To Go Dutch or Not When Dating?

'Going dutch' simply means each person pays for his/her own expenses during a social outing, dating or whatever. For example, if you're going on a date with a girl, you practically split the bill into two and make the two of you pay for the bill equally, or according to what you've ordered. That's what it means by going dutch.

So here's the thing, do you go dutch or not when dating? It's an awkward topic to be discussed but trust me, it is beyond awkward when you're facing this kind of situation when a party opt for going dutch and another don't.

I wish I am that girl who has a traditional belief that a guy should pay for everything when going out for a date with a girl so I don't have to worry a bit about the amount of the bill, about the movie tickets, about the fuel, about everything. It sucks to think about money all the time when you should be concentrating on the date itself. Fortunate for you guys, I'm not one of those girls who turns a blind eye when it comes to money.

It's really nice (for us girls) for a guy to pay for our meal, for the tickets and everything. But as for me, I don't really feel comfortable to let a guy bear all the cost of the date. And I'm sure, despite of the cultural way of thinking that a guy should always pay when going on a date, a guy too, if not much, may be a little uncomfortable if he has to pay for everything every time. Especially if that guy is still studying and has no source of stable income just yet.

So what's the solution? To split the bill into two every time you go on a date? Honestly, though that's the fairest way of all, I don't find it brilliant. I think it's annoying, and erm, stingy too. If you're not in an intimate relationship then it's fine to split the bill into two every time you go out together. But when you're bringing your steady girlfriend out for a date, and you choose to split the bill into two every time, like, EVERY TIME, then there's something wrong with you.

It's not that I believe that a guy should pay everything, but to actually calculate how much you have to pay, and how much I have to pay, that's just not the right way of dealing it especially with your partner.

I'd rather go this way ; the boyfriend pays for the dinner, I'll pay for the movie tickets and the next time we go out, I'll pay for the dinner and he'll pay for the movie tickets. That way, though one person might have had spend extra seringgit or two, or maybe sepuluh ringgit, but hello, you're with the love of your love and you don't make a big deal out of sepuluh ringgit extra issue. Right?

So what about you? Do you prefer to go dutch or not to go dutch when going on a date?

p/s : But once you're a husband, then it's a whole different thing ;p kalau dah jadi laki pun nak berkira, susah la brader.