That's the question that came up with a friend recently. And granted this is the type of friendship that usually veers into, "why is dating so much effort" territory, but he also had a point.

And I'm not talking about being single versus being in a relationship - studies show you spend about 27 per cent more as a single than as a couple. I'm just talking about being single versus actively dating.

According to an ING report, Aussie singles spend $42.5 billion on dating last year. Meanwhile, first dates are costing singles $154.16! $154! Per person!

It takes into consideration travel and any preparation for the event - ladies, you know what I'm talking about. We've all been there, that last-minute dash to get to shops for the right pair of shoes or new lipstick for the big date. In fact, that pre-date preparation costs on average $66.53, with the most common pre-date expenses being new clothes, hair services and new shoes. But it's also a report that was released before the cost of living started to rise.

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How do people even afford to go on regular dates - which, if you're a single person actively looking for a relationship of any sort, you probably do go on regular dates - when you're forking out over $100 every time?

And not to mention, that's $154 for a date you might not even like. And on average, single Aussies go on 41 dates a year, working to more than $5500.

The cost of everything is on the rise. So it makes sense dinner and movie dates are now more likely to be coffee or drinks. At what point do people stop buying other people drinks, and start sharing one beer between two during happy hour? Who knows, maybe we'll get to the point where walking dates will be the most popular option.

But it does make you wonder how many people avoid dating altogether because they just can't afford to. So, of course, I looked into it.

I wish I could dish up some stats from Australia, but our friends in the United Kingdom are also feeling the pinch, with 93 per cent of adults reporting their living costs in 2022 starting to affect their ability to wine and dine - whether they were in a couple or simply dating.

And 70 per cent of couples even said they were worried that their relationship wouldn't survive it.

I tell you - it's never been better to be a lonely single who is going through a dateless phase over Valentine's Day than right now.

Sure, you might spend February 14 on the couch with takeaway and a bad romantic comedy, but at least you don't have to worry about whether that dinner and a movie was going to impact your finances for the rest of the week.

And forget about a coffee date with an awkward conversation and a last-minute plea for a friend to call with an "emergency".

Instead, you can head down to your local cafe, enjoy your flat white in peace, and then head home knowing that even if you splurged on a pastry to go with your brew, it still didn't cost $154. Happily single, and happily financially independent has never looked more appealing.

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