Australians kiss goodbye $11.65 billion annually, which is spent on dating
Those looking for love fork out $80.7 million each year on dating services alone.
ING Cost of Dating report, which was released today, shows that we as a nation are spending big when it comes to finding "the one". In addition to the time and effort we invest in dating services and online matchmaking apps, we are also investing our hard-earned cash. $11.65 billion of it each year, to be exact.
From paying for dating services to help us find a date, to preparing for said date and the cost of the date itself, it’s an expensive game. Australians spend $80.7 million each year on dating services, and one-quarter of Aussies spend $100 or more preparing for a date. Considering that one-third (32%) of Australians go on two or more first dates each and every month, the money quickly adds up.
Pre-date costs
The most common pre-date costs include new clothes (68%), hair (35%), new shoes (28%) and new makeup (20%). And it’s not just the ladies spending big before a romantic night out. On average, men spend $58 on looking good to impress their date.
Our fashion-focused friends in Melbourne are spending the most on looking good for a date, with Victorians splashing out an average of $69 per date. Daters in New South Wales aren’t far behind, spending $67, while South Australians appear to be the most thrifty with their pre-date prep, spending just $48.
Date expectations
For men, the research shows that the older they are the more prepared they are to pay for the bill on a date. One-third (33%) of baby boomer males expect to pick up the bill, compared to 27% of gen X males and 26% of millennial males.
Half (50%) of women would prefer to split the bill with their date and a quarter (23%) say they like to pay for their owns costs entirely.
ING offers Aussie singles a few tips on keeping the costs of dating low, including preparing a nice home-cooked meal instead of dining out, ordering in or keeping an eye out for restaurant deals on sites such as Groupon and Catch.com.au.
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