Ben Keenan estimates that over the past year, he's spent somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000 on dating. Despite spending a hefty sum on everything from drinks and food to tickets and Ubers, the 31-year-old Seattle communications consultant and content creator said the payout had yielded no real results: His relationship status is "nonexistent." "A lot of times I'm spending money just to get to know somebody out from behind a screen," he said This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.
Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in . Like many younger Americans, Keenan is encountering a harsh reality: Not only is the modern dating scene really tough , but putting yourself out there adds up.
To be smarter about his romantic spending, Keenan has become more selective with whom he meets — and instead of immediately suggesting pricey drinks, he's proposing lower-cost options like grabbing a coffee or going for a walk. Advertisement As someone who's also been dating through whatever it is we've been doing romantically since 2020, I've noticed that my dating costs are going through the roof. There are, of course, the basic increases in just about everything, as anyone who's bought groceries or gas knows.
In addition, new costs are getting layered on every day as the dating pool becomes tougher to navigate — relationship apps are barren unless you pay for access, and the new crop of exciting speed-dating events will cost you (if they don.