The Buying GF meme originated within the massive multiplayer online role-playing game RuneScape during the early 2000s. It refers to the common practice of players standing in populated areas and typing the phrase to solicit an in-game romantic partner, often offering a small sum of gold like 10,000 gp. While initially a genuine social interaction for some, it quickly evolved into a self-deprecating joke and a symbol of the 'noob' experience. Today, it is used across social media to represent online dating struggles, gaming nostalgia, or any situation involving a desperate or humorous transaction. It remains one of the most recognizable artifacts of early 2000s internet culture.