Let’s imagine a date scenario. You go to this fine dining restaurant with your date, and had a good meal, a good laugh and a good conversation. It felt like everything is almost perfect. Everything you’ve planned worked like clockwork. Chances of a second date seem to smile back at you, with a wide grin. You ask for the bill and as the both of you looked at the slip, you share awkward glances – is he/she bringing out the cash? A lady would think, “He will pay for it, he’s the man here.” A man would think, “I’ll pay for it, but I’m not sure if she wants to give her half.” Thus the problem of payment turns a good date into a confused one, so here are some tips to help get you out of the sticky situation
The mental dilemma
Paying for a date usually is one of the tricky parts of it. Though it’s an accepted fact that the man pays for it, sometimes a man would want to ask the lady if she can share the bill with him. What stops him? Ego. He’s the man here, why ask his date? But the thought of sharing will arise, especially if the guy is on a slightly tight budget. However, it remains as a thought. Women should think about potentially paying for half of the bill before the date even begins so that the man doesn't have to go through the embarassment of asking.
How to ask about payment on the first date
There are a lot of styles that you can use – whether it’s by just simply asking it, and even eye gestures (looking at your date and looking at the bill – turns out to be funny sometimes). Let’s say on the first date, either the two of you can agree if the man pays for all of it or to have an equal share. It’s not embarrassing; it’s even practical for the both of you. If the date is going well enough, the topic of payment shouldn’t be too much of an issue. If it doe become one, then men, just assume that you’ll be forking out the cash.
How to ask the other person to pay in the future
The tricky part of getting a person to pay is knowing how to ask. You can just jokingly ask, “Is it on me, on you, or a fair share?” and follow it with a big smile. Usually, just by simply being honest with things will give your date a good first impression with you. That can never go wrong, as being practical means you are cautious about spending.
Payment during the rest of the dates
If it’s on a fair share, let’s say on a second date or a third date, both of you should agree on a specific restaurant and a date location since you’ll both spend money. Both of you can just say to each other that, “On the next time we go out, it’s on me. I got a pay raise!” or “It’s on me next time, I really had a good time!” For guys, don’t be shy if your date wants to pay for the date. Letting her do it shows that you respect her on deciding things (but don’t abuse that. Don’t be a freeloader!) , and will score you points. With women, you can insist on giving your share or if your date wants to pay for it, thank him.
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