A Florida woman thought she was getting to know a charming, if slightly older, guy who liked bike rides, beach days, and bar hopping. Instead, she ended up with an Excel spreadsheet and a $249.31 invoice for the time they’d spent together.
According to a now-viral Reddit post, the two had been seeing each other for just over a month, hanging out four times a week. “He was very persistent in pursuing me,” she wrote, explaining that he planned most of their outings and even covered Ubers to and from his place. But the romantic gestures came with a catch.
Videos by VICE
“Hate to ask, but can [you] Venmo or Zelle me some [money] for the last few weeks?” he texted her, attaching a full spreadsheet that listed every shared cost down to the brand of cigarettes he bought on June 28.
This Woman Got a $250 Bill From Her New Boyfriend for ‘Dating Expenses’
The itemized breakdown included everything from an $89 dinner to a $50 bar tab. He calculated her portion to the cent and even noted previous small purchases she hadn’t repaid. “Money [is] a little tight for me and a source of stress [right now with] working two jobs,” he added, suggesting she pay $100 for now. After she sent it, he followed up asking for another $90—this time for something she apparently owed his friend.
The woman, who described herself as in her early 20s, said the whole thing felt off. “It felt transactional and weirdly formal, especially since he was the one initiating nearly all the plans,” she wrote. “You want to invoice me and kiss me?”
What confused her even more was that he still wanted to keep seeing her after the spreadsheet drop. “I thought we were just getting to know each other and splitting things organically, like adults,” she said, adding that she had paid for dinners and drinks too, without asking for reimbursement.
Reddit commenters didn’t hold back. “This guy is a giant cluster of red flags waving around,” one wrote. Others called it controlling, petty, or straight-up bizarre. “Relationships shouldn’t feel like a business transaction with spreadsheets and invoices,” another user added.
Romance isn’t dead, but apparently it’s payable in two installments.
More
From VICE
-

Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic -

Lovehoney -

(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Disney) -

Screenshot: Insomniac Games