“Dating is a numbers game” has to be one of the most annoying phrases you hear when you’re single. Because bad dates can feel like a huge waste of time – and also a massive waste of money.

Adults in the UK spend an average of £47.50 on each first date, according to new research from the dating app Badoo. And the majority of singletons experience six failed romantic connections per year, where they know it’s not worth going past the first meeting.

The result? Daters are spending a massive £285 a year on bad dates.

The financial burden is just another example of the relationship wealth gap, which sees single people forced to spend more each year than those coupled up.

People living on their own spend an average of 92% of their disposable income, compared with two-adult households who spend only 83% of theirs, according to 2019 research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Paying for housing alone, for example, is a huge burden.

Faced with these challenges, it’s no wonder frittering away cash on yet another damp squib is impacting daters’ mental health. Over three quarters (78%) of those surveyed said wasting money contributes towards them feeling stressed and burnt out when dating.

So, what’s behind us having so many bad dates? Bad luck should not be overlooked, but being more upfront about what you want from a date could help rule out some of the time wasters and save some cold, hard cash.

A quarter (25%) of those surveyed said they find it hard to be honest about their dating intentions, and 27% admitted they often say what they think others want to hear. Meanwhile, 31% said they find it difficult to express what they’re looking for, for fear of what the other person will think of them.

The good news is that expensive drinks seem to be going out of fashion for first dates. Separate research from Tinder shows daters opted for more outdoorsy, adventurous activities in 2021, with hiking one of the most popular go-to first meets.

If that sounds a bit much for December, you could always wrap up warm and head to one of the UK’s Christmas markets this month. Hey, it works for rom-coms, and they’re always realistic…right?