She's a Boston University senior from California, a double major in the sciences, and a sugar baby. So, just kind of her personal antidotes kind of made me more open to the experience. Jasmine, whose name we changed for this story, started college right after her dad lost his job.
It was hard to cover all the bills. Now she makes two to three hundred dollars per date from wealthy men who live in the Hub or travel here for business. She's among a growing number of college students turning to websites like seekingarrangement.
It's been a good experience. The founder and CEO of seekingarrangement. Roughly half of seekingarrangement. But even buttoned up New England schools have seen a jump in sign ups. Wade says the trend is driven by the economy and popular shows like The Bachelor and Millionaire Matchmaker. Hilary Levey Friedman who worries that sugar relationships can easily push young women into morally and legally grey areas where they feel obliged to provide sex for money.
But the idea of an arrangement is as old as the human race. Even cavewomen sought out men who could bring home the biggest meal. Wade defends the site, saying there shouldn't be a presumption that an arrangement equals sex. So there's a very big difference between prostitution and a sugar relationship. Jasmine has found plenty of men are out for that one time fling but she claims she's never had sex with any of them and she wouldn't call any of the men she's dated her boyfriend.
Wade met his own wife on the website. He holds two degrees from MIT and made millions from internet start ups, but never had luck with the ladies. His mother encouraged him to leverage his career success into social satisfaction. Since then he's launched sister sites seekingmillionaire. Both Wade and Jasmine agree arrangements aren't for everyone, but this ambitious young woman has no regrets. She has big plans for her life after graduation and wouldn't mind if a man wanted to help her fulfill them.
