If you're a typical single woman, you work hard to pay bills, buy food, clothes and gas, and keep a roof over your head.



You've gone through a lot to establish your financial identity. You deserve to be proud of yourself for achieving all of that on your own.

But out in the dating world you're going to be meeting men who may not make as much money as you do.

And I know there are some women that this is not an issue for them. So it's especially daunting for them, when the dating ritual goes sour.

So below I listed some things to watch out for when dating a man that makes less than you do and some suggestions on how to deal with this situation:

Monitor your attitude

Many women simply refuse to date men who make less money than they do, just as some women won't date short men, men of another race, or men with different religious beliefs. And while it makes sense to avoid hooking up with a man who's frequently in the unemployed state, refusing to date someone based on their income really limits your dating options.

If you're a lawyer and you meet a wonderful man who owns a small coffee shop or you're a nurse and he's a delivery driver, are you going to determine if he's a good man or a man worth you dating based on the size of his paycheck?

Remember, most millionaires were dead broke before they made their first million!

But with that being said, if you do start dating a man who makes less money than you he may have a few more issues with the situation than you do. And as a wise woman you'll have to be sensitive to his feelings.

Understand that no matter what you see in the media nor how many men may deny it, the truth is most men have their self-esteem and identity wrapped up in how much they earn. So one of the worst things you can do to a man that your dating or in a relationship with is to emasculate him with respect to money? especially out in public.

Making comments like, "I wish we could come with you, but we can't afford it" said in front of a group of people will encourage your man to start looking for another woman.

Now maybe in your mind you may not be thinking that he's less of a man (or anything else negative) because you make more money than he does, but comments like that may make him feel like your ?putting the slap down' on his manhood.

Make him feel like he's the man

Even though your man may make less money than you, you still want to make him feel like he's the man. Go ahead and let him buy you flowers, take you to dinner, and buy you small, inexpensive gifts. And when he does, thank him as if he just bought you the world. But don't thank him because he bought you the gift, thank him for showing you, by this gesture, that he was thinking about you.

Avoid out doing his gifts

Avoid giving him elaborate, expensive gifts, even if you can easily afford them. Later, if your dates turn into a long-term relationship, how you spend your money shouldn't make a difference. But if you give him a big-screen TV or buy him an expensive suit while you're in the early dating stages, the fact that he can't do similar things for you may bruise his ego. And you know how we men are about our egos!

Remember I'm talking about a real man here. If your man is a bum and looking to feed off you then that's a whole different ball game.

Set high goals but be realistic

Remember it's o.k. to set high standards but make sure your standards are based on a true foundation and not these worldly ideals puffed up by society. These shall soon fade away.

Don't miss out on an opportunity to date that great guy that works on your car, teaches at your child's school or waits tables at your favorite restaurant. Heck, at least he has a job.

Be open-minded. There are a lot of really smart, loving, unattached guys who are attractive in non-traditional ways.