From cheaper dates to candid chats – the crisis has changed the way we date.

The cost of living crisis is impacting all arenas of life, and relationships and dating are no exceptions. In fact, research from Bumble has illustrated how the landscape of dating has been shaped recently by rising costs and financial anxiety. The company surveyed 500 Irish adults to gauge how the field has changed, and from cheaper dates to more candid chats about finances, it's clear that we're changing our practices to cope with the crisis.

Cheaper dates

Bumble's research suggests that Gen Z and Millennials are much more likely to gravitate towards either more affordable or free activities for their dates. 32% of those surveyed said that they opt for modest locations to help ease financial stress or pressure, while 28% of the study's participants said that they are much more likely to go for a free date – a beach or park trip – than they were at the start of the year. Additionally, 21% have said that they are much more likely to offer to cook for their date at home as opposed to taking them out to a restaurant. Walking in the park is the most popular free date, followed by a picnic and then an active date like running, hiking or swimming comes next.

Cash-candid dating

It seems the cost-of-living crisis has made people feel more comfortable in talking about money. For instance, 16% of Gen Z and Millennial daters said that they would talk about money on the first few dates as they "think it's important to know these things about a potential partner". What's more, a quarter of Dubliners said that costs should be split depending on how much each partner earns. However, it doesn't seem like cash-candid dating is entirely the way froward, as 45% of women surveyed said that they would only discuss money if they're in a serious relationship. For men, this figure is lower at 38%.

Changing attitudes

The cost-of-living crisis has offered some clarity on what's really important when it comes to work-life balance. 73% of responders said that they would "rather be with someone who has a good work-life balance" than someone who earns a lot of money. 80% of those surveyed said that it's more important that their partner enjoys their job, rather than having an impressive job title.