Meet up groups etc costing loads of money?

[girlfriend44]

Am I the only one to think that all meet up groups seem to revolve around drinking and eating out and they are constant?

You wouldnt think there was a cost of living crisis all the time and the organisers are relentless in their suggestions? Constant we've arranged this all the time, they dont seem to pace it?
I havent joined any but im a member of a few and see it alot come up.

AIBU to think it would be good to have some cheap or free activities instead of everything revolving around the pub or cafes etc and maybe not so often.

Im far from super rich but I am lucky enough to still be able to go out for a meal/takaway/drink if I so wish to do so. People are different, imcomes are different, circumstances are different. You cant chuck everyone in the same category

If I didn't have kids I'd probably prioritize eating out with friends to be honest. It's expensive but so are a lot of nice to have bit not necessary things. If it helps you connect with people it could be money well spent.

That said a group that's just for virtually free stuff like walks or free museums would be cool.

I used to be a meet up event organiser. Organisers are volunteers so naturally put on the events they want to attend. So I used to arrange meet ups to see films or exhibitions I wanted to see, for example. People in the group could choose which events to attend depending on their preferences.

In the end I stopped being an organiser as people were always moaning and complaining about something. Events stopped being enjoyable for me as I was treated like an unpaid holiday rep.

OP why don't you volunteer to be an event organiser for your group and then arrange the sort of events you want to go to. It's what I used to suggest to people who complained in my group. As the organisers are volunteers they don't have to do what you want. They are not being paid to provide a service.

It's not a new thing to want to share food and drink with people as part of a social occasion - it's been going on for centuries!

Socialising with food has been a thing in pretty much all cultures throughout human history.

The reason these meet ups are held in a cafe/restaurant is because the host doesn't necessarily know all the attendees. Would you invite a bunch of strangers to your home?

It's different with established friends, but that's not what the OP is complaining about.

I don't want to be an organiser
Your assuming I have time or interest. Im doing other stuff.
its the fequency tooJust making an observation.
Surely a good organiser though should not just put on events they want to go too? A good organiser puts on a variety of things.
It's the frequency too of events I notice. Always something expensive going on.

Surely a good organiser though should not just put on events they want to go too?

Why would you spend your free time organising something you have no interest in?

A good organiser puts on a variety of things.

They're not being paid though! Why should they organise something they don't want to
attend themselves?

It's the frequency too of events I notice. Always something expensive going on.

So don't go 🤷🏻‍♀️ they're under no obligation to make the events affordable or inclusive to everyone.

OP I don't think you understand meetup.

It's not something you pay for.

Why on Earth would organisers spend their time going to events they don't want to?

It's attitudes like yours that made me stop being an organiser.

The groups are run by volunteers, if you don't like what's being offered suggest something else, most groups organisers are supportive of members doing this.Remember the organisers are not being paid, they are volunteering their own time to organise events and deal with enquiries from their members.

It's also not compulsory to attend every event advertised, groups often have hundreds of members and different organisers going to different events. You pick what you can afford and have time to attend.

OP, theMeet Up groups I've seen are mainly:

walking ones which are either free or cost between £5-15 for guided all day walks
special interest talks - either free informal ones or small fee ones in hired rooms in pubs etc
yoga/ going baths etc which are usual prices - seem to be using Meet Up as a way of advertising things that would already be happening.

As PP have said - anyone can organise a Meet Up event so you could sort out a free walking one locally.

You have no time or interest to be an organiser, but you expect the volunteer organisers to do arrange events that they have no interest in, that are free, for your convenience.

I bet they love you. I bet you're really popular at these events.

Your attitude is appalling.

I agree with Pyjama. I don't think you understand what MeetUp is.

Anyone can organise a group.

I don't think anyone is going to organise something that they aren't interested in themselves.

It's not like school where they try to cover a broad range of interests. Monday tennis, Tuesday lego etc.

If John is interested in orienteering, that's what he organises and people who are interested go to that.

Lucy is interested in jigsaws so she starts a puzzle meet up. People go if they share that interest.

The ones on mine are nearly all walking ones. If I want to go to something that isn't walking then I can't because nobody has started a one that isn't walking,

This. It's incredible how entitled people can be.

My stint at meetup was eye opening. I made some fantastic friends and even met my DH there but God I met some utter arseholes as well!

Not everyone is skint .
Only do what you can afford .

So you don't want to organise it yourself, you want someone else to do it for you but you don't have any suggestions to make? Have you told them budget is an issue fo ryou?

Why do you assume people who organise stuff for you are less busy than you?

You haven't answered the question - what kind of group interest? That, along with locations of attendees will influence the type of events organised just as much as budgets.

This 👏be greatful for what they are organising and if it doesn't work for you, find different groups, or better still you do the organising. Your attitude is self entitled and frankly awful.
I suspect they would be pleased if you left

Wow, it's been a long time since I've read an OP so unaware of how entitled they are being.

Do you usually have to be spoon-fed in other aspects of your life Op?

Surely you organise meet ups around whatever purpose you want to. It's not a charity.

It's the frequency too? Are you aware that you don't have to attend every event that's organised? Are you aware that there's more than one meet up group and you're free to choose one that suits your idea of a good meet up?

I earn much less than the average U.K. salary but I can afford to eat out regularly if I want to. I might have less money than before because of prices going up but it doesn't mean I can't afford to do anything. I can't be the only person in the country who still has a disposable income.

I mean someone working a ft job on an ok wage with no dependents is probably fine money wise to do these things

if I lived in a 1 bed flat and had no kids or pets I’d be going away every weekend

Ive sort of came out of a WhatsApp group that was all lets go to restaurants and bars and have cocktails. Trouble was they could afford it and i couldn't. So i disengaged.

There's still plenty folk with lots of disposable income. Or well paid husbands. Life hasn't changed for them.

Don't complain then. Start your own group.

Volunteer organisers organise stuff that THEY want to (and can afford to do) with similarly minded people.

You don't want to do what the organisers organise.
You also don't want to organise anything yourself and it's apparently rude to even suggest this to you.
You don't have any ideas of your own anyway.
And you also don't actually go to these groups.

Have you considered the possibility that the groups you've joined are not for you?

Re the cost of living crisis - there are plenty of people still have disposable income to spend on leisure activities.

So you’re moaning someone else who is spending their free time organising and, presumably, getting good attendance at said events, should do whatever it is you want but you’re not actually prepared to take any initiative and do it yourself?