Warning: The girl is using you!

A relationship is a new adventure and it's something to be excited about. Sure, every couple has a few early teething issues and past failures or mistakes often govern a person's mindset. This is normal and probably quite healthy to bear in mind when making decisions, but making a new relationship work involves opening yourself up to the fact you may get hurt.

That said, there are certain warning signs that could alert you to the notion that your partner isn't as keen on you personally as you may have hoped.
So how can you protect yourself from the type of girl who's just using you for what you can give to them? Whether it be an ego-boost, money, or a short distraction before someone else comes along, you don't want to find out she's really not that into you after it's too late.
Money
This may seem obvious, but it isn't always the case. A woman likes to feel special and a chivalrous man will be happy to buy dinner, drinks, tickets and other things. If a bloke expects a date to chip in with the bill right away he may come across as cheap, and that's the last thing you want. Generosity is an important trait, after all.
So, at the start of a relationship it's best to perhaps wait and see if her attitude to paying changes. But if you're past the third date and she's not offering to split the bill, alarm bells should go off.
The same rule applies when you meet a girl at a bar. Sure, buy her one, maybe two drinks, but come the third, it's her round.
It's all on her terms
A relationship involves compromise and flexibility. It's nice to know your partner will go out of her way to make you happy and vice versa. So, when you have no say in anything and find your girlfriend is only available when she wants to be, there's a problem.
Of course, she's entitled to her own life, but if she shows disinterest in everything you do and isn't prepared to go that extra mile, so to speak, the chances are she isn't keen on getting to know you.
An excellent tester is your friend's opinions, because they should be honest with you and want to see you happy. If you're girl makes no effort with your friends and family then it's fair to assume you're considered nothing more than a time-filler. She'll be out the door as soon as someone she considers better comes along.
Physical and emotional manipulation
Women have a great deal of power over men and they know it! First up, they generally know men lust after them and that we love sex, and secondly they also know how to play the victim and make us men feel guilty.
Emotional manipulation comes in many forms, and if your girl is using any of them she obviously doesn't respect you enough to communicate properly. You shouldn't put up with this.
One popular technique is weeding out previous bad experiences and weaving them into your current relationship to make you feel bad. Yes, she may have been treated poorly in the past, but that isn't your fault — and if she's not prepared to talk openly about it with you, there's nothing you can do. Yes, express concern and sympathy, but if you're dealing with a train wreck, then she's not seeing you in the right light.
Avoiding sex is a big one, too, especially when you've been dating for a little while. Of course, you can't expect to sleep with a girl right away and you certainly don't want to appear as though it's all you want, but you really shouldn't have to ask.
Women are sexual creatures as well, and most of them will have normal sex drives. If she really is into you and comfortable in the relationship, she'll most likely want to have sex with you as much as you want to get physical with her. If she's withholding, then you know there's something wrong.
Remember, what you get out of a relationship should be roughly what you put in. If you're genuinely treating your girlfriend with respect and showing her how much you care then she should return those feelings equally. You know why you are in the relationship and what you want out of it — so don't accept anything less.
How can you tell if your partner is using you? Have your say below