For most of us, our student loans will take decades of paying minimal amounts back month by month until it’s eventually written off. What a joyful thought.
But that’s not the case for one savvy student, who is already paying off her debts thanks to cash from five different sugar daddies.
Gracie Adams has used the money from dates with older men to pay her rent, as well as for some new clothes and plenty of food, after joining sugar dating site Seeking Arrangements.
The 19-year-old, from Belfast, uses the escorting site to meet up with people – usually older men – who will pay to enjoy her company, although she’s adamant all her relationships are purely platonic.
But instead of splashing the cash on funding a luxury lifestyle for herself, the first year psychology student has used the money to help with her £30,000 student debt.
Gracie says she’s usually treated to dinner, for which she usually charges a minimum amount of £80, not including drinks, which can result in the date costing more than £100.
Often, sugar daddies will request a specific outfit for Gracie to wear ahead of the date, which on average amounts to another £100 spent on new clothes, and most of the time, the 19-year-old says her date leave her an additional tip of around £150.
In a bid to keep on top of her university work, having a social life and funding her studies, Gracie aims to go on at least one date a month to pay her bills.
Gracie said:
I first signed up to Seeking Arrangements when I was nearly 18 and wasn’t thinking of seriously committing to the sugar baby life.
But when I was finishing sixth form and moving to university, I found that loads of women at university had signed up and had very positive experiences.
It helped them get through student life, keep up with rent payments and have cars at university.
Using Seeking Arrangements helped me become more confident in talking to men online and what to look out for, as you can have some men lying about themselves and what they do, which is my biggest precaution and worry.
Despite having initial concerns, Gracie has gone on to have five sugar daddies, and she has seen three of them regularly since meeting them for the first time.
However, Gracie maintains that all her relationships are platonic and has always been completely open with her family and her boyfriend about her meet-ups.
Gracie added:
I asked my boyfriend for his opinion and if he would be okay if I started being more serious about it.
He wanted to know what I’d be doing with the sugar daddies, in terms of dates, and messaging etc.
I told him that I would only be interested in starting platonic relationships and mentorships.
He understood that I was struggling with money and is very supportive of me and the relationships I build on Seeking Arrangements.
My family and I are very open and loving, so I was able to tell them about how I stay on top of things financially while at university without having to worry about any judgements from my family.
When I first told them, they took the news with humour and told me to ‘crack on’, but of course they can sometimes worry about my safety online.
Gracie can rake in more than £300 per date as well as a host of gifts, including new dresses and shoes.
The 19-year-old recalled:
The best date I ever had was in the summer where we had dinner in a rooftop bar where we could see the sun set.
It was a beautiful experience and one I could never forget. After the meal, we had some drinks and got to know more about each other.
At the end of the date, he made sure I got home safe and sent me £150 on top of paying for my food and drinks.
Sounds like a win-win.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.