Sugar dating: A 25-year-old's eight-month experiment in companionship and cash

A 25-year-old London marketing professional has turned to what she calls sugar dating to cope with the cost of living and the frustrations of conventional online dating. Operating under the pseudonym Sarah Hall, she says she has gone on about 30 such dates over eight months and has earned a five-figure sum in that time. She describes a pattern of dates with older, wealthier men who provide companionship and cash, rather than sexual encounters, and says the arrangement has offered a form of freedom within clear boundaries.

Her decision followed months of frustration with traditional dating apps, where messages were repetitive, profiles unreliable and expenses mounting. Her first sugar-date night unfolded at a Michelin-starred restaurant in West London, when she went out with a 53-year-old Scotsman who was in town on business. He covered the meal, ordered an Uber for her, and kissed her on the cheek as they parted. She left with a purse stuffed full of cash — crisp £50 notes totaling £300. She says the evening felt like a successful culmination of a search for more meaningful, engaging company, rather than a conventional date.

The experience led her to seek out seeking.com, a site she describes as catering to a range of sugar-dating scenarios, from older women seeking younger men to paid-for holidays and more. She clarified to herself that she would not engage in sex for money and set out rules intended to keep the arrangement above-board: she wants traditional dating, companionship and emotional connection, not a transactional sexual encounter. The platform presented a spectrum of profiles, many of which explicitly stated terms such as “Businessman not looking for a relationship, just companionship once a week,” or “Seeking a girl under the age of 28. Monthly meets. You will be rewarded.”

Hall notes that not all messages were harmless; some reads looked like escort-adjacent arrangements, and a few offered significant sums for meetings. One lawyer proposed a midday hotel encounter for £400, while a chief financial officer asked if she would be his “thing on the side.” She says these were not what she wanted and she quickly learned to filter aggressively, reiterating her no-sex rule and frequently clarifying expectations up front. She emphasizes that many messages are not scams, though some are clearly designed to test boundaries or push toward physical arrangements. The learning curve was steep, but she says the responses she received reflected a broad range of motivations and attitudes toward money, power and companionship.

Over eight months, Hall has had about 30 dates and estimates her earnings have fallen in the five-figure range, though she says she hasn’t kept a precise tally. She stresses that the experience is not a full-time job; it is a temporary detour that allows her to enjoy dining at high-end venues and engaging conversations with older, often well-traveled men. She describes the arrangement as a form of escape from a routine she found financially draining in her twenties, especially in London where everyday costs can feel prohibitive.

Her stories include a diverse array of men: an ex-pilot aged 61 who has flown all over the world and now wants to share stories over meals; a divorced dad in his 40s who buys her designer handbags and has included a monthly bouquet delivery in his generosity; a shy 29-year-old tech worker who needed help building confidence in dating and surprised her with a £500 gift as a thank-you for lessons learned; and another 40-something father who found joy simply in giving her experiences and a distraction from daily life. Hall notes that she remains in control and values interactions with people who are kind, respectful and engaging. The gifts and experiences, she says, are a bonus to the conversation and companionship she seeks.

She takes careful steps to stay safe. Her first encounters occur in public settings — crowded restaurants or bars — and she says she would leave immediately if the atmosphere shifted into anything uncomfortable. She also prohibits dating anyone older than her father, who will be 65 next year, and she avoids men who are married or in a relationship. She emphasizes that the arrangement is a personal choice with clear boundaries, not a social statement. While some friends view the approach as risky or unnecessary, Hall says it offers genuine social and intellectual connection with generous, well-meaning men who simply want companionship and conversation.

Still, Hall is mindful that sugar dating sits at a complicated intersection of money, power and modern courtship. She acknowledges that the dynamic can appear transactional and that not everyone will accept the terms she has set. Yet she argues that it has provided a form of freedom hearkening back to more traditional dating rituals, where the focus is on mutual enjoyment, respect and shared experiences rather than the ritual of splitting the bill. She characterizes the experience as a “side hustle” rather than a long-term plan, one she undertakes while she is young and financially conscious, with the understanding that it may not be sustainable or desirable for everyone.

The broader landscape of sugar dating, she notes, is diverse. The platform herself describes catering to a wide range of scenarios: older women seeking younger men, paid-for holidays and other arrangements that fall outside conventional dating scripts. For Hall, the appeal lies in the possibility of a sophisticated, well-mannered relationship that comes with a sense of exchange and generosity, paired with clear boundaries and mutual respect. She emphasizes that she remains careful to maintain her independence, financial stability and career priorities, and that she does not expect the arrangement to dictate her life or future.

The story offers a rare, granular look at a contemporary dating phenomenon. While sugar dating remains a polarizing topic, Hall’s account underscores how some young, professional single people are negotiating the pressures of modern urban life with arrangements that mix companionship, experience and financial support. The anecdotal portrait also highlights a broader trend in which dating platforms co-exist with traditional dating, as people explore new ways to connect with others in an era of high living costs, shifting relationship expectations and evolving social norms.