EXPEN$IVE

I agree that it is expensive, but these are all choices that we make.  The length and the number of phone calls we make, the number of visits,  whether we choose to stay in a home with other family members or stay in a hotel, whether to take a taxi from the airport or use the bus or the tube or travel at odd hours.  You determine your priorities; if you want to spend extra money on relationship-related things, then you spend less on other things in your life.   It was your decision to be in an international relationship, your decision to take on the expenses involved.

Well don't I feel stupid. Of course, I should never have got into a relationship with someone in the US in the first place and when I did I certainly shouldn't have wasted money talking to him on the phone or visiting him.

Be nice if one could pick who they fall in love with - certainly would have made my life a lot easier if my TRUE love had lived next door to me.

But he didn't.

Oh well.

Be nice if one could pick who they fall in love with - certainly would have made my life a lot easier if my TRUE love had lived next door to me.

But he didn't.

Oh well.

guess i missed that check on my husband order form! 

I agree that it is expensive, but these are all choices that we make.  The length and the number of phone calls we make, the number of visits,  whether we choose to stay in a home with other family members or stay in a hotel, whether to take a taxi from the airport or use the bus or the tube or travel at odd hours.  You determine your priorities; if you want to spend extra money on relationship-related things, then you spend less on other things in your life.   It was your decision to be in an international relationship, your decision to take on the expenses involved.

I agree for the most part BUT... you have to use these things to show evidence of a bonofide relationship (phonebills, plane tickets etc.  However, nobody says you have to stay at the Savoy while in london... and you could always take national express instead of trains.  Furthermore there are a lot of cheap phone tariffs that can save money.

I just do not honestly believe that it costs the government so much in administrative processing.  I don't think the cost justifies the actual amount of work done on their part.  For gosh sakes they don't even photocopy anything, you have to bring all of the copies yourself.

Well don't I feel stupid. Of course, I should never have got into a relationship with someone in the US in the first place and when I did I certainly shouldn't have wasted money talking to him on the phone or visiting him.

I never said you should feel stupid or that you shouldn't make phone calls or visits. Just that we made the decision to be in a long-distance relationship. Many people wouldn't.  I don't think spending money talking on the phone or visiting someone you love is a waste of money. If you didn't think it was worth it, you wouldn't do it.

Then again I have to wear a torn winter coat this year because I can't afford to buy a new one.  And I don't remember the last time I've seen a film. And our "romantic dinners" together will consist of Tesco frozen  meals, 4 for 5 pounds. But I don't mind because it's the price I pay for being able to be with my sweetheart.

Be nice if one could pick who they fall in love with - certainly would have made my life a lot easier if my TRUE love had lived next door to me.

But he didn't.

Oh well.

I keep reminding myself of this...true love and how far we both moved towards the middle before meeting via the net. I was in CA and felt the urge to move back to my hometown on the east coast...and he made his way from Russia to the UK via a stop in Hungary. So, could have been worse! (I keep reminding myself of that too!) It is actually shorter flying Boston to London than from Boston to San Francisco (I think, if I remember correctly?) Anyway... we did move slowly but surely towards eachother before meeting.

I never said you should feel stupid or that you shouldn't make phone calls or visits. Just that we made the decision to be in a long-distance relationship. Many people wouldn't.  I don't think spending money talking on the phone or visiting someone you love is a waste of money. If you didn't think it was worth it, you wouldn't do it.

Then again I have to wear a torn winter coat this year because I can't afford to buy a new one.  And I don't remember the last time I've seen a film. And our "romantic dinners" together will consist of Tesco frozen  meals, 4 for 5 pounds. But I don't mind because it's the price I pay for being able to be with my sweetheart.

 

I remember the last time we saw a film.

It was the day after our wedding - that was our "honeymoon."

And that was 1-1/2 years ago.

AND...we're not even doing the trans-atlantic thing any longer.

well you dipstick Peedal you should have stayed single and gone to the movies all the time!!! 

well you dipstick Peedal you should have stayed single and gone to the movies all the time!!!

Ha ha ha - Liz called me a "dipstick"!  For some reason I find that very funny!! 

Furthermore there are a lot of cheap phone tariffs that can save money.

There is also instant messenger which is free, if you've already got an internet connection.

I agree that the administrative fee is expensive,  but these things usually are.  I can't say whether it's more than they need, because I don't know how much they pay in overhead--salaries, building maintenance, rent etc., and how much is paid for by British taxes. I will tell you that the rent in that part of New York City  is amazingly high.  A one bedroom apartment can cost 1/2 a million dollars a month.

hey. i didn't fly back and forth every other month to see my hubby-i was doing it for the miles! 

hey. i didn't fly back and forth every other month to see my hubby-i was doing it for the miles!

LOL!!!  So were Rich and I!

Oh, you people should have tried this fifteen years ago.  Phone calls were like a pound a minute!  And flights-you must be joking.  And there was no internet either.  I laugh in the face of your mobile phone bills!   We had to blinking move in order to see each other. 

I know I am late into the conversation but when I moved here almost 11 years ago the fee I paid was nominal.  I think around $40.00.  I was gob smacked when my best friend told me that she paid over $400.00 only five years later.