The qualities you consider to be instant deal breakers in a potential partner will likely change over time, but there are certain qualities that will always be huge, pulsating red flags with fireworks going off right in your face. These are instant deal breakers and they should never, ever be ignored. Once you notice these things about a guy, your interest in pursuing any kind of relationship with him should drop down to below zero.
- He has bad hygiene. It takes a special kind of idiot to have bad hygiene. If a guy fails to accomplish simple tasks like showering or brushing his teeth, he is smelly and broken and doesn’t deserve any of your time. You don’t want to get to the point where you solemnly look out the window one day and realize that the man you’re dating can’t even wipe his ass properly. Your therapist will quit on you.
- He has crappy friends. A guy’s friends speak volumes about his character. The company he chooses to keep will be a dead giveaway to the choices he makes and the kind of person he is. If the guy hangs around a bunch of obnoxious, douchey, dishonest jerks, there’s a significant chance he will be the same way. Run. Run away fast before you choke to death on a lung-liquefying cloud of Axe body spray.
- He’s irresponsible with money. Money management is a basic adult skill. If he fails to make wise financial decisions and makes no effort to change bad spending habits he will be a waste of your time. His money problems can easily become your money problems. It isn’t your fault that he’s thousands of dollars in debt because he can’t control himself around Mountain Dew. Don’t get involved. Your credit score with thank you.
- He’s into heavy drug/alcohol use. Drinking (and the occasional joint) is perfectly fine, but if he ever tells you about that one time last week when he woke up naked in a Walmart parking lot surrounded by beer cans, syringes, and tufts of hooker hair, you’ve got a problem. You will always be less important to this guy than his partying ways. No, you can’t change him and no, he won’t love you forever for it. The blimp is already on fire and crashing is inevitable. Don’t get on board.
- He’s perpetually lazy. Everyone deserves some days when they watch something they don’t even like because they can’t reach the remote, but you don’t want to mess with a guy who is so lazy that it’s destructive. He’ll put effort into finding a bag of potato chips but not much else. Move along before his laziness infects you and you start to feel jealous towards Doritos.
- He’s unreliable. It isn’t difficult to follow through. You say you’ll do something, and then you do it. It’s incredibly frustrating dealing with someone who is incapable of doing that. A guy’s unreliable behavior shows a complete lack of respect for you and the plans you made together. He obviously doesn’t care, so why should you? Go find someone who will actually show up to your bouncy castle date.
- He’s disrespectful. No one wants to be around the girl who doesn’t speak up when her boyfriend is a jerk to her friends. It should never even get that far. The second you notice the guy bad-mouthing your friends or your family, it’s time to give him the boot. Something is very wrong with him if he thinks it’s okay to disrespect the people you care about. You shouldn’t have to monitor his behavior like he’s a robot that’s slowly becoming sentient. Dump his ass.