Tired of "Eh, Still Single Ah?" Questions During CNY or Vday? Get To Rent a Date in Singapore

The first few months of the year are usually the most socially exhausting.

Especially if you are single.

With both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s also the time where your singlehood would be questioned as if it’s the greatest sin ever committed.

If you’re tired of those ‘Boy ah, whEn are yOu gEtting a girlfrIeNd?’ questions or hope to have an arm candy to provide a shield from all these brain-draining comments…

But also not one who swipes on apps or don’t feel emotionally ready to have a partner…

Why not look into renting a date instead?

Known as incentivised dating, there are currently a few platforms available in Singapore for you to choose your ideal companion.

This is different from getting a sugar baby, which usually has a longer commitment period and requires consistent financial support.

Date rentals are usually a one-off occasion, where a non-physical activity is picked and to be done together (in this case, perhaps visiting houses together or going on a Valentine’s day date).

Or if you’re not looking for a companion but wish to hustle during these festivities instead, why not explore the option of being rented as a date?

With its attractive rates, this could potentially be a viable side hustle option too. 😉

Are date rental services suitable for you?

Let’s take a look at them and what they entail!

TL;DR: Tired of Being Called Out for Being Single? You Can Rent a Date or Be Rented as a Date

Platforms Available To Rent a Date

There are a few platforms available to either rent a date or become a date.

One of the more prominent ones would be Maybe Asia, which prides themselves as the perfect platform for individuals to make new friends and socialise in a hassle-free manner.

Some other platforms that offer similar Rent-A-Date services would be RentB and Get Together.

These platforms are slightly different from social escort websites, where those are sometimes focused on providing the girlfriend/boyfriend experience.

For these rental services, it mostly focuses on having a buddy just to spend some time or try new activities together.

If you’re not quite keen to make a booking through these platforms, there are usually postings on familiar platforms like Carousell and Facebook as well.

Which we will usually see more of them popping up when it’s closer to festivities, especially CNY.

While some of them might be just for fun and laughs, like this Bryant dude here:

Some seem pretty serious when it comes to advertising themselves and their bespoke services.

This means that promoting yourself as a makeshift boyfriend/girlfriend this CNY or Valentine’s Day can be as fuss-free as listing your second-hand clothing for sale.

That being said, If you’re looking to provide a date rental service, it is generally safer to do it through these official websites as there are regulations that could be useful when the date goes awry.

For instance, individuals are able to contact the agency’s management if the customer does anything that does not abide by company policies.

How Much Does It Cost To Rent Such a Service?

These websites are very transparent when it comes to pricing.

Every listing would state the date’s personal details, preferences and prices.

A general guide for a date of 2 hours would be about $100 to $350.

For Maybe Asia, it is stated that the individuals would get a 50% to 80% cut.

The rest will go to the agency.

Assuming that your rates are $100 per meetup, you’ll get a minimum of $50 per meetup (assuming 50% cut), which means $25/hour.

Still pretty good money for just casual chat with a new friend yeah?

Of course, if you happen to be a micro-influencer with a level of popularity online, there’s a high chance for you to command a higher price.

This can be seen from one of SHOUT‘s videos, where a lady from Maybe Asia was able to charge way higher than the others due to her online popularity.

What Are the Services Offered?

Rent-a-date services are usually for one-off events, which makes them perfect for CNY visits.

Besides that, usual activities would include visiting cafes, museums, shopping, watching movies or going for events.

Which means that such services are mostly akin to paying for companionship to try out new activities and spend some time together.

In order to protect individuals, there is usually strictly no forms of physical contact allowed apart from a handshake.

In addition, these dates are mostly only allowed to get on public transport and go to public places, and there might be additional charges if the rental goes beyond a certain timing (e.g. 11pm).

Any costs incurred during the meetup would also be borne by the customer.

Will I Get Catfished?

With the advancement of technology and the amazing built-in filters we have on our smartphones, it is now pretty easy to look entirely different in our photos and in real life.

And so… there’s always a chance where your date turns out completely different from what’s seen from the photos.

Liddis how?

Fret not, as individuals typically have to go through interviews and physically meet with the agency to be registered on these websites.

This means that if you are interested to sign up as a potential date, you gotta jump through some hoops before getting recruited as well!

Renting a Date in Singapore

Be it renting a date, a friend or a companion, such services are gaining traction in Singapore.

For many out there who are too busy to date and are growing tired of the process of swiping and matching, such a service could provide some convenience and speed up the process.

It also provides a guaranteed date for individuals to make new friends and try new activities together.

While this is definitely an unorthodox method to fend off annoying relatives during CNY, it is still an option we can now have to do so.

If you’re interested in meeting new people without the possibility of being catfished, here’s your chance to do so!