It's 2018. I think, at this point, we as women need to get over the notion that we need a man to support us, and that in a relationship they need to be the one who pays for everything.

I'm not saying it's not a nice gesture for a man to treat on a date, but when a girl expects her boyfriend to be financing every activity they do together, it becomes less of a relationship and more like a personal ATM.

Our independence is something we should value as women. If you let a guy constantly spend all his money on you, or worse... like expect him to be doing it, you are no longer an equal in your relationship. Relationships should be an equal partnership. You see it more and more in today's society.

The idea of a stay-at-home wife who cooks and cleans while the husband goes out and works is the dying idea of the so-called American dream. Women have their own jobs and lives, and they are financially stable on their own. We don't need men to be taking care of us, paying for everything we want.

We are living in a time of gender equality or, at the very least, a society that is striving for that. Women can take care of themselves, and we don't need to be expecting to have everything paid for us, especially when we can just pay for it ourselves.

To some women, a man paying on dates is something really important to them when it comes to dating and relationships. To me, it's not something relevant or that bares a heavy bearing on what I think of them as a person. It's so much more important how a guy is treating you, if he respects you and values you as a person, rather than him just spending money on you.

I don't care if a guy pays for a date if he treats me horribly. I'd rather be splitting the check and taking turns paying for things with someone who respects me as a person and treats me right. I think that is what we as women should be focusing on instead when it comes to relationships.

Sure, you can find a guy that pays your way through life, and maybe even end up marrying him. But when that becomes the most important thing, it becomes an unequal relationship, you're just financially dependent on them, and that's not a healthy relationship.

With dating, there is already pressure. t's a lot to add the heavy burden of financial pressure on one person. Let's face it, life is expensive; going out just to eat or just for a couple drinks really can add up. Especially when we're young and still in college, money is going to be tight for the majority of people. This continues after graduation because no one just becomes financially stable right out of school. It takes time.

As women, we don't need a guy to pay for everything we do. So many generations of women have strived for us to be independent. We should value that and value gender equality. So, the next time we are out on a date, don't expect the man to pick up the bill. Surprise him and surprise yourself.