I never pay for anything for women out of principle for that exact reason. I know a guy who always buys girls drinks and he often comes complaining to me that they just took the drink and he 'didnt get anything'.
Girls use the 'excuse' of 'if they will pay they deserve it'. Great morals there. So any chance you have the chance to do something underhanded to f^%£ someone else over you will do it just because? The amazing values that capitalist society imbues.
But in terms of costs there are some necessary overheads to going out to pull mainly cover charge for clubs, thats about it for me since I dont drink, oh and coat check when I really must if its too hot inside and the coat is too big to put around my waist.
Although you may come up empty handed with no garauntee I think its better to think of it in a self development perspective in that learning to pull is a lifeskill and when you can lay a girl from the club,
although it often doesnt, it can have he potential to become a decent relationship. Likewise it is blisteringly frustrated to go out night after ngiht to these troughs of inequity with horrible people and sitll not get laid.
One night stands Id prefer they were more than that but one night stands are certianly better than nothing
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Conversely with paying for sex there is a ceiling effect, your jammed at just being a 'punter'. Though maybe if it lets you blow off steam so you can go about your daily life better in a more mentally healthy manner it may have a place. But I think trying to say it is equal or superior to meeting girls in clubs is missing that most valuable aspects of said social skills which are what its really about rather than just the monetary costs or losses.