News Item
"WalletHub" featured Dyson's Assistant Professor Aditi Paul in "2019’s Best & Worst Cities for Singles"
With the rise of dating apps and therefore dates, what financial advice do you have targeted to singles on a budget?
When singles are using dating apps with the motive to meet a significant other, they should remember:
- > It is a numbers game, i.e., you may need to go on dates with quite many people to get to the one.
- > For each date, there will be an activity (or activities) they will try to engage in while getting to know each other. This activity could be going out for coffee, drinks, dinner, or even a game of Jenga.
With these two things in mind, singles should keep an account of the number of dates they are trying to go on (could be with the same person), have an overall set budget, and parse that budget wisely. For instance, if you have $50 and want to go on 5 dates, then you are looking at $10 a date. Or, if you are looking at $50 and 2 dates, then its $25.
Dates and Dollars both add up, budget wisely.
What should singles be looking for when choosing a city?
Going off of the first answer, singles should look for a city which has a thriving social scene for two reasons. First, when two strangers who have met on an app are trying to get to know one another, just having a conversation can put a lot of stress on the acquaintanceship process. Therefore, centering the date around a social activity can act as a buffer and alleviates the stress on both parties. Second, if you are choosing a city that has a handful of bars and you frequent the same bars with different dates, things might get a little awkward.
Are singles typically a net economic gain or loss for cities?
Singles are always a net economic gain. They go out on more socialization events, they pay more for each meal because there is no one to share, and probably stay in studios which may cost higher than a couple sharing rent on a 1 bedroom.
Should local authorities work to make cities more attractive to singles? If so, how?
Local authorities must work to make cities more attractive because singles flock cities more than couples. Cities keep single people company.
Take for instance, when I asked a friend of mine who decided to move to Bayonne away from NYC, he said ‘I enjoy the company of my girlfriend more than the company of the city’.
Some ways cities can become more attractive for singles are:
- > Make it easier for singles to rent out places. There is still a bit of stigma in certain communities from letting single people live there because they assume, they are rogue and have a reckless lifestyle.
- > Subsidize commuter fees/gym memberships/phone bills for single people who have just moved to the city. Sort of like the reverse of a phone family plan.
- > Lower city tax brackets for singles.
