My last dating experience was 16 years ago. The man who would become my husband insisted on paying on our first date. He bought us a bucket of dollar Rolling Rocks. I found out later he'd had to borrow $20 from a friend -- he'd just been laid off, was going to EMT school, and had no money. But paying was a point of pride for him. I wasn't working with much either but after a few DVD/pizza dates, I finally convinced him to let me pay for a dinner on the town -- a gourmet meal of $7 burritos :) It's so hard to shake these outdated social expectations, but your approach makes a lot of sense in the context of our evolving attitudes toward gender and gender equity. I hope to never have to date again, but will keep in my back pocket just in case. Thanks!