Relationship Guru: So, Who Pays?
By Shavonne Ruffin, Agape Life Contributor
updated Fri January 16, 2015
Seated at a quaint table in your favorite restaurant you think the night was perfect. The ambiance set the mood and you are anticipating that there will be a second date. Meals have been eaten, drinks have been drunk. The waiter places the black leather book containing the check on the table. Both of you sit there continuing to talk, continuing to engage, and continuing to ignore the little white slip of paper begging for attention. Seconds turn into minutes as both of you wonders, “So who pays?”
During a radio talk show, discussing the “Dos and Don’ts of Dating” callers began to voice their opinions concerning who should pay for a date. The majority of the guests stated that
the male should pay. It appeared that this was the unsaid rule as, traditionally, males are stereotypically the breadwinners. Surprisingly, both genders agreed that the male is the designated sex to shell out their wealth on the date.
This appeared to be the norm until one female caller challenged the double standard. She courageously told the listeners that she, a woman, paid for the majority of her dates. Astonishment revealed itself among the callers, along with defamation and ultimate confusion. Listeners stated that something had to be wrong with her or she was dating the wrong men, if she paid for her dates.
So who is correct? Should men be ultimately held financially responsible for the date or should females start paying for these encounters? The lingering questions are ready for an answer. When dating follow these simple steps concerning who is paying for the check:
1. Whoever asks the other person out on the date should pay. If the person asks you out on the date, obviously, they are the one that is planning the evening. They know how much money that their bank account holds and is the best person to relinquish those funds.
2. Determine who paid last. Taking turns to pay for the date is a fair solution. By doing this, you are sharing in the responsibility of the relationship. Also, ladies, the majority of men appreciate it very much when a female pays for the date every now and then.
3. Split the difference. If the female pays for dinner. Then the male can pay for the next item on the agenda. Again, this is a fair solution and it shows that both genders are taking financial responsibility for the evening.
Dating can have its challenges, especially when it involves the root to all evil. However, the uncertainty of whose coming out of pocket needs not to be unclear. The main thing to remember is to always have your American Express Credit Card in your wallet. You should, “Never leave home without it.”