Hi geekchic,
I don't think you're being unreasonable. You can let your boyfriend know that it takes money to make money. As long as right now you're not spending more than you're making, that's okay I think. Start small, emulate the successful ones, persist, focus, test, test, and test.
$10/month for hosting is not bad, but I know of a good one (which I personally am using) that costs less than $5/month. PM me if you want the link

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Good luck!