Tonnes of Brits ditch dating as cost of living crisis hits – and address who should pay
The cost of living crisis is preventing cupid’s arrow from striking.
New research found that 23% of UK singles plan to stop dating due to the rising cost of living.
In addition, 17% of British singles said they’re going to be opting for cheaper coffee or lunch dates.
READ MORE: Body language expert explains how to know if a date fancies you or not
People up and down the UK have adjusted their lives to account for the rising cost of living.
From foregoing a daily commuter coffee, to changing where they do their weekly food shop – no stone has gone unturned to help cut costs.
But it turns out people are also altering their dating lives, according to a new study.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Aquacard surveyed more than 700 Brits who are single and dating, and found nearly a quarter of British residents (23%) are planning to stop going on dates altogether to save money.
As well as this, 17% claimed they’re going to move towards cheaper coffee and lunch dates to help save.
After asking Brits how much they believe should be spent on a first date, Aqua found the average expected cost of a first date sits at £37.85.
But it turned out men have much higher expectations than women when it comes to first-date spending.
The average response from men came in at £43.24, whereas the average response for women came in at £32.26 – a difference of almost £11 per date.
The survey also found when it comes to the age-old question of who should pay, there is a significant difference of opinion between men and women.
(Image: Getty Images)
While almost four in 10 women (39%) believe the bill for a first date should be split equally, only 15% of men agree.
However, it seems that first-date finances are a sore spot for some Brits, with 16% also admitting that they feel nervous about dating altogether due to not knowing how much should be spent.
This is even higher (17%) for women.
And it’s women who seem to be making the most drastic cuts to their dating lives, with as many as 29% of women planning on no longer dating, compared to only 16% of men.
The survey also found that men are even prepared to create a monthly dating budget to ensure they can still factor dating into their social lives, with almost one in 10 (9%) saying this will be something they’ll be implementing.
READ NEXT: