If you don’t have $20s, $50s, or $100s to spend on first date after first date, don’t worry, you’re not alone. New research shows that spending all that cash is making singles reconsider their love lives and instead, they’re trying out dating on a budget.
BLK, the largest dating app for Black singles, recently polled its users and found that financial anxiety is changing the way people connect. Among the surprising findings:
- 77.6% feel serious financial anxiety about dating
- 87.9% would date more often if money were not an issue
“The numbers put hard data behind something our community already talks about all the time,” Amber Cooper, BLK’s Head of Brand, told BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively. “The desire to connect is absolutely there. It’s not that people are giving up on dating; it’s that the cost of showing up has gotten in the way.”
That cost isn’t small change, especially in the context of all the other expenses that are driving us toward debt. Dating on a budget has become a necessity, with BLK users reporting that a standard night out costs $100 to $150 once you factor in prep, transit, and the date itself.
“For a lot of Black singles, the cost of a date starts way before the restaurant; it’s the hair, the outfit, the gas, the parking. You’re a hundred dollars in before you order a drink,” Cooper explains.
“Folks want dating to feel doable again,” she says. “And the solution they’re reaching for is lower-pressure, in-person ways to connect—things that don’t cost much and actually let you get to know somebody.”
Cooper recommends that singles not only get comfortable dating on a budget, but that they learn how to have uncomfortable conversations about money.
“Being upfront about money isn’t a turn-off; it’s a green flag. It tells the other person you’re planning for something real, not just performing for one night,” she says.
“Yes, some people still equate spending with effort. But effort isn’t about how much money you spend, it’s the thought behind the date. If someone judges you for a thoughtful, low-cost date, that’s the real red flag!”
Here, Cooper shares BLK’s Rules for Dating on a Budget:
- Keep the first date short and cheap. A walk or a quick coffee is a smart move, not a compromise. The stakes are lower, it’s easier to say yes, and if you both feel a spark, you can plan the big dinner later when you know it’s worth it.
- Rethink where a first date happens. The most memorable early dates aren’t the expensive ones. They’re the ones where you can actually talk: a free museum day, a community event, or a farmers market. Low pressure, low cost, and you learn more about someone in a shared activity than across a $200 dinner.
- Choose an experience over a dinner. Have a picnic, try a thrift-store challenge, you could even do an “appetizer crawl” instead of a full meal. People remember the fun and novelty, not the total on the receipt.
- Let the city do the work. Most cities are full of free programming, like outdoor concerts, gallery nights, cultural festivals, run clubs, and book fairs. Following a few local event pages turns “I have no money” into a running list of built-in date ideas.
- Go where the community is. More Black singles are meeting at run clubs, brunches, and creative meetups. If you show up somewhere you already enjoy, it takes the pressure off the “date” and off your wallet.
- Set a monthly dating number and stick to it. Deciding what you can spend ahead of time takes the anxiety out of each individual date and keeps dating from competing with rent. It also makes it easier to keep going instead of quitting the pool altogether.
- Be upfront and normalize it. Talking about money early shouldn’t be a turn-off. It’s mature. Suggesting something budget-friendly signals you’re thoughtful and grounded, and most people are relieved someone said it first.
RELATED CONTENT: Party Planning on a Budget? How to Deliver an Extraordinary Experience Without Overspending
Source: Black Enterprise
