked the fact that I went through the gradings with the same people, so although you might not get to meet everyone to begin with, you meet the other beginners and hopefully continue through with them (though some will drop out). If you're lucky a group will go to the pub after class, which will make it easier to get to know them socially. Plus as well as friendships you get the fitness and self defense and confidence and all that other stuff. Good luck!

krlyr

Perhaps see about evening classes too - even free ones, e.g. computer skills or similar, if you can't afford a proper course. I'm doing a course funded by work and I've made friends with two of the women I sit near, we're making plans to go out socially after our next exam. Not sure they're going to become regular buddies I'd meet up with weekly but we have a laugh in class, and if it's just a night out every other month, at least it's getting out there and enjoying myself. Plus the class has taken me a little out of my comfort zone, last night we were all moved around and made to work in pairs chosen by the teacher, so I was sat with someone I wouldn't normally have made conversation with, but when classes are 3 hours long you chat away to fill the silence.

FizzledOut

I've gone to two different Meetup groups in the last month, met some lovely people. I've joined a few "groups" on there, not looking for dating, but socialisation. Am due to do another one this weekend, another next week, got a couple of things lined up for June. But then I'm pretty lucky, living in London there is a lot of scope for different events.

getmore4less

Yesterday, 2:48 PM

katy721 wrote: »

I think I am not going to end up giving myself a huge push with this until OH is gone. I can get away with not doing it until then, which isn't really helping me to be fair. I should really be thinking about how to get rid of him too!

Yesterday, 11:24 PM

katy721 wrote: »

well I kicked him out and he isn't happy!

Think friends are the least of my worries at the moment!

NO messing. (who needs kick boxing)

Did he not see it coming?