This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St Olaf chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Question: Dear Miss Manitou, I have an on-campus job and my boyfriend did too – until this semester. He has always insisted on paying for dinner or movies when we go out on dates, but I don’t see how much longer he can afford it, now that he’s not making money. How do I pay for our next date without hurting his feelings?
Answer: I have personal experience with this question, ladies, so listen up!
Men think about money. A LOT. I’m pretty sure, at one point or another, I read a statistic that stated the number one thing that men stress over is their finances. I don’t even need a statistic to know that this is true! It IS safe to assume that your boyfriend is thinking a similar question: how do I ask my girlfriend to help pay for our next date without making her feel uncomfortable?
Men think about money. A LOT. I’m pretty sure, at one point or another, I read a statistic that stated the number one thing that men stress over is their finances. I don’t even need a statistic to know that this is true! It IS safe to assume that your boyfriend is thinking a similar question: how do I ask my girlfriend to help pay for our next date without making her feel uncomfortable?
Thank goodness we live in the twenty-first century! Women are becoming empowered and they play an active role in relationships. Another trend that has come about is the idea that men don’t always have to be the breadwinner – in recent years men have become more and more comfortable with the idea of women paying for dates. While this can obviously differ, depending on how conservative your boyfriend is, one thing is for certain: it never hurts to ask.
Tell him that you noticed his predicament, but please do so BEFORE going out on the date. Otherwise, you’ll run into confusion and embarrassment when trying to give a credit card to a waiter or while you are both rummaging through your wallet in front of the ticket box at the movies. If you are willing to pay for the next few dates, let him know! If you are willing to hold off on dates until he can find another way to make money, let him know! If you want to split tabs/bills/expenses/etc, LET HIM KNOW. Communication is the best way to success, and it will take away a ton of your boyfriends’ stress!
xoxo
Miss Manitou
Miss Manitou