Money & Relationships: Dating Red Flags
Money and dating can be a messy mix, but it doesn't have to be!
This week, Reagan sits down with three experts to talk about why one in five Kiwi couples fight over cash. We dive into first-date red flags, the reality of dating in 2026, and why more people are quite literally investing into their love lives.
Where’s My Money Podcast | February 16th 2026, Interview with Compatico CEO Elise Dalrymple-Keast
Listen to the podcast episode here
Interview:
Reagan White:
Elise Dalrymple-Keast, the CEO and founder of Compatico. Thanks for coming in.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Thank you for having me. It's very exciting to be here.
Reagan White:
We've known each other for ages through working in radio back in the day. But you've been on an amazing personal journey, which is probably enough for an entire podcast of its own. But tell me about Compatico. What is it and how is it different to the likes of something like Tinder or Bumble?
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Compatico is a matchmaking agency specifically for people aged 30 to 70 plus. Our members literally range from 30 years old all the way up to 86 at present, and we have success stories across all those age brackets.
We've actually just had a 73 year old and an 80 year old who said they've found the loves of their lives.
The big part of why people use Compatico, and how it's different from an app, is that there are no public profiles. We are a human-to-human matchmaking service.
That means you apply to join, and if we think you'd be a great fit for Compatico then we do a police check, we meet every member, we interview them, and we write their profile.
Once they're happy with the profile it goes live in our system. We only share profiles if we genuinely think we have a match.
We send the profile to each person individually and if they both agree to meet, then we put them in contact so they can go on a date.
Reagan White:
So paying for that buys back time for people, but also gives them the confidence that this person is actually worth meeting. How do you think money changes behavior once someone is dating?
Do you think that someone who is paying for matchmaking shows up differently to a first date knowing they've both invested financially?
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Yes and no.
Sometimes I think regardless of how much money someone has, people still need feedback. If someone has been out of the dating world for a long time we do sometimes hear things like, this person showed up but maybe they weren't presented as well as they could have been.
The good thing about our service is that we collect that feedback and can pass it along.
Reagan White:
So it's like an Uber rating.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Exactly.
Reagan White:
Down to 4.8 stars. Sorry buddy, you didn't tie your shoes.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Exactly. Sometimes it's simple things like, maybe iron your shirt next time.
But generally we find people are very intentional. They show up, they don't muck around.
If we introduce two people they go on the date, they give us feedback, and they make a decision.
Whereas on the apps it can really drag. You can message someone for weeks and still wonder if you're ever actually going to meet.
Reagan White:
Totally. Stop kicking the can down the road. Or sending eggplant emojis every day. Let's get this show on the road.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Exactly.
Reagan White:
Good to know there's a zero tolerance policy for unconsensual eggplant emojis.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Yes, absolutely.
Reagan White:
Going back to the vetting process. When you're helping people write their profiles, how often are you talking about financial ambition?
Is that a big part of what people are looking for?
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Yes, it's definitely something we ask about.
We ask what someone is looking for in terms of financial compatibility. Most people say they'd prefer someone who is roughly on the same level and can keep up with their lifestyle.
That can mean different things for different clients.
Some people might already own a house or have built up a nest egg and want someone who is in a similar position.
Then we also have people who have been incredibly successful in business and whose net worth might be in the millions. In those cases they often say they want someone who can, as I've heard more than once, sit up the front of the plane with them.
Reagan White:
Do you think this is the future of dating?
We saw a big shift with apps. Before that there was phone dating, then websites like NZDating.com, then Tinder, Bumble and Grindr.
Now there's this highly curated and highly personalized matchmaking experience.
Is this where dating is heading?
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
I do think so.
I think free, low-commitment options will always have a place. Especially for people who are younger or live in remote areas.
But if you're coming back to dating later in life, maybe after a separation or divorce, and you've built a life for yourself, you're often incredibly busy.
You might have children. You might have a demanding career.
You're time poor.
You don't want to spend hours swiping through apps or meeting people who have nothing in common with you.
Reagan White:
Honestly the Tinder experience at my stage of life sounds horrific.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Exactly.
And people lie about their age a lot.
It's less common in your twenties and thirties, but in the 50 plus age bracket it's actually very common.
I've heard countless stories of people showing up to dates and realizing the person is clearly ten years older than what they said on their profile.
Reagan White:
"I'm 27, I swear."
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Exactly. Or it's even a different name.
If you start a date knowing someone has already lied to you, it's very hard to build trust from that point.
That's why I think services like Compatico will continue to grow in popularity because they offer a much better alternative.
It also becomes harder to meet people as you get older because the dating pool shrinks.
It's comforting to know that someone is actively looking for great matches for you instead of relying on a random algorithm.
Reagan White:
What's one piece of advice you'd give someone who is considering jumping back into the dating world? Not necessarily a university student, but someone in their thirties or older.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Make sure you're happy within yourself first.
Dating can absolutely be worth it. The reward of meeting someone great is incredible.
But dating can also be brutal at times and it can knock your confidence.
So you need to feel secure in yourself and be doing it for the right reasons.
If you're coming out of a relationship, do the work first.
Process what you've been through. Talk to a therapist or counselor if you need to.
Doing that inner work gives you a much better chance of building a healthy relationship in the future.
Reagan White:
Don't bring the baggage into the next relationship.
Elise Dalrymple-Keast:
Exactly.
You need to know that you like who you are.
If you go on a few dates and someone decides you're not the right fit for them, that's okay.
Because you still like yourself, and that's the most important thing.
If you're curious whether Compatico could be right for you, book a 15-minute Zoom with our friendly team here.