Layton Cox and his wife joined a country club in Florida. Courtesy of Layton Cox

Layton Cox and his wife moved from Texas to Florida.

They joined a country club to make friends, but it didn't go to plan.

Cox said paying almost $50,000 for membership and leaving after a year was his "No. 1" financial regret.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Layton Cox, 35, a consultant based in Rosemary Beach, Florida. Business Insider has verified his country club membership and income. This piece has been edited for length and clarity.

My wife and I moved from Dallas to Rosemary Beach in the Florida Panhandle at the end of 2021. A big goal of ours was finding our tribe in this part of the state.

When we found out about a local country club , we joined in late 2023 with the expectation that we'd meet a bunch of people who were like us.

It turned out to be my No. 1 financial regret . We spent almost $50,000 on the experience, only to learn that we didn't fit in.…