So you just survived a first date and with flying colors too! You were nervous about exploring those single parent dating services but you’ve now overcome any hurdles you had as a single parent. Now for the real challenge… who is responsible for the bill?
In the past, the answer to that question was easy to answer: the man. But in the past, gender roles were rigid, to the point that they were oppressive, so you should you still honor traditional chivalry? Do women like it when men foot the bill? As a woman, should you offer to pay? These are tricky issues, so let’s take a look at the proper etiquette on a first date regarding money.
The rule of thumb is the person who is doing the “asking out” should pay, whether they be male or female. However, with a lot of people looking for dating online via a single parent dating service, etc, this is not always easy to determine… sometimes two decide to meet and it’s difficult to say who initiated the relationship. However, if there is clearly one person who is asking to take the other person out, the answer to “who should pay?” is clear as day!
Once the first date is over, both people can share the financial burden as they please and it will be a lot easier to discuss what they personally feel to be appropriate. A good tip for men is to simply listen to the woman. If she offers to split the bill, try to determine how serious she are about wanting to do so and if she objects to you paying, let her share the cost. This may actually win you points, especially if she is a strong feminist! Other tips include flipping a coin to see who pays and taking your date to places that won’t cost money, like the beach, etc.
So, what have we learned about dating etiquette? That men and women,have the very same concerns about money. The bottom line is if you are a man or a woman and you asked your date out, you are most certainly expected to pay. Otherwise, on a first date, it might be a good idea for the man to offer to pay and then respond to the woman if she insists on splitting the bill or covering it completely.
