22% of millennials are going into debt from dating: 'Everything is getting more expensive'

Love whitethorn not "cost a thing," arsenic Jennifer Lopez erstwhile sang, but dating definite does. And it's hitting millennials' and Gen Z's wallets peculiarly hard.

In fact, 22% of millennials (ages 26 to 41) and 19% of Gen Zers (ages 18 to 25) person gone into indebtedness from what they've spent connected dating, according to a September Lendingtree survey.

Overall, survey respondents said they walk astir $91 connected a nighttime out, connected average. Respondents who place arsenic women said they would walk an mean of $81 connected a date, portion respondents who place arsenic men said they would walk an mean of $104.

"Everything is getting much expensive," LendingTree Chief Credit Analyst Matt Schulz says successful the report. "It's not conscionable the caller clothes, roses, ride-share, fancy dinner, concerts oregon the after-show java — it's each of it."

"The other outgo of each of these things individually whitethorn not beryllium earth-shattering, but added together, they tin beryllium a precise large deal," Schulz adds.

Keeping way of your dating expenses tin beryllium difficult, since "humans are known to inaccurately relationship for their wealth mentally – some successful presumption of the magnitude they've spent and their spending limit," Michael Liersch, caput of proposal and readying for wealthiness and concern absorption astatine Wells Fargo, tells CNBC Make It.

"That operation tin make dynamics astatine the extremity of the period wherever you spell to wage the rent, utilities oregon different bills and recognize that your dating beingness is causing you to walk successful a mode successful which you're indebted," helium says.

Using recognition cards oregon mobile outgo applications tin pb radical to "tap their mode done dating" without realizing however rapidly those expenses are piling up, says Liersch. "If you person comparatively precocious recognition limits and wage lone the minimum payments, it whitethorn not beryllium noticeable for months."

Creating a tangible fund tin beryllium adjuvant for making definite your finances aren't being negatively impacted by your dating life. To way your expenses, commencement each period with a fund for what you tin walk connected dating and subtract from it aft each date, Liersch suggests.

It's besides "best to beryllium honorable astir your budget" with your partner, says Ted Rossman, elder manufacture expert astatine Bankrate.com. "I don't deliberation it serves you oregon your narration good if you're taking connected costly debt. That's not sustainable," helium tells CNBC Make It.

Although it tin beryllium tempting to overspend connected dates successful bid to impressment your partner, budget-friendly options, specified arsenic homemade meals oregon trips to a museum, tin beryllium suitable alternatives.

Around 85% of respondents said they wouldn't consciousness offended if their spouse took them connected a low-cost date, Lendingtree's survey found.

"Remember the aged adage: it is the thought that counts," says Liersch.

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