Woman reveals she spent two years going on six dates a week so she didn’t have to buy GROCERIES

A woman who sparked fierce debate after revealing she spent two years going on six dates every week just so she didn’t have to buy groceries – which she said ended up saving her around $15,600 in total – has defended her actions.

Vivian Tu, an ex-Wall Street trader who has gained millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram for often sharing finance tips and tricks under the username @YourRichBFF, first opened up about the controversial hack in a video posted in 2021.

‘When they say women are bad with money, but you used to go on six dates a week to avoid paying for groceries,’ she wrote in the clip, which showed her lifting her sunglasses up and looking towards the camera as she sat on the beach.

‘Between 2016-2018 I didn’t buy groceries once. Probably saved about $150 a week,’ she captioned the post.

Vivian Tu is an ex-Wall Street trader who has gained millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram for often sharing finance tips and tricks under the username @YourRichBFF

Now, the viral TikTok star and money expert has spoken out about the experience further to Elite Daily, insisting that the video was exaggerated and that she ‘didn’t start going on dates just for food.’

However, Vivian admitted that she couldn’t help but enjoy the perks of receiving free dinners from her potential love interests, and that she definitely took advantage of it as time went on.

‘Back then, I was working as an equity trader and making $95,000, but my expenses were very high,’ she explained. 

‘I was living in Manhattan and paying rent for my apartment in Hell’s Kitchen. It wasn’t that easy to get groceries. 

‘The market closest to my apartment was incredibly expensive, so I never felt comfortable shopping there.

‘Instead, I would haul my butt on the subway 15 blocks to Trader Joe’s and grab all that I could carry. It wasn’t easy, and I really had to think strategically about what I was buying.

She first opened up about the controversial hack in a video posted in 2021, and it launched a major argument between viewers

Now, the viral TikTok star and money expert has spoken out about the experience further to Elite Daily, insisting that she ‘didn’t start going on dates just for food’

However, Vivian admitted that she couldn’t help but enjoy the perks of receiving free dinners from her potential love interests, and that she definitely took advantage of it as time went on

‘I am very much in the camp that you’re dating to find love. But if the thought is like, “Oh, I can go to a fun tapas restaurant for (probably) free, or I can spend my own money on food at the grocery store that I still need to cook. And it’s probably not going to taste as good,” there’s obviously subconscious thinking that goes into it.’ 

In the end, she said it saved her thousands of dollars. And while she warned it could result in ‘bad karma,’ she said the worst that happened to her was that she had to endure some bad dates

While Vivian said it started with her wanting to find someone she ‘clicked with,’ she explained that after she started going on a lot of dates, she quickly noticed a change in her weekly spending.

‘I realized that by going on dates, I was saving about $50 to $100 per week,’ she continued. 

‘Added together over time, it amounted to thousands of dollars I did not have before — discretionary income I could spend on other things, like savings, investing, and a black Prada bag to replace my tattered Longchamp tote.’

In the end, Vivian – who works as a strategy sales partner at a tech company – said there are ‘more strategic ways to save your money,’ and warned that using romance as a ‘money-saving strategy’ could result in you getting ‘bad karma.’ 

However, she added that the worst thing that happened to her during it was that she had to endure a few bad dates, including one man who spent 90 minutes talking about ‘how amazing he was and how much money he made,’ only to make her split the bill with him.

Back when Vivian first shared the video, some hailed her actions as ‘genius’ and others called them ‘unethical’

‘Realistically, the worst-case scenario is that you split the bill – something I always offered to do regardless,’ she concluded. 

‘And even if you do put your card down, it’s still a win: You get to say you went somewhere new, ate great food, and made a new connection – or, at least, practiced your small talk.’

Vivian’s actions launched a major argument between viewers back when the video was posted in 2021, with some hailing it as ‘genius’ and others calling it ‘unethical.’

‘Queen behavior,’ read one supportive comment, while a second said, ‘Girl boss.’

‘That is gangsta,’ wrote another person. Someone else added, ‘You might be on to something.’

‘So feminism only when it benefits you?’ read one scathing response.

‘But if you were good with money you wouldn’t need those dates,’ another viewer pointed out.

‘Tell me you’re cheap without telling me you’re cheap,’ said someone else.

‘Toxic femininity,’ read a different comment, while one user added, ‘This is unethical. Disingenuous.’