It’s no secret that dating is draining. You emotionally invest in a person or multiple people, hoping to find that sizzling connection and true love.
But it’s not just your heart that you’re putting on the line – but your bank balance too.
Dating is expensive, and the ‘daylight dating’ trend has seen cash-strapped singles in the cost-of-living crisis opt for cheaper, daytime dates, such as a coffee and a stroll, to avoid the hefty price tag that comes with a trip to a cocktail bar.
And now, new research has totted up the true cost of finding love, and it’s not cheap.
In fact, it’ll cost you about £1,652. Ooft.
The findings from Novuna Personal Finance shows that singles fork out the hefty sum on an average of 15 dates before finding the one.
When it comes to the cost of an individual date, most men and women spend around £60, but men tend to spend ever so slightly more at about £68.
And despite the current financial difficulties many are experiencing, 13% admit to spending more than £100 on a first date.
But it’s not just the actual date itself that puts a strain on our bank accounts.
Over a third of respondents reported going shopping for new clothes or accessories for a first date, with 41% of women doing so.
Perhaps surprisingly, men are more conscious of their appearance before stepping out for a date, with 37% of men spending money on a haircut to prepare compared to just 25% of women.
On average these pre-date expenses are setting singletons back an extra £40 per date – a significant investment.
And just because Brits are willing to fork out, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t struggling to do so.
Alarmingly, nearly 30% of the 1,000 UK adults (750 singles and 250 in new relationships) who were surveyed, admitted to delaying paying bills or cutting back on necessities in order to fund their romantic pursuits.
The trade-offs do not end there, as more than half of respondents said they have made sacrifices or postponed plans to save money for a date, while 22% reported not saving any money for the month.
The cost of dating has caused many people to alter their social habits or become more selective in their dating.
Nearly a quarter of singles cited the cost of living crisis as the reason they have been forced to date less, or quit dating entirely.
The financial squeeze isn’t cramping everyone’s dating style though, with some singles getting pretty money savvy.
About 61% of daters have taken considerable steps to get a discount on a date, with more men (69%) utilising these savings compared to women (55%).
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
MORE : How long should grief really last? A third of Brits think six months
MORE : Stuck in ‘the phone zone’? How to turn your online match into an IRL date
MORE : What’s in store for today? Your horoscope for April 17, 2023
For all the latest Lifestyle News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
