MORE and more people are taking a less conventional route to finding happiness.
Here's all you need to know about sugar daddies and sugar babies.
What is a sugar daddy?
A sugar daddy tends to be an older man who likes to treat his sugar baby to lavish gifts and treats.
They sometimes say they are too busy with their career to take on usual dating, which is why having a sugar baby works better for them.
Typically, sugar daddies are successful and have quite an impressive bank account — but some don't and still like to spend whatever they have on their lover.
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According to Seeking Arrangement, the average sugar daddy is 45 years old and earns a very impressive salary of £176,000.
Meanwhile, a sugar baby tends to be a younger man or woman who wants to live a luxury lifestyle, but can't afford it on their own.
Therefore, this arrangement benefits both parties.
A sugar baby is said to earn an average of £2.3k a month, resulting in an annual 'salary' of £27,600.
There has been a rise in sugar babies, with many being university students, who turn to their 'daddy' to pay their fees.
However, it's not always just men who are sugar daddies, as a ''sugar mama'' is a rich older woman dating someone younger and paying them an allowance for their company.
How does the relationship work?
Each relationship will be different, but most couples will make a financial agreement early on.
Boundaries will be set such as whether or not they're considering a sexual relationship.
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Some sugar babies will ask for a monthly allowance, while other get 'expenses' in the form of glam holidays and shopping sprees.
Mabe-Mae who has been a sugar baby since 2014, said she got around £15k worth of gifts over the Christmas period, while others have shared Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to have a sugar daddy, as they are given expensive presents.
This relationship style has gained a lot of traction over the past few years.
Is a sugar baby the same as an escort?
Some sugar babies sometimes are the victim of trolls, mainly because of the issue of sex - and how it's tied up in the financial relationship.
However, those who are involved insist they're not the same as a sex worker or escort.
The key difference is that a sugar daddy relationship is a regular arrangement while an escort might be hired for the night, or as a one-off to attend a fancy party or event.
A sugar baby would be meeting her 'daddy' several times a month as part of an ongoing plan.
Is a sugar baby relationship safe?
Those behind sugar daddy sites like Seeking Arrangement, What's Your Price, Sugar Daddie and Rich Meet Beautiful insist it is safe.
One concern is that the sugar babies can be asked to meet at their daddy's home or a hotel room.
While others involved may worry that a man, having not only paid for the dates but extra expenses as well, would be more likely to expect sex.
There are some risks involved, and a sugar baby needs to be clear on their boundaries before entering into a relationship.
Sugar babies should only meet in public places when sex is off the table.
