Statistics released by eHarmony reveal Australians spend $25.7 billion on dates each year, with Melburnians among the biggest spenders.
According to the report, Australians spend $144.40 on an average of 41 dates, each spending about $6000 in total each year.
Melanie Schilling, Australian psychologist and dating coach, says Australian men can spend less on dates but need to be more creative.
“Men can find cheap dates where there is a focus on common interests so they can create a successful, shared experience,” Ms Schilling said.
“What these statistics are telling us is that people aren’t strategically dating; people are looking for something meaningful but are constantly pursuing casual encounters.”
Ms Schilling says that this mindset is counterproductive if people are looking for a long-term relationship and blames the rise in dating apps and websites that advertise instant gratification – a service Gen Y is more likely to use.
“We are still stuck in the traditional dating role from the 50s and 60s where most men have to pay and initiate everything,” she said.
And it appears this expensive dating trend in Australia won’t decrease any time soon with nearly one quarter of Australians believing cheap dates are “boring” and 44 per cent agreeing that exciting dates are too expensive.
Twenty-year-old single Melburnian, Kurt Brandt, who works and socialises in the city, agrees there are high expectations placed on young men when setting up dates throughout a dating period.
“It is assumed I have to pay and organise everything just so that I can impress my date and in our society it means spending a lot of money,” Mr Brandt said.
Spending twice as much as women, the report found younger men aged between 17 and 30 are spending the most amount of money compared to the Baby Boomers and Gen X every year.
Mr Brandt, who spends between $70 to $100 per date, has already spent $500 this year, and has still failed to find love.
“The truth is, even if I picked more creative, cheaper dates, there would only be a handful of girls that would like it,” he said.
“Most would expect a fancy dinner or expensive drinks. That’s just how it is.”
Photo credit: Romantic Couple at Sunset via Flickr
