My friend Mark was living in Chiang Mai when his brother tried to surprise him. He flew all the way from Denver, but Mark was actually on a visa run in Kuala Lumpur for the weekend. His brother had to get a hotel for three nights alone before Mark could get back. The whole thing just ended up being stressful and really expensive for both of them. It showed how the rules change when your address isn't permanent.

That smart budgeting bit reminds me of my weirdly cheap grocery haul.

You said it met code, so that's the baseline for safety. Saving money there lets the budget cover other important things.

But is it really that big of a deal? People ask because they care, even if it's awkward. If you don't want to talk, just say so. Making a fuss about it seems more dramatic than needed. Breakups are rough, but cringing at basic questions is over the top.

Why not make things harder on purpose?