How do I explain this to my friend?

[Mamfa78]

Looking for some advice please regarding my friendship.

I made a new friend through a support group. I would never have crossed paths with him under normal circumstances as our lives are worlds apart.

Our friendship has grown over the past year, he is a great person, supportive and kind.

He is also very rich and because he is incredibly kind people have taken advantage of him.

I am not rich, very low income. We never discuss money and when we meet up everything is always 50/50.
He has no idea of my money struggles.

So to my problem, I have had a number of operations the past year and not in great physical health.
My friend has a place abroad and has suggested we go there and have a bit of a road trip together.

I would really love to do this but it would stretch me financially. I would only do it if we could go 50/50 on everything.
But I don't want to say this to him because I don't want him to think I'm fishing for him to cover the cost.
This has happened to him a lot. I know he would offer to pay but I would really feel uncomfortable with this.
I value his friendship so much and don't want him to think I don't want to spend time with him, it's just not possible for me to spend money like this at the present time.

I just don't know how to explain it to him so that he doesn't think I'm waiting for him to offer the money?

There is no romantic involvement, he is gay and in a relationship.

Tell him the truth. Go and enjoy the trip. Life is short x

I think a firm, I’d love to but I can’t afford it. Thanks for thinking of me. Maybe next year. And then when he says “I’ll pay” you can say, I don’t want you to do that but I appreciate the offer. I’ll save up for next year.

Perfect

I'd be very surprised though if he has no idea at all of the difference in your situations, given you've known him a year. That would take an almost complete lack of insight, which would be unusual if he's made all this money himself

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Maybe he does have an idea but we never discuss it.
He has made the money himself and does come from a very working class background, like me.
I think that was one of the reasons we bonded at the beginning.

He sounds lovely, Mamfa78, and here's hoping this all works out beautifully for you

With your update I'm even more convinced he's unlikely not to have realised, so I'd just be honest - which is usually the best policy anyway

@Puzzledandpissedoff
He really is lovely, I'm so thankful that we met each other.