I think if you have to pay a babysitter to go out on the date in the first place, arent you already contributing to the date in a round about sort of way.....
however i agree, if a man asks, then he pays, if a woman asks she pays, but for me, i tend to meet for coffee for first dates anyway so how much could coffee in a diner be?
Let me settle this for you. If a man asks a woman out on a date, he pays. No, you don't owe him anything for it other than a "Thank you". I you are dating and you both like to eat out often, he pays. If he cannot afford it, he should say, "I'd love to take you out, but I cannot afford it." You can then figure out an alternative such as dinner together at home or a date to the duck pond or one of those famous long walks on the beach everybody has in their profiles. Mystery solved.
I think the man should pay always in the beginning...once the relationship is established though, it's nice to offer...since not all men make alot of money. My last relationship did very well for himself and he was the one who always picked the high end expensive places and told me to get whatever I wanted and the times I did offer he would never accept the money! Even on his birthday! I am pretty traditional that way, but if it was in the beginning stages of dating and the guy asked me to pay I would but that would be our last date, big turn off!!
