SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man is about to quit dating after multiple women took advantage of his generosity.
“Dating in SG is very hard. Every girl I like out there is just taking advantage of me, either by paid dates or just wanting free lunch/dinner treats, after which I get blocked or ghosted,” he wrote on r/SingaporeRaw on Sunday (Jan 26).
He also confessed that he’s lost all faith in romantic relationships and is no longer interested in interacting with women.
In a blunt warning to other men, he advised them never to spend money on Singaporean women, as they are already financially independent and well-educated and only use dating apps like MatchCatch to take advantage of men for their money.
“Relationships with girls/women should be only clients, customer service, classmates, colleagues, acquaintances, and nothing else apart from your family members and relatives,” he said.
He said that women are just interested in ‘money and look’ and don’t care about a man’s life or personality. He believes they will always think that men should provide for them.
“Last time, I used to believe in romance. After going through NS, I do not believe anymore. Getting a girlfriend and marrying in SG is not worth it. Spending money on yourself is always worth it instead of on girls who don’t appreciate who you are and only want paid dates, especially girls that you like,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s an all-girls thing”
Several Singaporean Redditors empathized with his frustrations in the discussion thread and shared their experiences of feeling exploited in the dating scene.
One Redditor said, “I had the same experience, but only from one date. It was a waste of money. She was a micro-influencer with about 3k IG followers and was quite a head-turner by most guys’ standards.
After our meal (which I paid for), I called it a day because I realized the conversation was dreadful. I tried to keep it going, but she didn’t share anything personal, interesting, or proactive—a good indicator that she was not interested in me.
But she insisted on going for a second round of drinking, which was also paid for by me. I ordered half a pint, she ordered a whole pint, and ‘ah’ she went when she finished, then bye-bye.”
Another commented, “I have quit the dating app because most users are there for free stuff or ego-boosting. It is so overwhelming that I don’t bother swiping anymore. I have deleted the app and chosen to enjoy singlehood.”
Others agreed that this type of experience is prevalent among men who consider themselves “average-looking.” Many noted that physical appearance determines how much effort women are willing to invest in a date.
However, not everyone agreed with the man’s harsh assessment of Singaporean women. Some criticized his sweeping generalizations, saying they were unfair and based on a limited perspective.
One Redditor shared that dating apps can be just as challenging for women. She said, “I have never considered taking advantage of the guy’s money, free meals, etc. I genuinely want to build a connection with someone, but it’s tough.
Most guys I meet are emotionally unavailable or only looking for casual fun. I don’t block/ghost either; I always let them know if I didn’t feel like it would go anywhere. So I don’t think it’s an all-girls thing.”
Only 1% of dating app users are satisfied with their experiences
A recent survey by Asian dating service Lunch Actually found that 53% of Singapore’s dating app users seek long-term, serious relationships. Yet, only 1% report being satisfied with their experiences on these platforms.
The survey highlighted a relatively modest daily usage rate of dating apps in Singapore: 12% of users engage with such platforms daily. This figure is notably lower than that of Taiwan, where 25% of users log in daily—the highest rate in the region.
Read more: Majority of dating app users in Singapore seek serious relationships but only 1% are satisfied
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