Love hurts - right in the wallet
Single householders struggling to budget for increased motoring and commuting costs, household utility bills and rising home insurance premiums may well not need to be told, but the cost of a romantic date is rising too.
The NS&I quarterly savings survey shows that men still spend more than half as much as women do on wooing the object of their affections - and a quarter of men say that they save in advance to fund their liaison, with another quarter using credit cards and 16 per cent saying that they borrow money from friends or family to ensure that the event goes smoothly.
Dax Harkins, senior savings strategist at NS&I, said: "There is no doubt that dating costs a lot, and many people in Britain need to think beyond impressing with wit and charm and also plan their finances.
"Given the expense, especially for men, it is great to see that some are setting money aside specifically for this reason. However it is clear that men need to keep at least a few of their thoughts on money when they're trying to impress on a date, so they don't end up overspending or being caught short of cash."
March 25th 2008
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