You sound as though your head is well around the subject. Relationships are precisely about spending time with another person and dating does not have to be about spending a lot of money.
Fellows who just want some 'action' should be targeting women who likewise are into bedroom gymnastics without commitment. Or they can invest their money directly on a 'professional service' and skip the amenities and dating.
Honesty, on the part of both men and women, will lead to far more satisfactory outcomes.
There are frequently ads in the local personal columns seeking friendship, someone to have coffee and socialize with, participate in activities. Many persons are single and lonely, yet perhaps do not want a full fledged physical relationship or a live-in.
Men and women ARE capable of psychological and intellectually supportive relationships, with or without physical intimacy.
Or at least some are.....
I like the concept of friends with benefits. It suggest a relationship that satisfies without any financial strings, which places both the man and the woman on a more equal level in the relationship.