"When I'm with someone, they're making sure I've got everything I need financially for the week, like my grocery, rent or textbooks." Photo / Getty
"When I'm with someone, they're making sure I've got everything I need financially for the week, like my grocery, rent or textbooks." Photo / Getty
Extravagant dinners, yacht sailing, five-star hotels and spontaneous getaway trips are just some of the perks of being a Sugar Baby for this 21-year-old woman.
University of Queensland student Olivia offers her company to wealthy sugar daddies in exchange for money to cover her living expenses and tuition fees, reports the Daily Mail
And the fourth-year education and arts student, from Brisbane, said she has enough cash left over to save for a deposit on a property.
"I'm trying to crack into the property market," Olivia told Daily Mail Australia.
"The dream for any young person is to own a home. I would love to own a house or an apartment. Realistically, the goal wasn't so achievable before."
"At first, I was kind of like 'why not?' If I've tried other dating sites, why not try this one? I'm a 'try everything once' kind of person," she explained.
"I was more curious to sign up than anything. I've done a bunch of those popular dating apps and it didn't work out for me, so I gave this a try. I guess when you're used to using online dating websites and apps, why not try another?"
"The only thing I could really say is this [Seeking Arrangement] is very different to the other dating websites I've been on."
"It's not like 'oh, let's grab coffee' - but they would take you out to nice dinners instead of just meeting up."
"On the first date, it's just like any other first date. It's not as if you show up and get given an envelope full of cash - it's not like that at all."
"It's completely different altogether. At a point, we would have more of a discussion - we talk about what we both want, here's what I can provide you and here's what I can provide them."
"We would talk about how many times we'd meet each week, what are you expecting from this - you have to be honest."
"Yes, I would love my own income, but at the end of the day, if someone wants to help me out." Photo / Getty
Olivia - who is studying to become a teacher - said the financial help from older men has given her more time to study and see her family and friends.
"I could be working 30 hours a week at my jobs - or I could work 10 hours and be with someone who cares and supports me financially," she said.
"Yes, I would love my own income, but at the end of the day, if someone wants to help me out - that gives me extra time to see my family, work with kids I volunteer with and study."
Olivia said she has been on countless dates with men, and was involved in three long-term relationships.
Her weekly allowance has been ranging anywhere between $250-$1,000 - depending on the circumstance she is in at the time.
"I have to do unpaid work in my field so there have been weeks where I'm on prac [work experience] for uni - so I'll be working five days a week unpaid," she said.
"So these allowances help take the stress away from going to my retail jobs during those weeks - and I also have time put aside to write my thesis."
"Having that time back is amazing for me. That's probably the best thing about being with someone who genuinely cares and wants you to succeed, see me happy and strive for the best."
Olivia said she doesn't use the relationships to treat herself to expensive gifts. "It's different for everybody," she said.
"For me, I'm not someone who wants to receive lavish gifts. Even though a designer handbag would be nice, I know it's not practical for me."
"When I'm with someone, they're making sure I've got everything I need financially for the week, like my grocery, rent or textbooks."
"We would go somewhere nice to take the stress away from studying. Like go out to a lovely dinner, walk along the river - it's just all really refreshing."
She described the romantic element and arrangements mirrored like any other "boyfriend-girlfriend" relationship.
"If you're already on dating apps, try something different, why not?" Photo / Getty
"It's a lot more normal than it seems," she said.
"I'm an honest person, I like to know what their expectations are. When you meet someone, you're not obliged to have sex."
"But if that's what they want, I would tell them that I'm not going to meet their expectations rather than waste their time."
"The media has kind of sensationalised the whole aspects of sugar babies and sugar daddies - even those titles itself sounds really strange and funny."
"A lot of people would assume how its portrayed in the media - but it's surprisingly normal.
Olivia said she has also been whisked away on spontaneous trips.
"We would spend time together relaxing. Get a massage, stay at hotels, eat amazing seafood, go to the beach or sail on a yacht out at sea," she said.
"We went to the rainforest for the weekend, where we stayed at a treetop. I've been on a lot of day trips or even business trips just to keep him company."
She admitted only her close friends knew about her Sugar Baby life - and they've all been supportive of her choice.
And for any young student who is interested to join, Olivia said: "You really don't have much to lose."
"If you're already on dating apps, try something different, why not?" she said.
"But at the same time, don't ever feel that you're wrong for doing it. It's been so sensationalised, but it's just like any other relationship you're in from dating sites."
"If you want a car and handbag - and someone wants to pay for it, there are no wrong ways to do it, as long as you feel comfortable and can sleep at night, then go ahead."
