OP..
You need some money, but not a lot of it. It basically comes down to who you are dealing with at the moment.
For instance, if you like going out to eat, then you need money. You need money for transportation in order to go out to eat. However, do you need a lot of money to eat? Depends on where you are eating.
Obviously, if you take a woman to a high end spot, then you will need more money. If you take her to a cool bistro type joint or a cultural type hole in a wall spot, then you don't need as much money.
At the end of the day, the rule of thumb is to live within your means. It should not matter what the woman thinks about it. If she is a good woman, then she will rock with you regardless if you can afford the finer things in life or not.
Just don't base your relationships off of money and material things. Otherwise, your relationship will be transactional. If you focus on the person and let it be known that you will be treated as someone who is dignified and respectable, then either she rocks with you or not.
Speaking for myself, I am not a bread breaking type of dude. I will live within my means. I will spend money, but my pockets will be controlled by me, not the woman. She will get what I can afford to give, if I wanna give anything.
Just my take on things...