Dating has gotten weirdly expensive.

Somewhere along the way, people decided a first date should involve $22 cocktails, an Uber, and an appetizer that somehow costs more than your monthly streaming subscriptions.

Gen Z looked at that and said: no thanks.

Recent reports suggest many Gen Z singles are keeping dating costs low, with lots spending little to nothing each month on dates. Between inflation, student loans, and the realization that adulthood costs approximately one million dollars annually, younger daters are getting creative.

Which honestly might be making dating better.

Stop Treating Every Date Like a Proposal

Not every first date needs a reservation.

Coffee dates. Walk dates. Happy hour. “We accidentally talked for two hours in a parking lot.”

Low-cost dates remove pressure and make it easier to figure out whether you actually like someone instead of whether the ambiance was nice.

Become a Discount Goblin

This generation has turned deal-hunting into an art form.

Check:

• Happy hours
• Free museum nights
• Local events
• Restaurant specials
• Promo codes
• Group discounts

Nobody is handing out awards for paying full price.

Expensive Does Not Mean Impressive

There’s a strange belief that spending more makes you seem more successful.

Actually, financial responsibility is increasingly attractive.

A person who says, “Want to split fries and walk around?” may be demonstrating more long-term potential than somebody ordering bottle service on a credit card.

Use Group Events to Your Advantage

Trivia nights. Parties. Beach hangs. Friend dinners.

Group settings cost less, feel lower-pressure, and let you see people in their natural habitat before committing to a one-on-one date.

Plus, if nobody flirts with you, at least you still had plans.

Give Yourself a Dating Budget

Nothing ruins chemistry faster than opening your banking app afterward.

Set a monthly dating budget and stick to it. Once you hit it, switch to lower-cost plans instead of disappearing from the apps.

Because the point of dating is not to impress someone into liking you.

It’s figuring out whether you’d voluntarily spend six delayed airport hours together.

That part is still free.

What is is free? Joining OBC and browsing the singles near you! Then, upgrade for just $14/month when you buy a 3-month subscription! That’s less than the price of a cocktail — with unlimited messaging, to see if the vibe is right.