We cannot decide for you how old is too old and whether a 20-year old should date a 50-year old. It works out sometimes and sometimes it doesn’t. But before you date someone older, consider these factors because dating someone older IS different from dating someone your own age.

Dating An Older Woman Or Older Man

• The Generation Gap

The most common problem couples face when they’re dating someone not in their age group is the generation gap. Example: For you, Billy Ray Cyrus is Miley Cyrus’ father; for them Miley Cyrus is Billy Ray Cyrus’s daughter. You get my drift? This can be fun and some couples thrive on it but in a lot of cases if you don’t get with it, it’s frustrating for you and for them. So if the generation gap can’t be bridged, they’re probably too old for you to handle.

• Spontaneity

The older people get, the more they get set in their ways and lose their enthusiasm for spontaneous stuff. So if you’re the type who lives on impulse, loves trying new things and will do stuff at a moment’s notice, you’ll need someone to keep up with you. Sometimes an older partner can curb your spontaneity and that’s when you know it’s not for you.

• Life Experience

Carrying on from the last point…. Older people are less spontaneous sometimes because they’ve already experienced a lot of the stuff you’re about to do now. This can be good because you can learn from their experiences but if you’d rather have your own experiences, this can end up annoying you as you’ll see it as a way for them to hold you back. This is when old is too old.

• Commitment Issues

Your older boyfriend or girlfriend has been around the block and might not be looking for anything too serious. Sometimes that’s the reason they date younger people so the “C” word can be avoided altogether. If you’re looking for something serious and they don’t want to commit, you know what to do!

• The Offspring

It’s possible your girlfriend or boyfriend has children from a marriage or a previous relationship and sometimes they might even be your age! If you’re not prepared to deal with the baggage of children and possibly reduced intimate time, you probably need to find someone younger or at least someone with no children.

• Health Issues

The older you get, the more complicated your health issues become. I’m not saying every person is waiting to drop dead right after they turn 40. I’m just saying there bound to be some complications and these health and medical issues will impact them and you. So if your partner has some chronic health issues and you’d rather not make it your problem right now, dating an older person might not be for you.

• Money Matters

Not every older person is loaded so don’t just date someone older because you think they have the money. They probably have a lot more responsibilities and commitments than you so don’t always expect them to be spending crazy amounts on you. If they do have the money, think about how their spending and lifestyle affects you because I know some people don’t like it when their partner has way more money than them. If it doesn’t really affect you either way, there ain’t nothing to worry about!

We are not trying to put you off dating someone older, just putting all the facts out there so you know what you’re getting into!