Friendzoned? In this economy?
It’s the dreaded, no-sex space that young, hopeful daters say they never want to be — but even those willing to practice patience are saying that the price of sitting tight is simply too high in this inflation-ravaged era.
Romantic hopefuls online are sharing their sad truth: “staying in the friend zone” — aka wading through the murky space between platonic friendship and official dating until you figure out if there’s real relationship potential — is now financially irresponsible.
Young males are warning other Gen Z daters not to blow money on “unknown odds.” That overpriced coffee is only worth it if you know you’re moving from the friend zone to second base. For them, the lack of certainty is no longer worth the long-term investment.
And the price of “taking it slow” and working your way from friend to lover is now too expensive and financially irresponsible, according to these viral TikToks.
“Back in 2012, s–t used to be cheap,” ranted a TikTokker named Gordon in a now-viral video. “You could blow $2 to $3 on a coffee for your ‘girl best friend’ that you were interested in.” Today, Gordon, 21 (who refused to share his last name with The Post), says that kind of cash is unavailable.
Gordon’s video with 1.6 million views went viral for suggesting that the era of taking it slow is over. “Now you’re blowing a lot of cheese for something where you’re getting absolutely nothing in return,” he expressed in his video.
TikToker @nojokeilly doubled down, arguing that men aren’t being out-competed by richer rivals but by the brutal reality of groceries, utility bills and car payments.
With over 50,000 likes, his message hit close to home for men, with a commenter admitting he “don’t even spend on the one who accepts me,” let alone for a potential rejection.
Spending on “unknown odds” in this financial climate, he says, is a recipe for disaster, crushing both your self-esteem and your credit score. As he put it: “Is that not stupidity?”
“I tell girls I don’t believe in the friend zone,” commented one of his loyal supporters. “It’s either we doing something or we doing nothing. Next.”
The friend zone is in the danger zone for Gen Z — and you can blame the economy.
Gordon told The Post that he recently studied abroad in Europe and would buy drinks for women all the time because “it was generally cheaper” than it is in America. He could “dish out a few drinks a night for women you may not see any romantic attraction to, without breaking your wallet.”
Now that he’s back in the Bay Area, where drinks are significantly more expensive, buying rounds for “women you would not see any romantic spark with” is no longer an option.
Gordon said the video is a commentary on how economics can affect romance and courtship.
“Nobody talks about the friend zone because we’ve hit a point where it’s too expensive to even sustain ourselves, let alone a girl who sees you only as a friend,” he explained.
One sarcastic commenter crowned the college student a “modern Plato.”
Another opined that “the extinction of the friend zone is the strongest indicator that we are currently in an economic recession.”
Formerly friend-zoned young men also weighed in, sharing their own frustration.
“Facts. I used to take a girl that friend-zoned me to Applebee’s every week. Our bill was $19 with tip… could never do that these days…”
The friendzone continues to be a point of contention for its emotional toll, with some even deeming it a position you can’t actually “work your way out of.”
But some TikTok viewers called out the advice from these viral takes — along with the idea that a $20 spend is unthinkable between friends — as immature, cheapskate behavior.
“Friends spend money on each other, especially when a friend is in need, regardless of gender or alternative intentions,” wrote one. “Come on now, man.”
And if you can’t afford a Starbucks latte, perhaps you’re not ready for a steady lady either.
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