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Many guys (and girls) like having a friend with benefits. It’s great, it’s easy, and it’s less work than a relationship. Most friends with benefits relationships are clear. You text each other. One person comes over. You have sex. You hang out.

You may talk about work or your personal life, but the relationship is low-key and chill. You have rules. It’s clear. Right?

But what if you also do activities together? What if one of you spends the night sometimes?

Are you two dating, or are you friends with benefits?

Don’t get trapped! You may THINK that you are dating someone, when in fact it’s just a friends with benefits relationship that mirrors dating…to an extent.

Below are 6 signs that you are just friends with benefits, and NOT actually dating.

Ladies: Don't fall into this trap.

6 Signs you are Just Friends with Benefits

1. You Text More than You Call

You may be friends with benefits if you text each other more than you talk on the phone. It’s easy to send a quick text to someone.

It requires effort to call someone and ask about their day.

If the guy or girl you are sleeping with doesn’t take the time to call you on a regular basis, you are not a priority in their life.

2. You Don’t Go Out With Their Friends

When you are dating someone, you WANT your friends to meet them. If you *think* you are dating someone, yet they haven’t introduced you to their friends…take it as a red flag that you are just friends with benefits.

3. The Other Person Doesn’t Go Out with You and Your Friends

Similarly, if someone comes up with excuses on why they can’t go out with you and your friends – take it as a red flag that they don’t want a relationship with you.

They don’t want to date you. They just want sex.

4. You Don’t See Each Other Friday and/or Saturday Night

Friday night is prime time date night, with Saturday night is an alternative.

If you are seeing someone and the two of you aren’t spending prime time together, you might actually not be dating.

5. You Don’t Hold Hands in Public

Holding hands is a way to show people that the two of you are together and are a couple.

If you and the person you are seeing don’t hold hands in public, take it as a sign that you are just fuck buddies.

6. There is No Relationship Talk

If you have been “dating” for 2-3 months and neither of you has brought up the conversation of being exclusive, you are just friends with benefits.

But Wait! We Get Dinner at Fancy Places. What Does That Mean?

What about the gray areas? Let’s say you get dinner together. Maybe you are a woman dating a man, and he takes you out to a nice restaurant every other week. Then you are certainly dating – right? WRONG!! A dinner is a small price to pay for regular sex.

Below are things that *seem* like the two of you are in a relationship. Don't get fooled. These are not signs that you two are dating.

Things That Scream “Dating” That Aren’t

- Dinners. Dinners every week or every other week does not equal dating.
- Activities together. Playing tennis together, throwing a Frisbee around on a Saturday afternoon, or checking out a new lunch spot does not count as dating.
- Daily texts. Texts are easy to send. A guy (or a girl) can easily send a “Good morning!” text or a “Have a great day!” text. Daily texts do not equal dating. Daily texts are an easy way to keep someone engaged and to string them along.
- Words of affirmation. Phrases like, “I miss you” or “You are sexy” do NOT equal dating. These things are easy to say.
- Kissing each other. You may kiss each other. That’s just a warm-up to sex.
- Staring into each other’s eyes during sex. It’s not dating. It’s just hot sex.