A new study from The Balance found that millennials spend an average of $69 on first dates, and most millennials and Gen Z date respondents believe splitting date costs is best. However, while young daters claim to be in favor of splitting the bill, one-fifth of respondents said whether their partner pays could impact their decision to go on a second date.
More people aged 40 or younger dating say couples should split date costs
One-quarter of daters say they spend $100 or more on first dates. One-third of daters say how much or whether their partner pays affects their decision to accept the invitation for a second date. Income is the least important factor in choosing someone to date.
Young American daters prefer to split the bill
More than half of respondents say they split the bill sometimes (62%), while over a third say they rarely or never do so. But daters believe it should happen more often: three-quarters of Gen Z and millennial individuals say the cost of the date should be split at least some of the time. 38% of Gen Z say the bill should be split often or always, compared to 28% of millennials.
The second date will cost you
There are many factors that affect a person’s acceptance of a second date. However, spending money can increase your chances: 1 in 3 people say the likelihood of accepting a second date increases if their partner pays on the first date. About one-fifth of people say how much their partner spends affects the likelihood of going out with them again. This is especially true for wealthy individuals: they are more than twice as likely to say their decision is tied to how much someone pays on dates compared to those earning less than $50,000 (12% vs. 29%).
Dates do not require COVID-19 vaccination guidance
The ongoing pandemic is not slowing down daters who are ignoring concerns related to the coronavirus. Only 15% said they would not date someone who has not received the COVID-19 vaccine, but more than a third of respondents said vaccination status is an important or very important factor in their dating decisions.
Date costs have changed due to COVID-19
More than half of respondents said the pandemic changed how much they spend on dates, with one-quarter saying they now spend more and another quarter saying they spend less. Those spending more attributed it largely to rising costs and increased frequency of dates, while those who reduced spending stated it was due to fewer dates or a decline in their financial situation.
Choosing a partner
When it comes to finding a partner, 74% said personality is the most important factor in choosing a partner. Respondents ranked income and wealth as less important when considering other factors such as appearance, but one-third said wealth and income are important factors in selecting a partner.
Holiday dating
The winter months not only bring about the season of coupling but also come with additional costs for holiday dating. American daters plan to celebrate the upcoming holidays with someone and intend to spend more than they usually do on dates – more than half plan to spend over $100 on gifts. When it comes to going out on New Year’s Eve, 45% of millennial and Gen Z daters will spend over $100 on the date.
Methodology
The Study
The Balance conducted a survey of 1,000 Americans aged 18 to 40 who are currently dating or looking for partners. The survey was conducted online from October 28 to November 8, 2021. Quotas were used to ensure representation to match U.S. census estimates in terms of gender, race/ethnicity, and region, as well as Gallup estimates of transgender respondents among those aged 18 to 40.
This article was updated on December 17, 2021, to correct and clarify some data points regarding the relationship between dating and spending among adults aged 18 to 40.
Sources:
– Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. “Cost of Living Calculator.” Accessed Dec. 17, 2021.
– Congress.gov. “Text – HR627 – 111th Congress (2009-2010): Credit CARD Act of 2009.” Accessed Dec. 17, 2021.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/millennials-spend-an-average-of-usd69-on-first-dates-5213660
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