Just like you, I’ve been quite concerned about the current economic realities.  This post is directed at those wonderful single lesbians who are seeking a life partner or soul mate in these tough economic times.

There has been a curious spike in profits for a couple of industries, I hear.  One is the liquor industry.  Ha!  I won’t cover the reasons for that one, as well as the potential pitfalls, in this post.  However, the other industry that is faring well in these challenging economic times is the online dating industry!

I’ve been hearing about the rapid increase in sign ups at online dating sites.  Just what is this spike in interest in online dating about, particularly in a time when many people are tightening their budgets?

From where I sit it’s obvious: Many single people feel even more vulnerable than usual, as compared to families and couples, right now.  What, you say?  Isn’t it more challenging for families right now?  Well, I’m not saying it’s not a tough time for lower and middle class families.

But, even more vulnerable economically, socially and health-wise are singles.  It’s true.  I’m single, so I can relate.  Why is that?  Don’t single people have it ‘free and easy’?  Don’t single people have tons of time on their hands because they don’t have a relationship or children to tend to each day?

Well, number one here is that we are assuming all single lesbians are childless.  That just ain’t so.  A significant percentage of single lesbians have one or more children.  These single women may be even more stressed and vulnerable than single lesbians without children.

Here is why many singles are more stressed out than couples or families when it comes to living: When you are part of a ‘team’, whether that team is a couple or a family, you have more resources to draw upon.

For example: when you are single, your food budget is about the same as for a couple.  However, here is where the similarities end.  When you are single, you have to come home every day after being the only one available to take time to make the grocery list and shop for that food, fix your meals and clean up after you eat!  Couples have each other to take turns and/or rely on for help with these ‘activities of daily survival’ that never go away.

When you are a couple, you often have two paychecks to put towards those groceries and, perhaps one of you has more time to do some of the housework that always falls 100% on the single person.

The reality is that, on average, singles probably have LESS TIME for enjoyment or relaxation (or sleep!) than your typical coupled person!  Singles have to be more organized because they have less time to be unfocused.

This is just a small example of the realities facing single lesbians.  And this state of affairs is probably true for the majority of single lesbians, who aren’t independently wealthy and who don’t have the high paying jobs, thus they aren’t able to afford eating out at restaurants, hiring a housekeeper, etc.

Here’s the point of today’s post – single ladies, because you ARE alone, you need to become more aware of the dating traps you are more vulnerable to right now.  Why? Because you may be unknowingly rushing the dating and ‘pre-commitment’ processes to get out of the ‘being single, stressed out and alone’ category!

Just because the economy and your pocketbook may be suffering, that doesn’t mean you should jump to get partnered up with just anyone.

Did you read the above sentence carefully? Either way, go back and read it again.  Here’s what I’m suggesting you need to consider:  regardless of the economy, you need to follow the same guidelines I always teach about dating and life partner selection, IF your longer range goal is building a deeply satisfying, LONG TERM relationship with another woman.

More than ever you need to know what dating traps you are especially vulnerable to and how to date to find a life partner you CAN build and nurture a deeply satisfying, lasting relationship with in today’s world.

I’ll be saying more about all of this in my next post!

Have a great Sunday!

Barb Elgin

Tags: dating and finances, dating and money, hard times financially, lesbians and money, money and budgeting, money and love, money and relationships, women and finances, women and money

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm and is filed under Be Ready for Love, Committed Relationships, Family and Social Support, Lesbian Dating, Lesbians, Love & Money, Marriage Equality, Pre-Commitment-Is this the Relationship for Me?, Single Lesbians. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.