Dating has quickly become more of an extreme sport than something to do for fun and to find your person. Thanks to online dating, apps, and just trying to navigate the ever-changing rules around looking for love, finding your significant other has become difficult. Throw in financial constraints, and you’ve got a recipe for staying single.
The latter was brought up by a content creator named Eric Ou, who admitted that he thinks about finances before dating or even talking to a woman and that if he suspects a potential love interest isn’t in the same economic bracket, he will walk away.
A man says he won’t even approach women that he knows he ‘can’t afford.’
“I see a lot of pretty girls in public that I never approach because I know I can’t afford them,” Ou admitted. He explained that it happened recently after seeing a woman in public that he thought was beautiful, but despite wanting to go up and talk to her, Ou held back after noticing her expensive look.
He recalled that the first thing he noticed was that she had on a flower bracelet that, he later learned, was worth $4,000.
With the possibility that she could’ve just been wearing a knock-off, Ou didn’t let it deter him. But when he saw she was wearing $595 sneakers, it stopped him in his tracks.
“I was being delusional and still looking to see if her and I could be in the same tax bracket. I look to her right and what do I see?” Ou continued. She was carrying a $3,000 Chanel purse, and at that point, Ou just decided to give up and walk away. After catching a glimpse at her luxury Mercedes Benz, he knew he made the right decision.
“There was no way that I was ever gonna give her the life that she needed. I will stick with my Volkswagen Jetta and Nissan Altima girls.”
Many single adults have admitted that the cost of living has affected their dating lives.
Dating is expensive. It’s not just dinner-and-a-movie costs, either.
New clothes and all the accessories that go along with looking your best, combined with the costs of online dating or even just going to the right bars and restaurants in the hopes of securing the perfect meet-cute, can put a dent in your wallet, especially if you go out frequently.
According to LendingTree’s survey of over 2,000 U.S. consumers, nearly half (49%) of surveyed Americans are single, but only 9% are actively seeking a relationship.
Of those dating, 65% say inflation has impacted their dating life, with nearly 1 in 4 (23%) trying to spend less money on dates and 21% going on fewer dates.
Fourteen percent of Americans have even gone into debt due to dating, with men more than twice as likely to agree as women (21% versus 9%).
Many traditional rules require men to pay for the bulk of dates, especially in the get-to-know-you phase.
If you’re on social media, then you’ve most likely heard the tiring argument and debate about who should be responsible for paying on dates. Frankly, each and every person has different expectations.
Some women are looking for a man to provide them with a financially secure lifestyle, just like some women have no problem splitting the bill on dates. There are men out there who have no problem paying, and there are men out there who are looking for someone willing to pick up the check every now and then.
Just because someone is wearing designer shoes or driving a luxury car doesn’t mean that they’re looking for someone who is going to give them a certain life or buy them equally expensive things to match the stuff they already own.
And if they are and you start dating that person only to learn that your financial statuses don’t match, it’s very easy to end things and move on to someone else.
That’s what dating is all about!
Before judging someone on how they dress, it’s better to go into dating with the mindset that you’re looking for someone who matches your personality and life goals. It doesn’t hurt to be open about finances in the early stages, as well.
You shouldn’t have to break the bank or go into debt just to take someone on a date, and if that person isn’t willing to compromise, then they’re not your person.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.
