Would you invite an internet-only friend to stay at your house?

No, not without a meet-and-greet first

No. Not in my home.

For further discussion I would have to know the definition/circumstance of “needed a place to stay.”

I met up with three jellies and we stayed in a cabin. It was perfectly fine and I’m glad I did have the meet up. But I don’t think I would stay in someone’s house without first having a meet up. If I were to go to @gailcalled‘s home town, I would stay in a hotel and ask her to meet me at a restaurant or other public place.

I vaguely remember a question on here a few years back where a jelly invited someone to visit her in her home. She had a hard time getting the person to leave. It was horrible and I think it might have even involved the police.

The fact that you are asking makes me feel like you really aren’t sure if you are comfortable with this.

Sod that for a game of soldiers, you’re “internet only” for a reason.

@chyna—Wow…that’s pretty intense.

Well I don’t want to go into a lot of details but someone I know from a bunch of sites is also a Facebook friend I’ve known for 5 years or so. She’s moving to where I live for health reasons and a friend of hers was posting to everyone in my area asking if any of us could let her stay over for a short period of time.

I wasn’t seriously considering it, but I felt bad because not many other people are stepping up and volunteering to take her in. I wondered if I should have to be more “giving” to people in need.

@ucme—We’re internet only friends because she lives several thousand miles away right now.

@keobooks Yes, but I was speaking of my own feelings, as the question asks.

Only if he is up for some pegging.

Well, @keobooks, I’d let you and your crazy kid stay with me in a heartbeat.

Only if he is up for some pegging.

Do you have a nice place? Are there good restaurants nearby? Are you buying?

If the person was just traveling through and really needed a place to stay I might tell a immoral white lie, something like ‘I have a free night at a local hotel and I’ll set you up.’ Then just hire them a room.

Moving 1,000’s of miles for health reasons? Hell no!

If it was due to the health of a family member (hospital stay in my area), I’d get them a room for the first night and play it by ear from there.

Honestly, part of my answer is based on the fact that my house is so overcrowded that few people would be comfortable staying here.

It would depend. There are people who are only Internet friends that I feel I know intimately and I probably would let them stay but it might feel awkward. I don’t think I’d be afraid though. I wouldn’t like the idea of an open-ended visit though.

I would make arrangements to get together for a meal in a restaurant. I Would even pay for it but I don’t think I would have a sleepover.

Not if I had any doubts. It sounds like you probably shouldn’t, because you aren’t sure. But I can understand why it worked well in @chyna‘s case. :)

A few most likely, I have had several phone conversations with a few jellies past and present.
I’m an open and adventurious type, but discerning too. It would depend on the jellies of course. I can think of several people right now that I would be willing to take a chance on, yes.

You live in a pretty busy household right now, @Coloma. Easier, much, if you could have a group of friends over to help ease in the ‘stranger’.

Yes.

I just did that today!

I want to, but my family will definitely say no.

If it were just me, maybe.
But with kids, probably not.

Does “just internet” exclude phone calls? Or does it just mean someone you have never met face to face? If it’s the latter, I most certainly would for a few close friends of mine.

There are some people I’ve met on the internet that I believe I’d feel very comfortable inviting to my home. I’d prefer to have met them before hand, but there are a very tiny group of people I would consider putting up if they visited my city. I’d imagine if that was going to happen we would have spoken on the phone regularly beforehand.

There’s a small group (very small, can probably count them on one hand) who I feel comfortable enough, from knowing them on here. We’d probably meet elsewhere first, like a restaurant. I wouldn’t expect them to just show up at my door. Also, they might be more comfortable at a hotel as I have a small house with cats, which not everyone would find appealing.

I don’t feel so bad about not wanting anyone over now. I started to think about it. She’s moving to be closer to her family. So why isn’t her own family taking her in? If her own family won’t, I probably shouldn’t either. They probably know something I don’t.

Exactly, @keobooks. If you’re moving 1,000’s of miles you should have some sort of support base in that area or resources tp make it on your own for a while.

Maybe invite them out to lunch once they settle in some place a bit.

I was thinking of doing that already, @ibstubro. I will definitely take her out to lunch when she moves over. I may even try to rustle up some of our mutual Ohio friends when she first gets here.

I would not have a problem with this, especially if I have known the person for several years. I’ve been fb friends with fluther members since I joined fb in 2009 and I feel closer to some of them than I do some family members. Meeting them for coffee before inviting them to my home isn’t going to change how I feel about them.

I would not invite someone I haven’t known for that long or anyone I might feel hesitant about, but there are many people who are more than welcome to sleep on my couch for a night or two if they need it.

I think it’s cool you’re like that @jonsblond . There are SOME people I would feel almost 100% comfortable having them over without meeting them first. She’s not one of them though. While I’ve “known” her a number of years, I haven’t had much 1 on 1 time with her. I am also skittish about the fact that her own family hasn’t stepped up to take her. That’s probably a red flag.

Now if she were a certain Sissyfight friend that’s like a long distance sister to me who I just happen to have never met, she could probably ask to live with me for a week or two and I’d take her in. I know she would take me in too.

The definite red flag is that the person has nobody local they can turn to. For myself, if I needed to stay some place for months, I could think of at least 20 people right off the bat. Of course, for a stay of any longer than a few days, I’d be chipping in for housing, food, etc. as I wouldn’t expect a free ride, and because I could afford to help with their bills, or at the very least food.

@chyna is this the question you meant?

@jca Not always though. I could be in that position myself. Only child, all family dead except my daughter and I only have 1 close friend in the area, the rest are all out of town by hundreds of miles or out of state. It can happen easier than you think.

@canidmajor Yes! You are a great researcher!

Today I went to IKEA, and nearby they had a La Quinta Inn. They had on the side of the building ”$89 per night, weekly rates as low as $449.” It got me to thinking, $449×4 = approximately $1800 per month. That’s doable, considering you have linens changed, bed made, vacuumed, toilet paper, toiletries (although I would probably use my own), heat, hot water, electricity, cable, probably free wifi, coffee in the room probably, and probably free breakfast in the lobby. Not that you would want to have to do that long term, but I could see for a month or two, it would be possible and probably not unpleasant.

That’s sort of the point of the OP, @Coloma. Presumably you would be moving “out of town by hundreds of miles or out of state” in order to stay with friends while you establish a new residence.
Would you choose to move some place you had no real support base?

And La Quinta doesn’t even necessarly cater to long stay, @jca. There are even cheaper places that offer kitchenettes to further reduce your out-of-pocket.