Some women are complicated creatures. To make matters worse, their capacity to be complicated increases exponentially if you put them in a relationship. And for the coup-de-grace, nature has given the male species the burden of initiating courtship. With a complicated girl, not only do you need to spend the usual time, effort, and resources to make the relationship work, you also get the added bonus of dealing with her mind games, mood swings, and her natural flair for drama.
It seems like a great delight, then, for most men to find a woman who can provide a no-frills, straightforward kind of relationship. Imagine a relationship where you can make the most of its sweet rewards without having to deal with its headaches. Luckily, that kind of girl exists. She’s the low-maintenance girlfriend, and she’s the subject of some men’s relationship dreams.
While such a girl exists, nothing in this world is without its problems. You may think that winning the heart of a low-maintenance girl would let you cheat your way into happily ever after, but being with a low-maintenance girl is a double edged sword: It can cut you and your fevered romantic ideas short. [Read: The 12 dating stereotypes of women in a man’s mind]
Who is a Low-Maintenance Girl?
A low-maintenance girl distinguishes herself by being less demanding than her more dramatic counterparts. She can be identified by the following characteristics.
#1 She keeps everything simple. Her wardrobe consists of clothing items she would actually wear, and her bathroom counter isn’t crowded with all those feminine cosmetic preparations that other girls seem to have. This means that she won’t take forever to get dressed and made up whenever she goes out on a date.
#2 She’s practical. Why spend money on an expensive restaurant when you can have your date at home with a six pack and some Chinese takeout in front of Netflix? A low-maintenance girl minds how she spends her money and how you spend your money on her. She’s the type that doesn’t need evenings out and fancy clothes to make her happy. [Read: How to plan a romantic evening with your girl when you’re broke]
#3 She’s into a drama-free relationship. You don’t need to take her to expensive restaurants to impress her; she’s chill and totally laid back. You don’t get crying tantrums if you fail to call her back after work, and you don’t even have to plan elaborate surprises and expensive gifts for your anniversary because she won’t have any of it. She’s like a bro and a girlfriend combined into one perfect companion.
The drawbacks of dating a Low-Maintenance Girl
While it might seem that this elusive low-maintenance girl is the best possible girlfriend material, you might be missing some of the drawbacks of falling into the arms of this type of girl. As popular wisdom says, there are two sides to every coin.
#1 She might expect you to be low-maintenance too. What if you have needs that upset her lifestyle, or like to make things a little more fancy every once in a while? If your low-maintenance girl wants everything to stay frugal and easy, you might find yourself being ditched for being too much of a diva.
#2 There’s less romance and passion. One of the reasons people fall deeply in love is because of the romance involved. Your low-maintenance girl may be good to hang out with in front of the TV, but where’s the room for a romantic date and a little passion every once in a while? Don’t expect your girl to bother doing those cheesy things that couples do, even if you want to. [Read: 15 reasons why you may be getting bored with your relationship]
#3 The relationship may quickly become boring. Because there are no frills, no fights, and no fusses about your relationship, you might fall into a routine faster than you should. There will be no surprises to keep the heart racing, and expect little reaction from her if you decide to spice things up between the two of you. If both of you are too laid back to think of something new to maintain interest in the relationship, the only option is to leave and find a new one.
#4 The relationship might become vulnerable. Keeping up with a low-maintenance girl is easier than keeping up with an average girl. This means that you won’t go through the usual difficulties that other couples would have—and this lack of shared experience may make your relationship vulnerable to bigger issues instead. Fights, arguments, and challenges forge your relationship just as much as all the positive things. If you chose her because she’s just easy to keep, expect that she’ll be just as easy to lose. [Read: 18 relationship turn offs that can ruin romance]
#5 The relationship may be short-lived. Having a low-maintenance girlfriend is fun at the beginning, but might reach an anti-climatic stalemate later on. If neither of you will get creative, your good start could spiral into something ugly, boring, or simply dull.
#6 You might take her for granted. Low-maintenance girls are easy companions and they don’t require much from you. This makes it easy to take them for granted. Just because she doesn’t ask for much attention from you doesn’t mean that you can neglect her relationship needs. The problem with this is that you think that she’s cool with everything. Missed anniversary? Cool. Cancelled a date because you’re going to watch football with your bros instead? Cool. While she can handle that for so long, it’s no reason to treat her like she’s not important. [Read: 12 bad girl traits every guy desperately wants in his girl]
As the oldies say, there is no perfect relationship and certainly no perfect partner. The real world of relationships is far from perfect, and your only choice is to work together, share equal responsibility, and cherish your experiences so you can make it almost perfect, after all.
