By splitting the bill, I mean splitting it in 2, not calculating what each person ordered, that's a bit ridiculous.
Also, going on a date is mutual, both parties agreed to go out, so if you suggest to a guy that you should go out, you shouldn't be paying for him. I'd never let a woman pay for my meal, even if I'm not into her. I'd gladly let her pay for herself, but definitely wouldn't mooch off of her and let her pay for me.
Hey dude, this is the time of equality among men and women in ALL things, not just some. There is nothing wrong with a woman offerring and paying for a date/meal/gas. In fact, if I'm out with someone and they don't make any gesture to split, share, pay, that tells me a lot about her.
I learned an important lesson early on: if you set a precident then women have a tendency to stick to that precident. If you pay for everything at the beginning, then many will tend to expect that even after you become involved.
Here's a story for you:
I met this young lady on a blind date. We got along fine. I found out she was in college and she did mention that she was broke aka a starving student. I paid for that night. We got along and saw each other again, I paid. We eventually started dating and in that time, I found out she was living at home and attending a local college. Ok, to save money. Still, college can be expensive. She worked part time at The Bay and I'd pick her up etc. sometimes.
Now I was just sort of starting out too. I had an apartment to pay for, a car, etc etc. It was getting expensive taking her out 3 times a week every week. I wasn't making much at the time either. So one time she stopped at an atm and was having trouble. She wanted her bank balance and couldn't get it for some reason. She asked could I help (this was back when atms were first introduced and you couldn't view your balance on screen, you had to get a printout). So I went up there, pushed a couple of buttons and out popped the slip. I took it and went to look to make sure it showed the balance....$27,000.00!!!!! I went HOLY FUCK you've got THAT much? I thought you were broke? SHe said I am.....I only have $4.00 in my purse....WHAT? You're not broke, you just didn't take any money out!!!! She got all pissed at me for "invading her privacy". I said "I only looked to make sure the balance was showing and couldn't help but see the amount, you ASKED me to"......
So at the time, my balance was MAYBE $300.00. Now you know that even a cheap sit down dinner is going to cost $50.00. Then a movie after is another $30 +/- so I'm spending almost 1/4 of my available cash per night. After a weekend I'm BROKE (and not just because I didn't take money out of the bank).
So the next week we plan to see another movie. On our way up to the ticket window I said to her: Do you have any money? I only have enough for one ticket, I'm "broke". She flipped. Called me cheap, blah blah blah, told her friends I was cheap blah blah blah. So the theatre was in a mall and I walked over to my bank machine. I printed out a copy of my balance and it said $65.00. I said, now YOU print out a copy of YOUR balance....(that shut her up). I said "that $65.00 has to pay for my busfare to work downtown everyday, plus lunches, plus plus plus". What do YOU have to pay?
It turns out, her parents paid the tuition on her school, all her books, she didn't pay room or board, they gave her money for lunch everyday, they even gave her bus fare to get to and from school. EVERYTHING. She was basically living free.....
So I said "from now on, you're paying for every second date, I can't afford to". So she begrudgingly agreed. I knew it was a sore spot with her but wtf........
