Suppose you only have a yearly budget of ¥1 million for dating (not ¥10 million—¥1 million). How could you get the most enjoyment out of it? Starting from the point where you’re already a member (Platinum Course), but still haven’t found a regular woman yet…

I’m Saito, a column writer♪ I’m committed to constantly improving myself, while targeting only Gold women who aren’t receiving any offers.

I’m a BB7 male member. Here’s a way to enjoy it that’s a little different from what everyone else has suggested: Give up on anything long-term from the start. Find a Platinum Type C or D who’s exactly your type, then go all in for the biggest gamble of your life! With a lavish dinner, a city hotel, and an allowance, dream big with a date costing around ¥200,000, plus a ¥50,000 introduction fee. A paradise once every three months. That gives you four chances a year to dream with four wonderful women.

I’m だて◎ゆめ, a male member. I’m answering from my experience as a low-income member of an escort dating club and as someone who graduated from a high school that wasn’t particularly academically competitive. Based on my experience and budget, I’d sum it up in one word: patience! First, rather than looking for your favorite woman, you need to find someone who’s willing to date you. As for how to go about it, I agree with what everyone else has said. Women have the right to choose and to refuse, so in short: do your best. Next, let’s say you meet a woman and begin seeing each other. New members are constantly joining the club, and they’re all lovely women. If you make an offer to someone new, you’ll have to decide what to do about your current arrangement: increase the intervals between dates, or switch partners? And is that really what’s best for both you and the woman you’re currently seeing? You’ll have to deal with all sorts of situations like this. So please enjoy your low-budget arrangement while simulating it—and remember, it takes patience and endurance.

I’m Basil, a male member. Assuming the arrangement includes intimacy after dinner: If you meet once a month and spend 65,000 yen per meeting—40,000 for the allowance and 25,000 for meals, a love hotel, and other date expenses—that comes to 780,000 yen a year. That leaves 220,000 yen, which is just enough to make offers to four women, assuming 20,000–30,000 yen for the setting fee, 10,000 yen for transportation, and just under 20,000 yen for the first-meeting dinner. Statistically, I don’t think you’ll strike out completely, so there’s no need to be overly aggressive. Your best targets are students from rural areas who aren’t jaded but want a little extra money for small luxuries, or women with steady jobs who live alone. Girls in the Gold or Standard plans, Type B, who haven’t received any offers are good prospects. More specifically, it’s probably safer to avoid women with conventionally attractive looks, since they’re likely to receive other offers, raise their expectations, or lose interest before long. Once you start seeing someone, you only need to use high-end restaurants occasionally. They won’t complain if it isn’t every time. An average date budget of 25,000 yen is manageable. If you can spend time at either person’s home, you can cut down on hotel and meal costs. You could then increase the allowance or meet more often, which would improve her satisfaction. Once you get started, you’ll gradually start aiming higher, but even with an annual budget of 1 million yen, I think you can make it work.

I’m a male member, Seattle. If possible, I’d look for a woman in the standard class who lives nearby and probably doesn’t get many offers besides yours. I’d avoid women living alone and struggling to repay student loans, since they’re likely short on money, and instead carefully look for women who joined out of curiosity. You could also search by keywords for someone who shares your interests. With an allowance of 4 per meeting and two dates a month, it might just work. I think the best approach is to treat that one person well and make an effort to build a good relationship with her. That’s about all you can do.