I was doing my daily Google search when I discovered a new dating study by UKDating.com. Apparently, the average woman dates 24 men before she finds the “right” one. The first thing I thought when I read this statistic was…huh? Only 24? I’ve dated 24 people in a night if you count speed dating. The whole thing makes dating sound like a shopping trip with a price tag. And maybe that is exactly the point. It is the kind of number that makes you stop and laugh.

The purpose of the report was to show how much money people spend on dating. They found that the average woman spends $3000 in dating-related costs. What this means is that the fake tan, hair styling, new dress, drinks, and gas money spent per date adds up. Although I did save money on the fake tan because my skin looks creepy and orange if I use the bottled stuff. The study doesn’t even take into account all the times I’ve footed the bill for the guy.

But to be clear, I’ve apparently spent more than $3000, because I’ve been on WAY more than 24 dates. I’ve been online dating for over 10 years, and I hosted speed dating events for 6 years. I’m not sure if I agree with the theory of “dating is a numbers game,” although I subscribed to it for most of my adult life. The truth is, dating that much teaches you a lot whether you want it to or not. You start to see patterns that repeat themselves.

I’m not ashamed that I dated so many men. Maybe it didn’t help me in eventually finding the right one, but maybe it did. I have learned more about myself, stayed hopeful, and come to enjoy a lot of “me” time. So, I guess I’m in the hole about $30,000 at least. But I’m glad I am not stuck with the mortgage on that house. Thanks to all of my previous dates out there. Oh, and you owe me a drink. Looking back, the money feels like part of the tuition.