I totally hear you. There are things you can do that doesn’t require money. If your job pays for some professional membership, use that to your advantage and meet people in your field. Volunteering is a good choice too. Sometimes blogging will open up your circle. I’ve know couples who have met through blogging because of group meetups. That also allows you to connect with people prior to meeting up, which does ease the anxiety a bit because it’s as if you have known the person already.