There are quite a few dealbreakers when it comes to dating—from ideological rifts to a difference in plans for the future. Although different men will have different dealbreakers, there is one dealbreaker it seems many men can agree on. According to a study published by SAGE Journals, 44 percent of men said they would stop dating a woman who never pays for dates. Read on to find out more, and for other turn-offs to keep in mind, This Is the No. 1 First Date Dealbreaker, Research Shows.
A woman never picking up the check is enough for almost half of men to call it quits on a relationship. Beyond that, the 2015 study found that 64 percent of men believed that women should contribute money toward dates. However, it seems that men have conflicting feelings about who is putting up the money. According to the study, the majority of men—76 percent—said they feel guilty when they accept money from women.
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As society continues to move away from sticking to traditional gender roles, the need for men to pick up the check dissipates. "Chivalry dictates that on a date, the man pays, whereas egalitarian ideals suggest that gender should not determine who pays," the study notes.
While almost half of the men are ready to move away from these archaic dating guidelines, others may still be clinging to them because they think that's what men are supposed to do.
The study found that most men and women report that both members contribute to dating expenses after they've been together for six months, but men generally pay a larger portion of the expenses. Although women are now much more likely to offer to split the check, some secretly resent doing so. According to the study, "39 percent of women wished men would reject their offers to pay, and 44 percent of women were bothered when men expected women to help pay."
Aside from the obvious financial toll of covering the cost of every date, why are men so bothered by women not coughing up the dough? "If a woman never offers to pay for a date or never does something that shows she is a giver, such as inviting him over for a delicious home-cooked meal or packing a picnic lunch when they go on an outing, then she is giving the man the impression that she is a taker and not a giver," says relationship authorElliott Katz.
Money aside, most people are seeking someone who is willing to give as much as they take. And for more expert insight on how to handle the bill, This Is Who Should Really Pay on a Date, Experts Say.
