Men or Meal Tickets?

June 1, 2009     Posted in Relationships

couple_dinnerEvery girl will go through a time in her life when she has to choose: eat dinner or buy a new little piece of fabulous.  We have all been (or are, or will be) so broke that the basic necessities of human life are juggled on a constantly shrinking stage of available funds.  I like to refer to it as my “starving artist” period, through which all writers, photographers, and other creative people must progress.  My parents like to refer to it as “get a job NOW.”


By Katie

What is a girl supposed to do?  Let me share a relatively recent discovery of mine: you don’t necessarily need money to have a nice meal out.

I moved to New York City for an internship this month and subsequently have no money.  The first weekend I was here just happened to be my birthday (funny how that worked out), so I was obligated to spend lots of moolah…on myself.  Now I have even less money.  This is a HUGE PROBLEM in a city where every block is full of deliciousness and fun.

My solution?  First dates.

It’s not hard to find a guy to take you out on a first date.  First dates are easy – no pressure, no expectations, and all you have to do is chat pleasantly and eat delicious food (or see a cool movie, or whatever).  If you don’t want to take it beyond the first date, then you don’t have to. If you do, then more power to ya, sister (more free food ).

Either way, you both had a nice time and you got to try a new restaurant for free. Win/win.

Obviously, I realize it’s not very nice to use guys just for a free meal.  But hey, the way I see it, they’re getting the pleasure of my company and conversation and I’m not completely ruling out the possibility of a second date or even a relationship (one not entirely based on free food, that is). And I’ll pay it back eventually. You know, when I have a job and I’m making money and not dancing around my sublet when I find a dollar in a pair of jeans I haven’t worn in awhile…

In the meantime, though, that Korean restaurant down the street is looking de-LISH and I think that dishy Korean guy would be the perfect person to buy me dinner.

23 Comments on "Men or Meal Tickets?"

  1. AmyKate@BYU says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20096:41 am 

    hmmm… I hope you are half-kidding in this article…

    It's bad enough that girls have a stereotype for playing mind games and for using guys for presents, food, etc, we don't need these kinds of antics endorsed.

    Be a mature woman and realize that maybe you should decide to buy life necessities like food instead of whatever item of clothing you have your eye on. We're adults now, act like it.

  2. chelle says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20096:42 am 

    i'm guilty of pulling this one too, and i have quite a few lady friends that practice this at least once a week.

  3. AnonyMiss says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20097:18 am 

    I suppose you might think this is okay if you think disgusting greedy men are pigs just looking for their next lay, instead of actual people who you're manipulating for your own gain.

  4. Gloria says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20098:08 am 

    Another untasteful article from you.

    First women over 40 should just die off, and now the young ones should use men.

    Maybe you should think before you write.

  5. Sam says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20098:09 am 

    That's terrible.

  6. Jackie says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 200912:01 pm 

    uhhhhh…pretty sure this is as close as it gets to being a hooker! Why can`t you buy food? what else could be more important. I`m not quite sure which is the saddest part..the fact that I actually read this and it made me mad or the fact that I`m actually speaking my mind on something that is obviously wrong.

  7. Michelle says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 200912:15 pm 

    So if you go on a date and the guy pays, that makes you almost a hooker? I'm pretty sure a lot of ladies would disagree with you (and I'm one of them).

    I'm sure this article is tongue-in-cheek, but I must say I've done this once or twice myself.

  8. Jackie says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 200912:54 pm 

    When you go on a date..it`s a date. You go on dates to see if the person you are on a date with is someone whom you might have a future with. When a guy asks you out to dinner and you dont really care for him to begin with but you go anyways for the meal, you know you`re just putting up with him for the meal.

  9. criolle johnny says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20091:42 pm 

    What if he sees you for what you are and decides to use you as such? Will you scream and shout and complain that he "objectifies" you?

    He has PAID for the evening! He DESERVES what he wants! Is this not an implied contract? You have eaten his food, you have accepted his gifts … Don't you feel that you owe him a little something in exchange?

    This IS a financial transaction, not a DATE, after all. You have sacrificed your right to complain.

    Have you sacrificed the next woman's right in the process?

    Simpleton.

  10. lou says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20095:24 pm 

    I don't understand. Women can objectify men as simple sources of finances and in this case free food, yet when men objectify women the result is a huge uproar about the inherent qualities of men. This is ridiculous.

  11. Samantha says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20095:38 pm 

    criolle johnny put it well.

    I remember watching the Black Dahlia movie, which started out by saying that she wasn't a prostitute, she just went on dates for meals, because she was starving. And I thought… doesn't that make her a prostitute?

    Prostitute: 3. a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money.

  12. Bubba says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20096:03 pm 

    Sell that boooty and get a lot of meals$$$

  13. Jenny says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20096:34 pm 

    I really have no words for this article. What a disgraceful practice.

  14. girl says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 20097:54 pm 

    In japan this is called enjou kosai.

    Paid dating.

    Kinda frowned upon, but hell I'd dig it!

  15. disgusting says:
    Mon, 1st Jun 200910:45 pm 

    Revolting. Any girl that does this is a whore. Plain and simple. Disgusting behavior by a vile subhuman waste of life. This is why there are so many single women who end up alone with their cats. They spend their young adult years doing sh*t like this and end up having no guy respect them at all. They deserve it. What pieces of rhino turd.

  16. samantha says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20095:08 am 

    I don't think there's anything wrong with this. She can't buy food, and she found a loophole around it by using what she does have, a BRAIN. She didn't say that she's not at least entertaining the prospect of another date or relationship with these guys. Lighten up.

  17. Jen says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 200911:59 am 

    Katie, I keep trying to give you another chance to write better articles but you keep failing miserably.

    You are clearly using these guys and it is disgusting. You say that you might continue to see them or have a realtionship, but obviously you want only materialistic things.

    Why don't you just be upfront with these guys about it? Tell them flat out that you are only seeing them for a night out that they have to pay for. (Which, by the way is a defintion of an escort. Hey if you need money so bad, why not become one professionally?) My guess is that you know if you tell them that, they will rescind their invitation.

    If any of these guys knew your true colors, no one would want to date you.

  18. Ashley says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 200912:33 pm 

    I've actually got a steady boyfriend who, whenever he knows I have no money, takes me out on dates. And I, in return, share any food i cook with him! It's a give and take! But this..is just wrong, even to a fellow girl. : If you honestly like the guy, by all means date it up. But to spend all your cash on gifts for yourself then scrounge together love-struck men just to get free food is terrible. The guy deserves better

  19. Joe the Drunk says:
    Tue, 2nd Jun 20094:47 pm 

    There 's nothin wrong with it… slutty whores eat free foods in exchange for their ass, its been going on for years…*hic*… what is marriage all about anyway? same thing… and kids… men become sperm donors when the wife biological clock starts ticking… only reason they put with smelly sweaty sex from men sticking their things into their holes…

  20. Anonymous says:
    Fri, 5th Jun 20098:13 am 

    This article = EPIC FAIL. Katie, you're a whore.

  21. Ace says:
    Tue, 9th Jun 20099:40 am 

    Whoa, hey now haters. Seriously guys, obviously this is a bit tongue in cheek but she isn't saying she will sleep with them for food. Stop freaking out everyone. Girls hungry, and these guys are asking her out, maybe she's interested, maybe she isn't, how the hell will she know if she doesn't go out with them? She's not saying she's strictly using them for food, she;s open to dating and meeting new people, added benefit? A good meal, I don't see the bad here. And since when did going on a date imply any kind of financial obligation? To dine with someone is not akin to selling them your body. Get a grip girls, go grab a burger.

  22. Chelzz says:
    Sat, 13th Jun 20096:31 pm 

    Agreeing with Ace here!

    Seriously, I think one of you saw one person getting on her and decided to do it too.

    She is saying that she has no money left over trying to work and get to work and basically none left for good food!

    She may not want to screw up her body eating McDonald's every night.

  23. Jeanette says:
    Thu, 4th Feb 20108:50 am 

    I hope you get raped and beaten to death, whore.

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