SAN FRANCISCO, June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer is in full swing and if there is a season for dating, summer is it.  According to a new survey from the folks at Zoosk.com, a top online dating service, single men expect to spend more on dating during the summer than other seasons while the majority of women say they prefer a low-key, less expensive date experience.

The survey asked 1,339 single men and women to share their thoughts about summer dating and spending money.  The findings include:

Men spend more, women spend less on dating during the summer.

• The majority of men (64%) say they spend more money on dating during the summer.
• The majority of women (56%) say that dating is less expensive in the summer months.

Women prefer free dates!

• 72% of single women say they have had a successful date that revolved around a free activity.
• 68% of single women say they prefer a down-to-Earth, less expensive date experience.
• Only 7% of women prefer a fancy, expensive date.

Coupons and dating don't mix.

• 61% of men and women agree that you should not use a coupon during a date.

Save the "splurge" for special occasions.

• 83% of single women say they would rather go on a fun date that costs less than $25 than splurge on an expensive date.

Men expect to spend more money than women.

• 43% of single men say they expect to spend between $51-100 when trying to impress a date.
• 43% of single women expect to pay between $26-50 on a date.

Guys, don't let money scare you away from dating!

• Although survey data shows women prefer less expensive dates, 36% of single men say they avoid dating because of the financial impact.

"Guys sometimes think that we have to shell out the dough to impress the ladies, but that's not really the case—and can sometimes be more trouble than it's worth," said Steve Mazzucchi, relationship guru and managing editor of MadeMan.com.  "These survey results show that we can have fun without breaking the bank."

Steve Mazzucchi also has some budget tips for singles this summer:

1. Think outdoor places: Most women love a simple trip to a park or the beach. Bring along a bit of wine and cheese if you really want to impress.
2. Think adventure: If you're the active type—and she is too—why not do what you love? Then even if the date doesn't go well, at least you got to go hiking, biking, surfing, etc.
3. Think entertainment: In the summer, most cities host lots of fun, free outdoor events, such as concerts and movie screenings. You usually just have to get there early, which leaves you plenty of time to work your mojo.
4. Think small-time sports: Yes, behind home plate at a baseball game is pricey, but you'll have way more fun, and spend way less, at a minor-league matchup. The stakes are lower, the promotions are funnier and, best of all, the beer is cheaper.
5. Think food: most women will melt for a home-cooked meal. It doesn't have to be fancy, the effort is what will win her over. We recommend pasta, which is pretty hard to screw up—and is in the same family as a quickly delivered pizza if you do!

Zoosk conducted the survey online in May 2013.  The survey garnered 1,339 responses from singles who are members of the Zoosk community.

About Zoosk

Zoosk's innovative matchmaking technologies connect millions of singles around the world with potential matches every day. Zoosk's Behavioral Matchmaking™ engine presents potential matches to users, models users' behavior as they interact with the recommended singles and continuously incorporates the learnings to improve subsequent suggestions. Founded in 2007 by Alex Mehr and Shayan Zadeh, Zoosk is a top online dating service available in more than 70 countries with headquarters in San Francisco. For more information, visit Zoosk.com.

SOURCE Zoosk