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"How Much Does a Date Cost?" (1959)

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Typical of the economically-minded twen is Klaus F., 24, a student from Düsseldorf. He added up the costs of his last evening with Irmgard:

Theater ticket (for me) 3.-    DM
Program

-.50  DM

Beer (for me) 1.50 DM
Soda (for her)              -.50  DM
Streetcar -.80 DM
 

6.30 DM

Klaus explains why his expenses were so low: “Irmgard’s father is an academic himself, and he told her that students are paupers.”

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Ulrich K., 23, Duisburg, also a student, goes on an outing every weekend with Helga in a minibus owned by the company where he works as a work-study student. He gets the gas for free; as the driver, he does not drink alcohol on principle. Adds up to:

Four bottles of cola 2.40 DM
One bar of chocolate           1.30 DM
  3.70 DM

Now, this is already an exception. Most put a twenty-mark bill into their pocket just to be safe (“You never know”) before they meet their girlfriend.

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Hans-Horst G., 25, clerk, Eilendorf (Rheinland), drives a car at company expense. Still, he ends up spending a considerable amount when he meets Hannelore on the weekend:

Movies 4.-   DM
Peppermint -.20 DM
Beer 2.-   DM
Parking fee 1.-   DM
Italian meal 6.35 DM
Drinks with the meal (beer, apple juice) 3.60 DM
Cigarettes        1.10 DM
Tip 1.-   DM
  16.25 DM

Hans-Horst meets Hannelore every weekend, that is, four times a month. He calculates: 4 x 16.25 DM = 85 DM.

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