Viagra Etiquette: Splitting the Costs
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When I suggested to my boyfriend that he try Viagra to treat his “technical difficulties”, he thought it was a good idea, but now he is saying that he can’t afford the office visit and prescription, and wants me to pay for half the expenses. When I said no way, he pointed out that it was my idea in the first place, and that I would be getting as much out of it as him. He’s the one who has erectile dysfunction, so I think he should pay his own medical bills. Who’s right?
P. S. If I did pay for half and we broke up, would it be wrong to ask him for a refund for any unused portion of the Viagra?
Miss Everhard doesn’t want to get into the finer points of pill-splitting, so let’s just address the first part of your question, which will obviate the second part. If your boyfriend has had ED for any length of time – or even if he hasn’t – surely he is aware that Viagra is a viable and preferred option for treatment of erectile difficulties. If he’s acting as though taking Viagra never occurred to him before you suggested it, I’m inclined to suspect some disingenuousness on his part. I also suspect he’s a bit of a cheapskate. If you had a medical problem that was interfering with your sex life – a yeast infection, for example – would he offer to pay for half of your gynecologist visit and Monistat prescription? Would you expect him to? Until a couple is sharing finances in all areas, one partner is not expected to subsidize the other’s personal health care. As a compromise, tell him that you will not pay for half of his Viagra, but you are willing to forgo dinners out and other shared entertainment expenses until he is able to save enough money to cover the medical costs.