Dating phenomenon Aussie women are losing their sh*t over

Perth Now

18-06-2025

Women are losing their sh*t over a new dating phenomenon being used by Australian men — the 'gold digger test'.
'I've been on a few dates but this tactic shocked me,' one woman said on social media.
It is sending single women across the nation — and the world — into a frenzy.
A test where men sneakily gauge if their date is in it for the money by setting traps for them and leaving them with the bill.
A woman set up on a date by a mutual friend detailed her revolting experience on Reddit.
The 29-year-old said that all was initially going well with her 31-year-old date until the bill arrived — and he got strange.
'It actually started really well,' she said. 'We had a lot in common, great conversation and I was feeling positive.
'But when the $100 cheque arrived, the tone shifted.'
Caught off guard, the woman said that what happened next left her stunned.
She was ready to pay half the bill but he gave her the lot, saying: 'Is it alright if you pay for this?'
She continued: 'Right after I paid, he grinned and said, 'Congratulations, you passed the test! You're not a gold digger'.'
Wild, she probed him about the comment, with her date admitting that he had been burnt by an ex who expected him pay for everything.
'I'm not your ex and you have no right to treat me like I'm guilty until proven innocent,' she posted.
'You're not some prize that I need to pass tests for.'
She found support, with one user commenting: 'It absolutely WAS a test — to see how far he could disrespect you.'
Another posted: 'He's not actually offering much else. At least, not a pleasant character.'
A Melbourne woman also recalled a weird recent experience, which even more surprisingly came after they had already been on several dates. Men are resorting to dirty tactics when on a date to protect themselves financially. Credit: pathdoc - stock.adobe.com
'I'd been on a few dates with a guy and things were going okay. He'd cover dinner, I'd grab drinks,' the 27-year-old told news.com.au.
'But one evening, he invited me out for a casual frozen yoghurt date.
'When it came time to weigh the yoghurts, he rushed ahead to pay for his while I was still mid-chocolate drizzle.
'I was shocked, having to awkwardly weigh and pay for mine just moments later, while he hovered next to me.
'We ate in silence. He acted like nothing had happened and kept asking me out after that.
'He has a good job, so it was honestly so strange to me to do that over a $6 yoghurt.'
Another woman told of going on a date with a man who claimed to be a carpenter.
He later admitted it was a lie, fabricating the low-paying job to 'test' her reaction.
'He just wanted to test me,' she wrote.
Social media users reacted harshly to the 'carpenter's' gold digger test.
'So not only is he dishonest and can't communicate, he's classist,' one wrote.
Another added: 'His 'test' gave away his character flaw. He showed you that he's a snob.'
Womaniser sex and relationship expert Christine Rafe said the 'gold digger' trend was symptomatic of a broader cultural shift.
'The rise of 'gold digger tests' reflects the growing gender divide and rhetoric on social media and 'alpha male podcasters' suggesting heterosexual women only want the 'top 10 per cent' of socially, financially and physically attractive men,' she said.
'This baseless theory, popularised by Andrew Tate and his followers, encourages men to be suspicious of women's intentions, leading them to 'test' financial expectations by making women pay for dates or lying about their jobs to see if they stay interested.
'This is worsened by increasing rhetoric online and politically advocating a return to traditional gender roles, especially in modern heterosexual relationships.'
The Melbourne woman believed the dating app culture was also to blame, as well as the cost of living crisis.
'I'd estimate some men go on multiple dates a week with different women and it adds up,' she said.
'The days of dating slowly and investing time in one person are almost gone.
'So even if a guy earns well, it's hundreds of dollars a week if he pays for every date.'