Survey time: Should a guy pay on a first date?

Actually, you've completely ran off and taken what I wrote out of context.

Taking it point by point:

If you recall, I never judged you, or your relationship. It was you and the other woman doing the judging from the word go.

So how about you stop picking my posts apart and purposely misunderstanding them?

But you called me irrational....isn't that judging me?

Bravo! Excellent, on topic response!

First, what you wrote, if not irrational...was certainly a huge stretch.

Second, I...and those who believe as I do (that men should pay for the first date at minimum) were clearly judged first.

Would you like to comment on topic? Or have you run out of pertinent arguments that prove somehow that me paying for dates is controlling?

here's your argument:
When I pay for everything I feel like a man. This is the way I was raised.
If I woman pays, I feel that I am not fulfilling my responsibilities as a man
Therefore, I cannot be in relationship with a woman who wants to pay sometimes.

I cannot argue with how you feel and certainly agree that you shouldn't even try to be in a relationship with someone who would like to pay for dinner. However, I would wonder how a relationship would survive the ups and downs of life.

My point is
When a man states that he " won't let " a woman do something, it's a red flag.
Yes sometimes, there's a conflict between what two people want to do, but when one says "never' then I think there's a control issue.
In a respectful partnership, there's give and take. Woman are also capable and should be given the opportunity to show respect/admiration/love the same way (e.g. buying dinner)

On topic enough for you?

I like how you deflected the point I was making that you were judging me

I would appreciate a woman offering!

And as for what's so wrong about it, technically the answer is nothing...just like there's nothing wrong with him paying every time.

I'll give you an interesting example, using myself. My last girlfriend and I lived 150 miles away from each other. Our first date was on about an hours notice. She told me she wished I was closer so we could see each other that night. I asked if she was serious, she said yes...I said be ready in an hour and a half. I drove all the way there, took her to a late dinner and movie, and drove home at 5am (we spent the rest of the night sitting on an overlook talking). I paid, of course.

After that, I drove over 300 miles every single Friday just to see her for less than 12hrs, of which we spent the majority sleeping (or not, as the case may have been lol). I paid for my fuel, our food, drinks...entertainment...and whatever else came up during those visits.

Now comes the interesting part. Shortly before we'd met...I had seriously injured my arm (requiring major reconstructive surgery), and have been out of work because of it for pushing 4mos. Through the course of our relationship, which had become committed, circumstances came up requiring me to spend a large portion of my savings on an emergency. She immediately wanted to take up financial responsibility for our time together, and even tried to help with some of my bills. I allowed it for two reasons. First...because this was supposed to be a 'permanent' relationship. Second, because it would have genuinely hurt her had I not allowed her to share in those responsibilities, and her feelings were far more important to me than my own...even though it absolutely killed me for things to go in that direction.

So which part of me paying for everything was controlling her? And what is so hard to understand about it being difficult as a man to allow her to pay for me?

Also to clarify, I'd like to add that once we are together to the point of shared finances, or even implied shared finances...all of that changes to an extent. At that point, it's 'our' money, and who 'pays' becomes irrelevant.

Yes! The women should offer to pay and the man should refuse to let her. :happy: That's how it works people.

No Dumbass...If you offer to pay, you better have the money to fork it over. Don't say something unless it is the truth. Nobody likes a liar.

Yes! The women should offer to pay and the man should refuse to let her. :happy: That's how it works people.

No Dumbass...If you offer to pay, you better have the money to fork it over. Don't say something unless it is the truth. Nobody likes a liar.

Yes! The women should offer to pay and the man should refuse to let her. :happy: That's how it works people.

No Dumbass...If you offer to pay, you better have the money to fork it over. Don't say something unless it is the truth. Nobody likes a liar.

*dumb *kitten*
The man *should* refuse to let her pay, dumb *kitten*.

Don't know where you read "I don't really have the money to pay for myself, but I'll offer anyways" :noway:

if i pay, i expect for him to give it up.

Just to throw this out there (have fun y'all, this is my last post of the day): What about in same-sex couple situations? Here you've got two women, where obviously neither is a man, or you've got two men who are both...well...men.


Safe to say whoever does the inviting pays? But...what about when you've got two men, does that mean one is less of a man for not paying? I think not.

Normally on a first date I always offer to take care of the bill. I never use the word Pay, referencing money. If we are having diner I will also discuss whats on the menu and ask my date what she would like to eat. Its a great way to start the conversation. When the waiter(ess) arrives I will order for my date (what she wanted) and then order what I would like. I always get a pleasant look of surprise

I think the guy should pay, hold the door, etc. The woman can definitely offer to pay, and certainly plan on having the money there if she needs to, but really, just accept the chivalry. Saying 'I'd like to take you to dinner' is a really far cry from 'I am the man and you will wash all my clothing in silent obedience and you will like it'.

I appreciate the kind gestures. I wouldn't date a guy who wasn't a gentleman in this way. On the other hand, the second he got into his head that I COULDN'T pay or was somehow dependent on him, he'd be getting kicked. I am woman - hear me roar! There's a big difference between appreciating chivalry and being a helpless blob.

No, I don't NEED you to pay for my dinner, but I really love that you're man enough to want to.

Exactly!! A capable, intelligent, woman...who is willing to allow me to be her man, and do man things for her...is an incredible thing. I don't understand how this is so hard to comprehend?

You totally sound like my boyfriend : ) I have my own place and take care of myself just fine, but I had him fix the oven handle and take out my trash, just because he likes to be the man. He knows I can do it myself, but it makes him happy to take care of me, and it makes me happy that he loves me enough to want to. Never an ounce of respect lost or the thought that I'm some weaker sub-human.

Your boyfriend is a lucky, lucky man!

This is the point for those women who feel that somehow letting a man be a man, makes you less of a woman. The fact that this young lady is self assured enough to give the things her boyfriend needs, just because he needs them, without any sense that she's lost anything of herself...proves that she truly is her own person. I mean honestly, the women out there screaming 'independence!!' as a warcry, just sound like they have something to prove.

This young lady, has nothing to prove, and therein lies the proof.

Everyone should calm down a bit about what men and women "should" and "shouldn't" do. We are individuals. We can all do different things. If I want to be equal on every thing with my partner then chances are I can find a partner who feels the same. If I want my partner to pay for everything and kill bugs, yup, I bet I could find one of those too. Lets not get our panties in a twist over what someone we'd never date anyway prefers.

It's just an amusing double standard. Women want equal rights in everything, yet want the man to "be a man" and pay?! Sexist!

Equality should apply to all things, not just certain things.

I've seen women who when a man hold a door open for them, they say "I can do it myself thank you!".

Chivalry is dead...and who killed it?




Women.

*ducks from all the flames*