How to avoid a “food hooker”

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Too broke to eat? Join a dating site by MSNBC

Well this is disturbing. I hope this is not becoming a trend but a one off type of an adventure these girls went on. The article details a woman, who is struggling to scrap by in NYC, who took advantage of available men through dating sites and get free (expensive) dinners. She kept a spreadsheet with her roommate to make sure they don’t go overboard avg. 5 dates (or free dinners) per date. She went on for several months and saved roughly $1200 / month! Outrageous!

This will probably work only for ladies and not necessarily for men unless you arrange a date with a sugar babe. Here are some tips to avoid falling into these traps:

1) Avoid people who insist on meeting at an expensive restaurant as a first date. An expensive meal doesn’t equate a great date. Same with expensive gifts.

2) Be cautious of people who seem too anxious and willing to meet.

3) Avoid people who continuously inquire about your job / income / your hangouts / car / where you live.

4) Throughout communication, give hints about encountering people who insisted on splitting the bill. This should be enough to deter them.

If you do suspect someone doing this, flag it to the dating site. Keep the dating site real for everyone!