Why I Chose Sugar Dating

Reading time: 9 minutes

My sugar dating decision came on a Tuesday evening in November 2022 in my shared apartment in Zurich-Wiedikon. I was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at my bank balance of CHF 487 (about $585), and knew: this can't go on. My law degree was eating up time and money, my side job as a barista in the Niederdorf paid CHF 22 an hour (about $26), and my last relationship had fallen apart after six months of constant stress over my university commitments. I needed a solution that fit my life, not the other way around.

Today, over a year later, I don't regret this decision for a second. But the road there was anything but straight.

Financial Pressure as a Catalyst

Zurich is expensive. My room in the shared apartment cost CHF 850 (about $1,020) including utilities, health insurance CHF 320 (about $385), and on top of that came the phone plan, the public transit pass and study materials. According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, the average cost of living for students in Zurich in 2022 was CHF 2,100 a month (about $2,500). With my barista job at 60 percent I reached roughly CHF 2,300 gross (about $2,750), and after deductions CHF 1,950 (about $2,350) was left. The math didn't add up.

My parents in St. Gallen couldn't help. My father was an early retiree, and my mother worked part-time in retail. I hadn't received a scholarship. I could have increased my working hours, but then my studies would have failed. Or I would have had to drop out. Neither was an option.

That November evening I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a post by an acquaintance from the gym. She was carrying an Hermès bag that I estimated at no less than CHF 8,000 (about $9,600), and standing in front of the Dolder Grand. Two weeks earlier she had still been complaining about money worries. In a chat she told me about sugar dating, about MySugardaddy, about arrangements that gave her financial security and freedom at the same time.

Why Sugar Dating Made Sense for Me

I'll be honest: at first I was skeptical. It sounded like clichés, like dependence, like something I would never do. Then I started to research. According to a 2021 study by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, 12 percent of the students surveyed in Switzerland had already had experience with paid dating arrangements. The true figure is probably higher.

What convinced me: sugar dating offered me three things at once. First, financial support without a full-time job. Second, relationships with grown men who respected my priorities. Third, the flexibility my chaotic schedule at the University of Zurich required. I was done with guys my age who, after three dates, expected me to have time every evening while I had to study for exams.

So my sugar dating decision was based on a rational analysis of my situation. I was 23, single, attractive enough for this market, and I had clear boundaries that I was willing to communicate. The question was no longer "whether" but "how."

The First Step Was the Hardest

In December 2022 I created my profile on MySugardaddy. I spent a whole afternoon picking photos that showed me without revealing too much. My profile text described me as a law student with an interest in art, travel and good conversation. I didn't explicitly mention financial expectations, but I made it clear that I was looking for an arrangement, not conventional dating.

The first messages were overwhelming. Within 48 hours I had 37 inquiries. Many were disrespectful or unrealistic. But amid all the noise I found three men who interested me. One of them, a 48-year-old entrepreneur from Zollikon with his own consulting firm, became my first arrangement. Our first meeting took place at the restaurant Clouds in the Prime Tower. He paid for the dinner, CHF 340 (about $410), and we agreed on a monthly allowance of CHF 2,500 (about $3,000) plus occasional gifts for two to three meetings per month.

In my post on staying authentic on a date I describe how important it was to be honest from the start. I didn't lie about my expectations, and I didn't play a role. That made the sugar dating decision more sustainable.

What Changed Through Sugar Dating

Within three months my financial situation stabilized completely. I didn't quit my barista job right away, but I cut back to 20 percent. The arrangement with my first sugar daddy lasted eight months, then we ended it by mutual agreement because he moved to Singapore for work. By then I had learned how sugar dating works, which red flags I had to stop ignoring, and how to enforce my boundaries.

The most important change was mental. I no longer felt like a hamster in a wheel who had to fight for every franc. I could afford a yoga membership at Anahata Studio in Zurich-Seefeld, CHF 180 a month (about $215). I bought myself a MacBook Air for CHF 1,400 (about $1,700) instead of working on a seven-year-old laptop. In March 2023 I flew to Barcelona with my then-daddy for a long weekend, business class, Hotel W on the beach.

At the same time I learned that sugar dating isn't all glamour. It takes emotional intelligence, clear communication and the ability to keep professional distance without seeming cold. You'll find more on how I handled difficult situations in my article on setting boundaries in sugar dating.

Reasons for Getting Into Sugar Dating, Looking Back

Looking back, I identify five main reasons why I came to the decision for sugar dating:

• Financial necessity, paired with the wish to finish my studies without compromise
• Frustration with traditional dating and with men who didn't understand my ambitions
• Curiosity about a relationship style that makes transparency about expectations its foundation
• The desire for mentoring and access to networks that would otherwise have stayed closed to me
• Pragmatism – I saw an opportunity that fit my life, and I took it

A 2023 survey by the platform SeekingArrangement showed that 58 percent of European sugar babes are students, and 73 percent named financial reasons as their primary motivation. So I'm not a one-off case.

But money wasn't everything. My second sugar daddy, a 52-year-old lawyer from Küsnacht, opened doors to art auctions at Christie's and networking events at the Zunfthaus zur Meisen. I would never have had those experiences as a barista. They shaped my understanding of business, culture and upscale social codes that will serve me later in my career as a lawyer.

Challenges and How I Handled Them

My sugar dating decision wasn't without shadows. I couldn't tell anyone in my family about it. My roommates only knew that I had "met someone." Friends from university asked questions when I suddenly showed up with designer handbags. I developed a cover story: a well-paid boyfriend who liked giving gifts. Half true, half protecting my privacy.

There were emotional moments, too. Once, after an especially lovely weekend in a chalet in Gstaad, my then-daddy asked whether I could imagine our arrangement becoming more. I had to be honest: no. I liked him, I appreciated him, but I didn't love him. Keeping that clarity without hurting him was one of the hardest lessons.

In my text on resolving conflicts I describe such situations in more detail. They come with the territory when you opt for alternative relationship types.

Would I Make the Decision Again?

Without hesitation: yes. My personal story as a sugar baby in Zurich stabilized me financially, helped me mature emotionally and moved me forward professionally. I finished my law degree in the summer of 2023 with a grade point average of 5.2 (on the Swiss scale of 1 to 6), more debt-free than 90 percent of my fellow students. I built a network that still helps me today. And I learned what I want in a relationship and what I don't, maybe faster than would have been possible in conventional relationships.

Of course sugar dating isn't right for everyone. It takes self-confidence, boundaries and the ability to deal with social pressure. But for me, in my situation, with my goals, it was the right choice. According to a 2022 study by the Department of Sociology at the University of Zurich, 67 percent of the sugar babes surveyed say they are satisfied with their decision. I count myself among them.

FAQ: Common Questions About My Sugar Dating Decision

Why did I choose sugar dating instead of a loan?

I decided against a student loan because I didn't want to start my career with CHF 50,000 (about $60,000) in debt. According to Comparis, average student debt in Switzerland in 2022 was around CHF 44,000 (about $53,000) at an average interest rate of 4.5 percent. Sugar dating gave me a way to finance my studies without going into debt for years, while also gathering valuable life experience.

How exactly did I come to the decision for sugar dating?

The trigger was a combination of financial hardship, a conversation with an acquaintance who was already a sugar baby, and several weeks of research. I read experience reports, learned about platforms like MySugardaddy, and soberly analyzed whether I could meet the emotional and practical demands. The final decision came when I realized that the alternative – dropping out or working even more hours – would be more harmful in the long run.

What were the most important reasons for getting into sugar dating?

First the financial necessity, second the frustration with traditional dating, third the flexibility sugar dating offered with respect to my studies. A fourth reason was curiosity about a relationship style that communicates clear expectations from the start instead of hiding them under romantic illusions. I wanted honesty, and sugar dating offered me exactly that.

Do I regret my sugar dating decision today?

No, not for a second. My experiences as a sugar baby have stabilized me financially, helped me grow personally and connected me professionally. Of course there were difficult moments, but the positives clearly outweigh them. Today I wouldn't actively recommend it to other women in a similar situation, because everyone has to make their own decision, but I wouldn't discourage it either if the conditions are right.

How long did it take me to decide on sugar dating?

From the conversation with my acquaintance in November 2022 to creating my profile, about three weeks went by. During that time I researched intensively, talked to another person who had experience, and reflected on my own boundaries and expectations. I wanted to make sure I was making this decision for the right reasons and not out of panic or naivety.

Conclusion: My Sugar Dating Decision as a Turning Point

My decision for sugar dating wasn't an impulsive leap into cold water, but a considered response to a concrete life situation. It freed me from financial pressure, opened new perspectives for me and taught me more about relationships, communication and myself than I had expected. Was it always easy? No. Was it the right choice for me? Absolutely.

If you're considering whether sugar dating is an option for you, my advice is: be honest with yourself about your motivation, your boundaries and your expectations. Do your research thoroughly, talk to others who have experience, and listen to your gut. My personal story as a sugar baby in Zurich is my story, not your blueprint. But maybe it will help you see your own decision more clearly.