One of the biggest issues in dating, I find, is the actual cost. All those dinner dates, drinks, movie tickets and outings inevitably put quite a strain on your budget. Even being with the potential love of your life can be spoiled by a particularly hefty cheque right at the end of the night. Of course, nobody wants to bankrupt themselves over a suitor and then still get dumped by the end of it - but there are some people out there who have managed to circumvent this issue; mainly by brazenly targeting the wealthy and cosying up to them so they can enjoy a bit of pampering and luxury.
For example, meet 24-year-old London actress Lexi Jay, who has started men charging money for the opportunity to date her, and has earned up to £800 (approximately $1000) from one date. Using the sugar daddy dating website seeking.com, Lexi has now dated chief executives, lawyers and bankers, and has even slept with a few of them while making big bucks herself at the same time. Her first match was last year, with a 45-year-old man who she met near Euston Station after auditioning him, but now she has gone on ten more since then.
Commenting on her unconventional lifestyle, Lexi stated: "I love being looked after, being treated nicely and taken to amazing places – and I get all of this. I want to find a perfect gentleman who can offer me a way of life that I can enjoy too, but, in the meantime, this suits me very well. I want to find someone I can see a few times, knowing I can enjoy their company and the dates they take me on. I’m not looking for a proper relationship right now but, eventually, I would like to find my Mr Right on the site."
She added: "Like any other date, if I am attracted to the person, then I will sleep with them. But if I’m not, I won’t. I am very picky when it comes to guys and wouldn’t want to settle down with someone who is more than 17 years older than me, either. The oldest guy I’ve met is 58. I also saw someone who I only later found out was married, which is not my style ... But it’s not all about the money, I would love to find someone on the site to settle down with eventually – someone who can give me a luxury lifestyle ... I find the fact someone is willing to pay for my company very empowering and want people to see this dating style as a positive one."
Is Lexi's dating practice really empowering? Or is she just a glorified golddigger? The answer really all depends on your point of view, and how much you think relationships should be commodified. But even though I personally think that it's a bit odd, I can't help but envy Lexi's fat stacks of cash.
