Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@erikatham
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Social Media, TikTok, Viral
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Social Media, TikTok, Viral
A new 'penny dating method' has people vowing to 'never leave the house again'.
You thought the 'cookie jar method' was bad, but wait until you hear about the latest trend to take over TikTok.
If you're in the unfortunate position where you've been dropped back into single life just after hot girl summer has ended, ahead of the cuffing season, where everyone's freaking out about who they're going to cuddle up with to stay warm rather than splashing the cash on turning the heating on, then this one's for you.
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However, this toxic dating method is so awful, it may have you resolving it's actually more worth it to lose the money on central heating rather than daring to dip your toe back in.
Essentially, the 'penny dating method' involves putting 100 percent into a relationship at the start before deliberately dropping off your effort and investment over time until you basically have nothing left to give.
Granted, it's common for people to make more effort at the start of a new romance compared to maybe several years in, however, the reason behind the penny dating method is savage.
TikToker Erika Tham took to the platform to break down the dating method in a video which has since gone viral.
In the post, Tham explains she was recently talking to a male friend about 'love bombing' - a.k.a. showering someone with affection at the start of a relationship.
Tham reveals the male friend then explained some men apparently use the tactic known as 'penny dating' where they treat women like a 'piggy bank'.
"To get her interested, obviously, at first, you have to be feeding her hundred dollar bills," the male friend told the TikToker.
"Now here’s where it gets sick."
The 'method' involves the person tinkering with how much effort they put in, sometimes even increasing it before decreasing again - it's like a more evil love bombing.
"The next thing you do is bring it back up to 95. Instead of feeling like they’ve lost five, suddenly she feels like she’s gained five," the friend apparently said.
*Screams in manipulation*
Tham continued: "Basically you just keep repeating this cycle and weaning her off your effort until you get to the point where you’re giving her pennies and suddenly, she’s excited to receive a nickel."
Many were left horrified by the apparent tactic, as thousands flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts.
"Penny method is CRAZY," one person penned.
A second added: "You can't convince me this isn't psychological torture."
While a third wrote: "MY JAW DROPPED wha-."
Someone else commented: "That's sooo evil."
And a final user penned: "Never leaving my house again."