Read the past 6 months of threads on this board and it probably should cover most all SA topics that newbies will encounter.  

Imo it's fine to talk about $$. Some people would rather do it in person. Some people like to get it out of the way before meeting so there are no surprises (myself included). It's all a matter of personal preference.

SB / SD 101

Huffington Post commented: Some women in college have turned to a new kind of job to pay for school. It's safe to say many sugar babies aren't reporting this income to the Internal Revenue Service, making them part of what a University of Wisconsin study estimates is a $2 trillion underground economy.

From the SA site "Sugar Baby Perks".

Financial Stability: Unpaid bills no longer have to be a concern.

Find a Mentor: Established Sugar Daddies offer valuable guidance for long-term stability.

Date Experienced Men: Start dating gentlemen who leave the dating games alone.

Be Pampered: Indulge in shopping sprees, expensive dinners, and exotic travels.

We provide Relationships on Your Terms.

Where Sugar Babies enjoy a life of luxury by being pampered with fine dinners, exotic trips and allowances. In turn, Sugar Daddies or Mommas find beautiful members to accompany them at all times.

What-is-an-arrangement. Mutually Beneficial Arrangements.

Every successful relationship is an arrangement between two parties. In business, partners sign business agreements that outline their objectives and expectations. Likewise, romantic relationships can only work if two people agree on what they expect, and what they can give and receive from each other.

Sugar Daddy Webester: well-to-do usually older man who supports or spends lavishly on a mistress, girlfriend, or boyfriend: a generous benefactor of a cause or undertaking.

Sugar Daddy http://www.urbandictionary.com: Like a genie. He may be a little old, but if a girl rubs his lamp, he'll grant her wishes. She uses her sugar daddy for his money, but he sure gets some service in return!

I think it's important to understand roles...

As I see it, a "Sugar Daddy" provides some form of financial incentive to a "Sugar Baby" to spend time with him. I've seen the posts "I don't spend a dime" or "I want it for free" so be it for you all, great you have found what you seek. For the rest of us, as advertised by the SA site, Webster, Huffington Post & Wikipedia a Sugar Daddy trades cash for a Sugar Babies time.

I consider myself fortunate in that I've only been on the site little over a month & have met 6 Sugar babies. Five of which have led to great after dinner entertainment, couple of those more that once.  I have two new future meetings lined up over the next week.  I met a 22 yr old who is a nymphomaniac that does not care about the $$ she just loves the sex (she asked that I keep her ID to myself so please don't ask, you will just have to get lucky)

In my profile my public pic I post an image of me. Granted due to angle & content of the image a 10 Man / Woman lineup would have a tough time nailing me however it is me. This image is part of your profile & all the Sugar Babies can see it. I post several "Private" images which are also me, more revealing that my public image however no naked or posed crap, just me.

The initial exchange with SB's: From what I have experienced many are young & intimidated so to ease the tension for first time meetings I offer lunch/dinner drinks type meet & greet at public place; this is as much for me as her..  If we hit it off, we move to phase two, if not I pick up the tab & give her a hug goodbye.  Of the six SBs I've met I've only had one hug & goodbye experience that may just lead to other fun times down the road time will tell.  Meeting place is of her choosing within the area we define up front. Now I don't offer Ruth Chris or the Chart House, but mid-placed nice restaurants, don't pick McD's or KFC, come on now. During one dinner my last SB she mentioned her previous date with an SD opened the conversation with "OK so we have a $50 budget, do you want to just get a couple drinks or an appetizer?" Really dude; wholly crap. Granted this is not "e-friggin-harmony" and we are not looking for a life time relationship, but really?

In messages exchanges I'm respectful honest & direct, no bull shitting. I've had my share of those who are looking for a really big catch, I simply wish them luck as I'm not that guy. I've had some who offered to see me several times a week for a reduced cost.  Some want a Monthly fee;  I defer to an as we meet thing.  Have had others inform me we'll need to go to dinner several times before even thinking about anything else, or that I must pay them to have dinner to see if we are compatible, those I wish well also.  I don't mind picking up a tab for dinner I will not give her $$ just to sit with me in a public place.

I do not hare my phone # over SA IM messages..  If they are willing to send me their # I txt them back with a hello message.

I've had one SB after a successful visit come to my house..  She has been only one, rode with me from a local restaurant & I highly doubt she could locate me driving on her own, this may be risky but it's hard with you have a hot bodied 22 yr old who absolutely loves sex....    

I ask them if they care to have their link on SA shared if not I will not share that info..  Again respect to them..

I've had numerous message exchanges with SBs where all looks really great then all of a sudden they are gone, profile deleted...  No heart break I move on...  I've had SBs from another state message me asking for $$ for food as they have not eaten all day, I simply say sorry I can't help out.  Some out of the blue have offered a full body massage with HJ at rates far & above going rates I politely decline.

You are taking on a role as a SD; be prepared to spend a couple $ on food / drinks and of course the SB. If you are looking for a free adventure try the local bar, e-Harmony or some other venue.

I figured when I posted this in December, 2016 that it would be asked again. That's why I saved the text on my PC. Wonder if there is a way to "pin" this to the top of the board...?
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SA Newbie Advice:

I recently received a PM from a user with some questions about trying the "sugar" life. I think my answers may be of interest to some:  
 
Original question (edited for privacy):  
 
Hi. I have not tried sugar babies.  I have stuck to providers in the area.  I'm curious about your experience.  What do you pay and, more importantly, is it worth it?  
Thanks  
 
 
My (unfortunately long) reply:  
 
Hi,  

Simple questions, very complicated answers...  
 
I'll try to give you the key basics as defined by my experiences:  
 
Booking: Booking with an SB is fuzzy, you get to see pics and read her profile, but there are no TER-style reviews so you will need to TOFTT to find out what she will do, what she will expect as "sugar" (i.e.: $$) and if she is cool or totally bat shit crazy.  Next, finding an SB to set up a one-time thing and/or ongoing thing is much more like hiring an employee than booking a service like a plumber.  When hiring a new employee you may need to read up to 100 resumes (profiles) to find 10 that you want to meet. Next you may need to interview (meet & greet) 10-20 of those to find 2 or 3 that will agree to take the job with a negotiated salary (sugar per session or per month) and negotiated benefits (travel, shopping, overnights, etc.).  Finally you will need to pick 1 (or two or three if you have the budget and physical/mental stamina) for a weekly, 2 times a month, or whatever schedule you want.  There is a parallel case where an SB will immediately agree to meet now-ish for a per meet deal with no specific schedule or even promise for repeat meetings.    
 
Meets: Meetings are typically multi-hour (or longer including overnight, weekend travel, etc.) and tend to be (for me MUST be) very date-ish and GFE-ish; maybe a meal at a nice restaurant, a movie or shopping, then behind closed doors (BCD) for intimacy. After, she should stay for cuddle time, etc.  No clock watching allowed!    
 
Budget:  This one is tricky. Although you should be able to negotiate a per meet amount that is lower than the same "quality" in a pro, you will probably be repeating on a regular basis much more frequently than you might with a pro, and you incur additional expense from the non-intimate sugar activities like shopping, concert tickets, meals, etc.  You will need to make sure you know what your per session, or per month (divide monthly allowance by # of expected meets per moth) spend is to negotiate within your STATED budget, PLUS you will need to know how much you will spend on additional "sugar" to calculate your ACTUAL budget (session + extra sugar = total spend).  Important:  She will want more. Some will want A LOT more and demand that they are worth it. If they are worth it to you AND you don't need to mortgage your house or sell your (car/boat/stock/kids/wife/stolen military secrets/blood/etc.) to fund it, then have fun! If not (and this is key to long time success!) just say no and move on, or counter and then stay firm (no pun intended).  
 
Longevity: Get used to transiency.  Some SD/SB arrangements don't survive after the first BCD meet up. Some (rare ones) will go on for several months or more. My longest was about 20 months and ended poorly. But most will last an average of 2 to 4 months-ish.  Why? You or she could lose interest, find some one you/she think(s) will be "better", her inner "crazy" will start to emerge (had one 19 yr old that 48 hours after our first afternoon of off-the-hook fun called me panicked that she was going to jail for a non-injury hit and run and needed $2500 for a lawyer. It just got worse from there.) and you will want to distance your self while ramping up with another or taking a break.    
 
Final note:  YMMV. Use this advice as a guide and as you are cooking up your own opportunities, "season to taste" along the way.   Then hop on the message board and share, please.  
 
As to your specific questions:  
1. What do you pay?  This will vary by area; market forces drive the economics. The real question you need to answer is: What will YOU pay?  
2. Is it worth it? I'll let you know once I figure that out!  
 
Hope that helps.  
 
HerbTCat  
 
I welcome comments and other perspectives from all.

When I do I only help a girl friend pay some bills.      It's an arrangement to do just that.
To me the costs run about the same.    Paying for sex is against the law.    Sometimes the SB are behind on the bills and need some catchup help.    I have one long term and costs are about the same as an escort but much more like a girlfriend.    I pay insurance rent, repairs never know what they need.     Be careful to pay much in advance to a new SB they might take the money and run.    Has happened to me twice.    The one I have now has a judgment and pays $250 a month or can't drive.      Taking her on a 10 day trip to San Antonio and FT. hood to see her soldier child this week .     I'm  9 years older than her mother and have met her.   Lol.     My Baby would fight you over her SD.    When we met I rescued her from a situation.     They love sex but most young men won't give them the security an older man would.   She had 4 O's one date and usually 3.     Always has 2 O's at least.    Promised her $ 500 toward her bills every week.