"But also, I do not want to spend $1,000 on dinner! I'm the first person in my family to go to university and to make a salary like this. I am supporting my parents and paying my sister's tuition. I'm very frugal and save every dollar I can, because there's no safety net except for what I've saved. I do all this happily, this was always my plan."
"Meanwhile, Dan's life has been prep school, skiing holidays, summers abroad. He had a nanny until he was 16. He spends probably his whole paycheck each month (this is a feat): big expensive dinners, last-minute trips, lots of designer shopping. Dear New Boyfriend, Dan's spending is in line with most guys I know at work. They all expect hockey-stick growth for their own earnings in life, and most of them, like Dan have parents to fall back on."
A 25-year-old finance professional is dating a coworker named Dan and they recently went exclusive. They earn similar salaries but have divergent approaches to money. The narrator attended a $1,000-per-person birthday dinner that Dan offered to pay for, which felt uncomfortable. The narrator supports parents and funds a sister's tuition, saves diligently, and maintains frugality due to lacking a safety net. Dan grew up affluent, spends freely on dining, travel, and designer goods, and likely spends most of his paycheck. The narrator has communicated financial boundaries but fears lifestyle creep as the relationship deepens.
Read at Slate Magazine
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