I’d like to ask for advice on how to accept my allowance. When I’m given it in an envelope, I simply put the envelope in my bag. But when I’m handed cash directly, I feel like putting it in my wallet right away might look a little too eager, so I usually put it in an inside pocket of my bag instead. What do men think about this? Am I overthinking it?

Receiving it in a purely businesslike way feels a little cold, so as long as you say, “Thank you,” with a smile, I don’t mind whether you put it in your wallet or your bag.

I’m the type who hands over the allowance as cash, without putting it in an envelope. Lately, I’ve even been fanning the bills out like playing cards. The allowance is pretty low, so handing it over that way lets her check the amount at a glance. Super slick, right? (lol) After receiving it, some women take out their wallets, while others put it straight into their bags. Whenever I see someone put it in her bag, I think, “She’s like a squirrel.” They have this habit of hiding acorns all over the place, then forgetting where they put them, and eventually plants grow and they end up contributing to the ecosystem. That whole train of thought goes through my head every time. (lol) When they receive the money, I feel like most women put on a slightly formal expression and say, “Thank you very much.” It creates this slightly awkward, kind of weird atmosphere, so lately I’ve been using brand-new bills and trying to turn it into a joke: “They’re all crisp, brand-new bills. Pretty impressive, huh?” “Wow! That’s amazing!” I’ve never asked what they use the money for. Once, a woman in law school told me, “I’m going to buy a complete set of the Roppō Zensho.” Internally, I thought, “How many copies are you buying?” But since it’s called the “six codes,” maybe it was six volumes at 10,000 yen each. If she was able to buy the whole set all at once, then I suppose that’s great. When a woman I’d been seeing for about a year suddenly showed up with a much larger bust one day, I thought, “So this is where the money went!”—but I kept it to myself. I could go on forever, so I’ll stop here. (lol) Taro

When I give her the allowance, I hand it over with a deep bow. She bows her head too, and that’s the end of it. It keeps things comfortable for both of us. As for when she puts it in her bag, when we meet at a room or hotel, my monthly arrangement partner tends to hesitate. When I say, “Put it in your bag already,” she does. In a way, that’s become a little ritual too. She’s free to use the money however she wants, so I’ve never asked why. Even if she told me it was for her younger brother’s scholarship, I wouldn’t feel anything in particular. I have no way of knowing whether it’s true, after all.

> When I receive the allowance in an envelope, I usually just put the envelope straight into my bag. From a man’s perspective, that may seem like the polite thing to do. However, there are cases where a woman gets home, opens the envelope, and finds that it contains less than what was agreed on. We don’t know whether the man forgot to put in the full amount or did it intentionally, but since this does happen, the club’s rule is to check the amount on the spot. You should also say that you’re checking because it’s a club rule. If you wait until later, the man may insist that he put in the correct amount, and you could end up being accused of being mistaken or lying. At that point, it becomes impossible to know who’s telling the truth, and the woman may have no choice but to accept the loss. That’s why, as the club instructs, you should blame it on the club and check the contents right there. If the amount is short, the man will probably assume he simply forgot to put in the full amount, and it can be resolved without unnecessary trouble. However, there are some men who dislike women checking the money, so please say something like, “The club will get upset with me if I don’t check,” before doing so. > When I receive cash directly, I wonder if it seems tacky to put it in my wallet right away. Putting money in your wallet is perfectly normal, so I don’t think many people would find it tacky. That said, it may be considerate to use a discreet wallet or put the money away without showing what’s inside. If you put the allowance into a thick wallet that appears to contain around a million yen, the man might have mixed feelings about it. > When I receive it, should I smile and say thank you? You probably don’t need to overthink it. Just accept it with your natural expression and say something like, “Thank you.” > Should I say something like, “What may I use it for?” or “I’ll use it carefully”? I don’t think there’s any need to go out of your way to say things like that.

People interpret things differently. I think handing over cash loose is careless, so I always put it in an envelope. If I saw someone putting loose cash straight into their bag, I’d think they were a bit sloppy. That said, I also feel it would be rude to watch how someone puts away the money I’ve given them, so I look away. Whether it’s better to smile or look apologetic when receiving the allowance depends on both people’s personalities. I feel I’ve only seen women accept it in a purely businesslike manner when they seemed like compensated-dating partners seeing several clients a day. So personally, if I saw that, I’d either think that was just the kind of person she was, or that she was nervous. Personally, I’m not interested in what the allowance is used for. After seeing someone for a while and getting to know them, you naturally get some idea of what they spend their money on. So I don’t think there’s any need to explain it. And when someone does explain, I sometimes wonder what they would do if the man found the reason unappealing—or thought it sounded like a lie. As an aside, when I hear that the money is “for living expenses,” it makes me feel as though I’m taking advantage of someone’s vulnerability, which I dislike. Personally, I’d prefer someone to say they want money to have fun. Of course, some people may find that reason unappealing too. I also don’t particularly like people who say things like, “I’ll use it carefully.” It feels tacked on, and makes me think they probably tell little lies all the time. As you can see, people have different opinions about these things, so I think it’s best to consider each situation based on the person you’re dealing with.