Venmo and Online Dating: Who Pays?

We’ve all been there. Having finally gotten the courage to ask our crush out on a date, we find ourselves at the end of a meal with the check placed down in front of us.

If you’re the guy, you might instinctively reach for the check. But hold on there, sir! Get your head out of the twentieth century and all those movies you relied on for your dating prowess. In fact, in any type of relationship, the expectation that one party covers all dating expenses all the time may lead to resentment on both ends…unless such expectations are clarified and agreed to upfront.

Online Dating Research: Pros and Cons

Smart phones, social media and digital technology have transformed dating in our society. It has become increasingly acceptable to meet your partner online and through dating websites. Online dating eases the fear of going out, approaching others face to face and allows for more transparency and availability to those who are single.

However, there is still skepticism revolving the online dating world – how much do we actually know about this person, are they accurately representing themselves, and what about leaving some room for surprise?

Online Dater Seeks Your Identity and Cash

A Southern California woman has taken online dating fraud to new levels. The woman, Maria Christina Johnson, used online dating matches to get access to her victims’ homes. She’d scavenge through their possessions to obtain enough personal information to assume their identities. What she did next was really shocking.

Huge Fraud

Investigators said that after the thief had charmed her way into her dates’ lives and nabbed their identities, she would move herself into luxury hotels and charge thousands of dollars using their bank account and credit card information. She also opened up new lines of credit without her victims’ knowledge. At one point she even attempted to buy a new car. When the authorities finally caught up with her at a posh seaside resort in Santa Barbara, the tricky con artist had charged no less than $250,000!

The Real Online Dating Horror Stories

Anyone who has dipped a foot into online dating will likely have an awkward story or two, or maybe even a “horror story” when the algorithms led to an unpleasant coffee date. These types of experiences make for good banter with your friends the next day and perhaps encourage you to be more diligent about the person you will meet up with next, including looking them up online and doing some research beforehand.

The Worst Place For a First Date

Picking a first date location can be tricky, particularly if you met online or are going on a blind date. Will there be chemistry? Will the venue be quiet enough for conversation? How much money are you willing to spend on an activity with a person you are likely never to see again?

While you may want to impress your date with dinner at a fancy restaurant, you will likely come to regret that big bill when he or she doesn’t answer your call for a second date. And sitting across from someone you have just met for over an hour can also be an awkward experience…especially if it turns out that your online chemistry didn’t make the jump to real life.