How does one get a boyfriend?

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Newbie here so be gentle with me.
I'm 45, divorced for the last 8 years and have an 11-year old son. My ex is now remarried with two kids and has reduced my son's visits to 2 days per month.

Every time I've tried to have a relationship it's ended because I can't spend enough child-free time to get to know him. I haven't had a free weekend for the last 4 years. I don't have any family here to help me and the cost of regular babysitting makes me question if it's worth going out.

I feel really stuck in a rut. Is it possible to find a new relationship? How do other people do it? Do I just wait till my son is older so I can leave the house, by which time I'm really old?

Thanks for all the messages

Polly he is 11, not 13 so I currently don't leave him for more than an hour or so.

I am still hanging in there, my focus is on being rather selective so I don't invest too much of my time on the wrong people. I try to get a phone call before meeting or if I meet go for a 1hr coffee date. I have hobbies but don't tend to meet many new people there any more so have resorted to OLD. Currently just Tinder but think I will try other ones. Any recommendations?

I've also had a think about what I need and assessed my other relationships. I have some really good friends, including guys, and I already get a lot of my needs met from a variety of people. So I'm grateful for that especially since when I first divorced I had no friends. I still I have very little free time but I won't give up completely and I won't get so despondent about it.

Please keep the stories and advice rolling in!