After a four-year relationship, he gave me a toilet seat for my birthday present. He said: “I knew you needed one and I couldn’t think of what else to get you.” And he didn’t even wrap it!

—Wanda

Aftermath: Unfortunately, I’m reminded of him every day, actually several times a day.

I knew it was over when he bought me a copy of World of Warcraft for my 18th birthday.

—AllyCatraz

Aftermath: It officially ended on our two-year anniversary, when he called me to say he wouldn’t be picking me up from work because he “just got into a group for a raid” in on the online game. We’re still friends though.

Four months in, he asked if he could stay with me while working in my town. Two months stretched into six, then he said he had another job coming up and wanted to continue living with me. He had just settled out of court for custody of his kid, so I knew he was no longer saving money for a lawyer. I asked him to contribute 1/3 of the rent in my new apartment. He told me it “wasn’t worth it” to him to pay $350/month to stay.

—RC

Aftermath: I said it “wasn’t worth it” to me to date a freeloader and kicked him out. Two days later, he got back with the ex even though he had spent a year talking about how much he hated her. I guess the free rent at her mom’s house is “worth it.”

She had a bit of a drinking problem. It was over when after a date, she knew she had too much to drink and would likely pass out. She felt guilty and said I could go ahead and have sex with her while she was out…

—Dustin

Aftermath: It did drag on for awhile, but only got worse. Last I heard she was in and out of rehab.

I met a wonderful, smart, attractive man who was, surprisingly, interested in pursuing a relationship. It was fun, sexy, and the most “adult” relationship I’ve had to date. I should have known, though, that as soon as I saw his girl hands—his tiny, tapered, dainty fingers—I had found my deal-breaker. Unless he planned on mountain-climbing bare-handed to toughen those bad boys up, there was no way they were coming near me again.

—Lydia

Aftermath: We dated for a few months, but the hands, combined with growing emotional dependence, sent me running. We’re still friends. He doesn’t know why I really broke it off.