Whether you're a modern individual looking for a potential partner on a dating site or through your connections in person, money is definitely a consideration.

The financial aspect is likely a bigger deal for women than men because of traditional gender roles positioning men as the main providers of a household.

Theorists have posited an evolutionary explanation for mate preferences among males and females.

According to the theory, males look for healthy, fertile females fit enough to bear high-quality offspring for them. Feminine beauty is a sign of good health, so males greatly consider physical appearance when looking for a future partner.

Meanwhile, females are naturally physically weaker than males. Pregnancy and child-rearing also hamper their mobility, so they become increasingly dependent on males to provide for them and their children.

Hence, it's natural for females to look for and be attracted to male counterparts with significant resources.

Considering gendered expectations, men naturally want to earn more money. They want to build their self-esteem financially to attract a romantic partner and pursue a new relationship.

But we all know that the percentage of men earning more money decreases as their income increases.

Those earning at least £10,000 annually are significantly greater than those earning at least £100,000 annually.

In the UK, only the top 5% of the population make about £87,000 a year. Anyone with a six-figure annual salary is part of the top 5%.

This means that the greater the salary a woman desires from a man, the less men there are for her.

It also means that men working in the public sector, non-profit organisations, or any lower-paying yet noble professions are excluded from her choices even if they're possibly a good match.

If a woman only considers a man's net worth when it comes to in-person or online dating, she'd be excluding many men of good character working in these industries because they don't meet her financial standards.

For men, it means earning more and getting to the top 1% of the income bracket is harder because they're competing among themselves.

Now that many women are also pursuing career growth, the competition toward the top 1% just got harder. Achieving this financial goal might take longer than before, if not impossible.

So, the opportunities to succeed in in-person or internet dating and find love also become slimmer.

Given these seemingly very high standards men and women set for themselves and the "right person", how are they supposed to date people, find and experience true love, forge a healthy relationship, and build a family?

People might end up waiting their whole lives working on their goals and personal growth before they find themselves in a loving relationship.

The Bottomline

In the quest for love, fixating solely on financial status can limit opportunities for meaningful connections with the right person.

Traditional gender roles and societal expectations often influence these preferences, creating barriers to forming genuine, long-term relationships.

By broadening criteria beyond financial metrics, you open yourself to a wider pool of potential partners. You increase your chances of finding love and succeeding in the dating game.

What are the most important factors you consider in looking for a partner and building a long-term relationship? Feel free to leave a comment below to share your insights!

Continue reading here to understand why we believe money shouldn't be the only thing to look at when trying to find lasting love, whether through in-person or online dating.

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