I'm less concerned about what a person makes than I am about whether they have a reason to get up and go do something besides lay around the house all day.

That being said, since my earnings are barely middle class, and I help support my grandchildren, anyone I entered into a relationship with would have to at least not be a drain on my finances.

Some callings do not rake in the bucks. Passion for your calling is worth a lot, especially a calling that makes this world a little better.

Any female who DOESN'T take income into consideration when considering being with a male is just asking for trouble. Unless, that is, she is financially independent and is taking on the lover for other reasons.

Men typically only care about a potential female mate being attractive, young, fertile, and willing to take care of him, since men have traditionally had the higher income.

But male-ish women who lack female instincts, and throw themselves at men, allowing dead beats to move in and take advantage of them are legion. Of course, guys are often happy to take her money, sponge off her income, and still cheat anyway.

They're going to need to be earning a lot just to be able to afford me in the first place. Cash up front (or major credit cards) only.

I certainly take it into account. I have a very low income, if I could it would be zero. ie if I could reduce my expenses enough. That said, many women would see me as a potential user or that I would want their money.

I dated an extremely powerful and wealthy woman a few years back, she wanted to buy me with all sorts of promises. I was not interested, and then she came out with other issues. I would not be able to have my young friends come and stay when they were in need because her money would be going into the household. I had suggested that if anything were to come of us that we could each put in the same amount and she should keep the rest of hers to herself, she didn't want her lifestyle restricted by my lower income. Her plan was we would travel anywhere I wanted to go and she would buy herself a house anywhere I wanted to live and I had to live as she determined.

So my situation is the reverse, I do not feel comfortable if the woman had a noticeably higher level of income than I did. My concern has nothing to do with any macho idea of the guy being the breadwinner. Ideology is a big issue, I enjoy/prefer not having money, it is by choice, a choice I have revisited many times.

For me dollar amount is not a critical concern, what is important is the persons views about what is "success" and living within their means ,material wealth is not something I view as necessary in life, yet poverty is not required for nobility !

I never used to care, but after being coerced into supporting my ex for 5 years, anyone I date must have a J-O-B. They don't have to be rich, just able to support themselves in the event of a breakup. I'll never make that mistake again.

I guess since I work in the restaurant industry for a <laughing> 'living, then I'm always going to be at the bottom of the financial food-chain... as a result, I'm not exactly in a position to take my partner's income into account. I suppose I'd be the one who gets taken into account when it comes to that.

The amount isn't important, being responsible for yourself is.

I had a girlfriend once that was obsessive over making comments that she wanted to make sure that I wasn't with her because of her money. This went on for about 10 months until we finally got serious enough that I let her see my bank account. Then I turned to her and said, "This whole time I've been wondering if you've been trying to get with me because of my money. Did you ever think about that?" Money is just another transient thing. Besides sex, it is one of the easiest things to obtain in life. It means just as much as the meaning that you put into it.

It's not what you make, but what you do with it.
When I worked at waffle house and paid the bills at my apartment I always had money on me to do what I wanted and get what I wanted because I could manage it well.
There were other people I knew that had the same job, worked more hours had the same bills and yet were always broke.
What I look for is do they have lots of nice stuff, but have to wait until payday to afford McDonald's, paper towels, cat food, gas. Basic stuff that doesn't cost that much that someone with 3 different gaming systems and a shiny new watch they just bought really ought to be able to afford.
Do they have a super nice car, but can't afford cough medicine? Go out to eat 3 times on pay week then ask you for 5 bucks to buy sometime next week?
I really can't stand it when someone can't manage their money. I would still date someone like that with the understanding that if we get serious I manage the money in the household.

I think there's more than one way to think about it.... I don't make a lot of money, am retired... However, everything I own down to what is in my fridge is payed for in full...My home, my property, my vehicle, all my tools & toys.... I do not own a credit card, & do not want or need one, I think the banks have made enough money off me in my life already. My property taxes are $157 a year.... My lifestyle is simple, but not because it has to be, but because it is how I choose to live it.... I know people who make in excess of $60K a year who struggle to make a mortgage & misc. payments every month, & a 6 month illness could potentially wipe them out...I guess the moral of my story is that if you judge someone solely on their actual income, you might just be basing your opinion of them on just the tip of the iceberg, not the whole thing...