For the Ladies - When That Bill Comes

Hello again my loyal lady readers.  The information provided by 'Small Wonder' in her riveting 'expose' hit on a lot of good points, but one that specifically caught my attention and one that I think often gets overlooked:

What to do when the bill comes after that first dinner date. 

On those first few dates, when two people are getting to know each other, everything has meaning and everything can be interpreted and/or over-analyzed.  Fortunately in our society one of these 'things' has already been figured out for us (previously an unwritten rule, I'm going to put it in writing for you).

As a woman, it is ALWAYS appropriate to offer to pay for your half of the meal on the first few dates.
BUT
If you have interest in pursuing a further relationship you should NEVER actually pay.

Offering to pay shows that you are a genuine person and that you aren't just out for a free meal.  It is a great gesture. 
If the guy allows you to pay, however, it means one of two things.  A) He isn't looking for a second date, or B) he's cheap.  Either way, this is a bad news.

In the same regards, if you insist on paying then it signals to the guy that you are not interested in a second date - you 'feel bad' making him pay because you know this isn't going anywhere and you aren't going to reciprocate down the line. 

To sum up:  Offering to pay on a first date is classy.  Actually paying says there will be no second.