Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Is an online dating site right for me.

I am a single mom and have a full time job so getting out and trying to meet new people is a chore. I would like to date and my friends are pressuring me to join an online dating site. Is this a good idea or does it just reek of desperation?
~Single and Searching.

Online dating is actually a sensible alternative to meeting people in bars or night clubs. It doesn't reek of desperation. In fact, with more and more people sharing their success stories from online dating sites, it has become much more acceptable and even trendy.

Signing up is free at Match.com® Official Site or you can get a  7 Day Free Trial @ Chemistry.com.  The monthly cost of a membership at an online dating site is often less than the cost of one night of bar hopping with your friends. Plus, having a profile on an internet dating site makes you available to be found at any time. Which means that your exposure to new people is not limited to just the time that you are out looking to socialize.

The best approach to internet dating is to treat it like any other social networking site. You want to start by just finding new friends. Communicate with these new friends throught the dating sites anonymous email system until you decide whether they are worth getting to know better.  Another advantage to online dating is the ability to remain anonymous and not give out any personal information. This is a great feature, especially for women.

Of course, as a single parent you will want to take a few extra precautions. On your profile you will want to be honest and mention that you have children, how many and whether they live with you but you should not post pictures of your children or provide their names. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but it's better to be safe than sorry. You want people to know what they are getting into if they would like to start dating you but you don't want to advertise your children to potentially bad people.

If you'd like to get some other opinions, you should take a look at this blog that discusses online dating.

3 comments:

  1. Good post. I think there's no shame in internet dating (I've done it!). And it is right to "treat it like any other social networking site" as you say. Phil

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  2. I agree with the idea that treating online dating like other social networking sites and getting to know people works best, but there's one big problem with that idea: the vast majority of people on those sites seem to feel strongly that exchanging more than a few brief emails is not only a waste of time, it's counterproductive. The standard advice in related forums seems to be that if you "let it go" beyond two or three emails, you're establishing the wrong kind of relationship and it will never go anywhere. The norm (and the advice) seems to point to getting on the phone once you've exchanged a hundred words or so in online messages...which doesn't mirror what happens naturally in social networking forums at all. Imagine getting and responding to two Tweets from someone and then jumping on the phone or setting up a meeting.

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  3. The thing about online dating is that it all comes down to your mentality, on how you see it. I have had this wonderful dating experience which might be quite surprising for many people who read this.
    Go to this website that focuses on love, friendship, dating, sign up, and start looking for your perfect match with a real-time chat facility

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