This is certainly an uncomfortable topic. It is one a lot of young people would rather avoid, but its importance cannot be overemphasised. In discussing this however, lots of generalisations will have to be made. It is important not to expect general rules in such unpredictable things as dating. I’m only going to focus on what you can expect in terms of financial commitments when dating, since I’m far from a relationship expert.

In order to understand the financial implications of dating, you must understand the Ghanaian society. Marriage is expected of young people a few years after tertiary education, with more pressure being on the ladies than the men. This means that many young people have marriage as the goal of dating and therefore people with a higher income are likelier to have more dating choices.

For the average young person, one can expect to spend money on call credit, transport or fuel, gifts, restaurant and hotel bills when dating. Not forgetting the regular request for money that may come up. Over time, these could add up to a significant financial commitment, especially if it is one-sided.

This is by no means general. I think it’s important that people who are dating communicate with each other and know what they are getting into.