Online Dating In Your 40′s – what should you look for in a site?

March 1st, 2012 | Posted by admin in 40s - (0 Comments)

People in their 40′s looking to try online dating will have a completely different set of wants and needs, compared to those that are dating in their twenties. Most 40+ singles have gone through serious relationships, divorces, or children. This make finding a like-minded match, even more important.

In addition to qualities like personality and looks, a mate’s future plans and how they might fit into their family should be taken into account. Extra precautions like background check or extra screenings may be necessary, if children are in the house.

Types of Sites For 40 Plus Singles

The type of dating site that is most appropriate for a person in their 40′s, depends on what they are looking for. If they want a serious relationship, sites like eHarmony or Match would most likely be the best fit.

Sites like eHarmony use questionnaires and personality profiling to find other members with similar attitudes and outlooks on life. These traits include things like Emotional Temperament, Social Style, Cognitive Mode, Physicality, Relationship Skills, Values, and Key Experiences.

They use a 200-400 question evaluation and use a proprietary algorithm to create matches with singles that have “like” characteristics. Their theory on match making is that people fit most naturally with others that have similar attitudes and core values. Research done by eHarmony suggests that many times we don’t naturally make the best choices as to the “type of person” who would be the best fit for us. The founders of eHarmony believe that the success rate of matchmaking based on these core traits is higher, than if we are allowed to choose what we are looking for on our own.

Should You Pick Your Own Matches or Should They Choose For You?

Match takes a different attitude towards matching and suggestions. They send you the top 5 matches based on your preferences, NOT a personality quiz. Unlike eHarmony, Match lets users take more of an active role in the type of person they want to date. This allows the dater to choose they type of relationship they want (serious or not), physical characteristics, age ranges, and personality types. Match is one of the most successful dating sites on the planet, so this system obviously has some merit to it.

Niche Sites Based On Ethnicity or Religion

Another type of dating site that people in the age range of 40-50 might consider, is a smaller niche site centered around religion or ethnicity. If religion is an essential characteristic that you are looking for, there are specialized sites built around Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The type of person you will find on this site are more dedicated to the principles of their faith and may fit the type of relationship your are searching for. The top sites based around religion are Christian Mingle, Jewcier, and Muslimfriends.

There have been some complaints towards eHarmony, stating that they don’t have an ethnically diverse database. One African American user noted that there was a small population of black members. In this case, a site based around your ethnic group may be more appropriate. Sites like BlackSingles, cater specifically to an african american demographic and are a good place to go if you feel they group you want to date in underrepresented in the large mainstream sites.

Dating For The Career Oriented

Another type of niche site that people in 40+ age range might consider is
“professional singles” dating. These sites are focused on career minded people who might not have time to date. One of the top sites in this category is ItsJustLunch. It allows daters to meet on their lunch break. This can be important for people who work nights or odd hours.

The bottom line is that there are a multitude of dating sites including large mainstream sites, religion oriented sites, and sites based around a specific ethnicity. They larger sites can match you according to characteristics and traits based on your personality. If you want to find matches based on a specific interest, religious inclination, or ethnic group, a smaller niche site may be more of what you are looking for.

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Online Dating For Widows – when is the right time?

February 22nd, 2012 | Posted by admin in Widowers - (0 Comments)

Dating a widower that had a long healthy relationship can be intimidating for any potential date. They might feel that they will always be compared to the husband or wife that has passed away. As a widower, you may have additional obstacles in addition to the normal dating difficulties. There are a few things you can do to ensure a better success rate and make the experience better for you and you potential date.

1) Search Specifically for Divorcees and Widows –  You might seek out people that are divorced or widowed, as they might be able to relate better to your situation. They will have difficult issues in their past relationships, just as you will. You can help each other through the process of greiving your old relationships, while you learn about each other and create a new one.

2) Create an accurate profile – Creating a dating profile is one of the most important parts of the online dating experience. It is what draws people to you and informs people of your life story. You shouldn’t shy away from telling people that you were widowed, as an honest life story will tend to draw people to you.

Dating Sites Specifically for Widows

Believe it or not there are dating sites set up specifically to serve widows. This may be helpful in order to meet people who are struggling with the same issues as well as to find new romantic connections. It might make you feel more comfortable to date someone who is a widow and can relate to what you are going through.

These widow specific dating sites include:

1) JustWidowDating.com

2) Widow.com

Major Dating sites or Small Sites Created Specifically For Widows?

Even though connecting with other widow can be helpful, the dating sites set up for this purpose might not offer you the best experience. Widow ONLY dating sites tend to be a very small niche group.

The userbases will be very small and odds that you will find an active user that fits the criteria of what you want in a significant other will be slim. Many of these people will be far outside of your local area, and the profiles may be out of date or non-responsive.

The large dating sites like eHarmony will serve widows just as well as widow-specific sites, but will have many more active members. EHarmony matches singles based on an extensive personality profile, so odds are that you will find a good connection with the other person in spite of this.

More Tips About Your Profile

It is important to be honest about what has happened to you, when you create a profile. An honest, accurate profile will let people understand you, your situation, in addition to any characteristics that might describe you.

Recently, a study was done to assess the impact that online dating had on widows and people that are divorced. This study showed that creating a dating profile which explained the back story of what happened to their old relationship and their goals of a future relationship, served to be helpful in the grieving process. The profiles helped them articulate how they were feeling about their losses, and also served to help them define new goals for their future.

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Dating Site Reviews – READ THIS FIRST!

February 20th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Site Reviews - (0 Comments)

In the last 20 years, online dating has grown from a small niche market into big business. Dating sites like eHarmony have grown dramatically in size as more people grow comfortable with internet dating. There are many different types of sites including paid membership sites, free sites, and smaller niche group sites. The type of dating site you may be interested in will definitely depend on your circumstances and the type of experience you are looking for. People looking to find love or marriage, seek to meet other members that are serious about their internet dating experience. These people should avoid “free” sites as the members tend to not be as committed to the process.

Membership Sites – why they offer a better experience for users

There are a few membership sites that seem to dominate in terms of providing a good user experience, having a large userbase, and matchmaking. These sites would include:

1) eHarmony – this site is one of the most well known brands and does quite a bit of television and internet advertising. The site launch in 2000 and has members from countries all over the world. The site was founded by a psychologist and relationship author “Neil Warren”. He used his relationship knowledge to create a system that sought to improve the dating experience with a better matchmaking system.

The site matches members based on a lengthy questionnaire that seeks to discover “core traits” about each individual and match people who are similar in these respects. The company has developed a proprietary algorithm that analyses an individuals questionnaire and their behavior on the site, to create better matches. Studies have shown that members who are match with eHarmony’s system have almost 2 times greater chance to become married than couple match on other systems.

2) Perfect Match – This dating site also has its own matchmaking system which creates connections based on the “Duet Total Compatibility System”. It was developed by a relationship expert and doctor who sought to use a psychological questionnaire to evaluate its members and find other users who had a similar profile.

The matching system works to match people in a way that is different from how eHarmony creates their matches. It evaluates users based on a questionnaire, then uses this information to find members with complementary personality traits (NOT like personality traits).

The site was founded in 2003 and has a very positive rating by its users.

Niche Dating Sites (Religious, Ethnic, Divorced, and Single Parent Focused Sites)

Recently, a new trend in online dating is moving towards smaller “niche” sites focused around a very specific group of people or interest. These sites are centered around topics such as religion, ethnicity, and hobbies.

There are many websites that are centered on a type of religion including Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Catholicism. These sites are made up entirely out of members of that particular religion. So, if finding a partner with a similar belief system is important to you, you should consider this. The largest religion based membership sites tend to be christian. These include:

1) Christian Mingle – this site is completely christian-centric and includes advice for christians seeking to date, as well as very large userbase. This site has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and is part of the Sparks Network. Which is a network of faith based websites. The memberships costs $30 per month.

2) Christian Cafe – this is a completely christian focused dating sites that was created in 1998. They have a lot of positive user testimonials and also a very reasonable subscription cost at around $8 per month.

Dating sites based around Judaism are also very prominent. The top sites in this category include:

1) Jewcier – this is Jewish centered site that was launched in 2010. It has a large userbase of single jewish people in the U.S., Isreal, and World abroad. The site recieves around 70,000 visitors each month and has a slightly larger female population than male.

2) JDate – Jdate.com is one of the most popular dating sites focused around Judaism. It has a “free” and “subscription” based service. Free users can browse and flirt with other members on the site, but interaction is limited. If a user upgrades their membership, they will have access to additional features including messaging, email, and chat. One interesting feature that Jdate offers is the ability of users to signal that there is a mutual interest. This has helped to increase the level of interaction on the site which can lead to successful dates.

Other types of niche sites are dedicated specifically single parent or people that are newly divorced. Top sites in this niche include:

1) Just Single Parents – this site offers single parents the ability to interact with other single people with children. The site is very user friendly and has compatibility testing, the creating of video profiles, and a short sign up time. Another great feature about this site is that it allows video based chat and texting through the site.

2) Just Divorced Singles – this site is focused specifically on people that are divorced and are looking for people in a similar situation. The site has alot of great features including video chat, video profiles, and instant messaging. The site is subscription based and costs around $30 per month.

Ethnic based sites have grown dramatically in popularity. The largest demographic of this type of sites are made up of members of the African American community. The top sites in this group include:

1) Black Singles – This is a very large community built specifically for African American members. It was created in 2002 and receives close to 900,000 visitors per month. It allows for a free sign up and requires an upgrade in order to use more advanced features like chat and messaging. It has many positive customer testimonials and has a good rating in the BBB.

2) Black People Meet – this is another site created specifically for members of the black community. It is owned by PeopleMedia which owns a network of dating sites that have visitors in excess of 2 million per month.

3) Just Black Singles – this site is focused on the black community and offers features such as video chat and messaging. The site is free to join and has a large growing userbase.

Another popular niche in the dating industry includes physical preferences like BBW dating (big beautiful women) and men looking to date women from Russia or Eastern Europe. The top sites in this category include:

1) BBW Singles – this is a site for plus size users or single people that are looking to date plus size users. It is the first site created specifically for this demographic. It has a very large userbase and has many positive customer reviews. The site allows for a free 24 hour membership so users can decide whether or not it is for them. This temporary membership allows new users to get full access to the site in order to see if it is for them.

2) Anastasia Date – this is a site built specifically for men who would like to meet women in counties like Russia and Eastern Europe. It allows users to contact and make video dates with women they are interested in. it also allows for live chat, will provide a translator, and gives men the ability arrange face to face dates.

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Mature Dating – Sites that Specialize in Singles Aged 40 – 65

February 10th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Seniors - (0 Comments)

Online dating can be a significant step in any person’s life, especially if they have previously been married or have children. Many dating sites (especially free sites) focused on a younger generation of members who are outside of the dating pool for people in the ages ranging from 40 – 65. While certain sites like Plenty of Fish cater to the “bar scene” crowd, other high profile sites like eHarmony and Match tend to be skewed to a slightly older crowd.

Mature daters tend to gravitate towards paid dating sites (or membership sites) that have features such as personality tests, matchmaking services, and are more user friendly. Subscription sites have very broad userbases and work very hard to match singles based on characteristics like age, personality traits, and location.

Specialty Site or Major Site

There are sites that specialize in a mature crowd. These sites include: SeniorPeopleMeet and SeniorFriendFinder. If you want to engage only with people in this age group, this type of site may be of interest, but there are some negatives. Sites that focus on small niche groups like seniors, religion, or ethnicity, may not have a large group of users to work with.

You may subscribe to a smaller niche site, only to find that there are no compatible members in your local area.

Another negative is that the smaller sites don’t have the money to invest in usability, matchmaking services, or site improvements. A specialty site may give you access to the exact demographic you want to be paired with, but the members might now be local to you or even be active.

Major dating sites that are well branded like eHarmony and Match, put alot of money into creating a positive experience for users, which may be an after thought for small dating sites looking to get your subscription money.

On the other hand, for members of certain ethnic groups like the African american community, a smaller specialty (or niche) site might be exactly what they are looking for.

Some members have expressed that larger sites like Match and Eharmony might have a userbase that is less representative of minority groups. There are sites that focus on specific interest or hobbies like surfing and golf. If you are specifically looking for a partner to be active with you in your hobby, a specialty site like this might be the right choice.

Tips for Mature Daters

Mature singles looking to get back into the dating scene should take their time, and connect with at least a few singles. It can be fun to go out and date, especially if you haven’t been single for a long time. Here are a few tips for a better dating experience:

1) Send out alot of emails – Its important to email and connect with multiple people. This helps you get a feel for exactly what you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to send out lots of emails to initiate conversation, even if you are a woman! If you send out enough, eventually you will get some good responses, that will lead to phone calls or a date.

2) Make a good profile – A well-written profile with good pictures that are accurately portray how you look, are very important to a successful dating interaction. It is important to be honest about your characteristics and hobbies. Shared hobbies will make for a faster connection between singles. It can be fun meet people with likes an dislikes.

3) The First Date Should be Short – one tip that will help you avoid an awkward date is to make your first meeting a short one. 15 minute dates like a “coffee date” are important in case you don’t feel a connection when you meet in person. It allows you to see whether you both have chemistry. If you do you can always schedule a longer date like dinner and a movie. But, if you make a long date with a person that you aren’t feeling a connection with, it can be painful.

4) Be Honest About Other Dates – It is important to let someone you are seeing know if you are dating other people. If you just want to date around and have fun, it is ok, but letting the other person, is important so you know you are on the same page. If you are honest it is much easier to salvage a relationship, if you decide to meet up and date again.

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Black Online Dating: which sites are worth your while?

February 1st, 2012 | Posted by admin in Ethnicity - (0 Comments)

The internet allows us to specifically seek the “type” of person we would like to date. There are 100′s of dating sites that allow single people to choose based on religion, age, ethnicity and even specific hobbies. There are a variety of dating sites created specifically for the african american community to connect, exchange messages, and meet up. By using a site where most of the members understand black history and black culture, you might be more likely to connect with the type of person you want to date.

Why Choose an African American “Centric” Dating Site?

With so many online dating sites in existence, you can get very specific as to what type of community you would like to join. As an African American, you may feel more comfortable in a community of people that matches the type of people you grew up dating. Major dating sites like Eharmony or Match have advertising campaigns that mostly depict successful dating stories of white men and women. Some users of the site have suggested that the userbase of these sites are mostly made of of white men and women. If you don’t feel like you belong in a particular dating community, why would you sign up in the first place? This might leave many black singles wondering whether they should sign up for a site that is centered around the black community.

Top Black Dating Sites

There are many dating sites which specifically cater to black men and women. The largest include BlackPeopleMeet and BlackPlanet. Black People Meet is a paid membership site that was founded in 2002. It allows members to communicate via email, audio, and video chat. New members can sign up free “here”, but if you would like to take advantage of the entire range of services, the cost is a minimal $9.95/mo. This is fairly inexpensive compared to the usual range of $20-$60 per month for other dating sites.

On the other hand BlackPlanet is more of a social network similar to Facebook or Myspace that focuses on black members. It is free to use and contains members that are mostly African American, but also has members of other races and ethnicities. This site is an “open dating” network which allows anyone to see your profile and pictures.

Paid vs. Free Dating Sites

The two main types of dating sites (free vs. paid) have their advantages and disadvantages. The main difference is that paid membership sites are “closed systems”. This means that members have to pay in order to views pictures and profiles that are uploaded to the system. This allows for better privacy and less chance that an image you upload will be used for a purpose that you did not intend.

Free sites like Plenty of Fish or Black Planet are “open systems” which allow any user to access you personal information. This may not bother some people, but for professionals, racy images could cause harm to careers or relationships. It is also important to note that free sites tend to be HUGE. This mean you would have less of a chance to get to know someone on an individual basis.

On “free” sites, female members receive large amount of emails from daters that are not that serious about a relationship or marriage. This would cause many good matches to be ignored, due the the sheer amount of emails that they receive every day.

Profile Tips for Black Single Daters

When creating a profile for an online dating site, it is important to upload a wide variety of accurate pictures and information. For example, if you use the 1 shot that makes you look better than you really do, it may lead to an uncomfortable situation if you ever decide to meet up. Most experts recommend uploading an attractive picture of your face for your main profile image and then a series of shot the accurately depict your body in a variety of circumstances. This would include pictures of you engaged in your hobbies, hanging out with friends, or doing what you like to do to have fun.

Another important tip to create a successful online dating profile is to be truthful about your weight, height, and employment. The most likely thing for men to lie about on their profiles are their income and their height. On the othe rhand, for women, the most likely thing they lied about was their weight.

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Christian Online Dating Sites: which is right for you?

January 31st, 2012 | Posted by admin in Religious - (0 Comments)

The internet gives us the ability to connect with like minded people that share our beliefs, faith, and morals. If you are a christian man or woman that is unable to meet someone who shares these beliefs, you might try a site dedicated to matching christian singles.

Mainstream Dating Sites and Christian Beliefs

The top “mainstream” dating sites like eHarmony or Match, do give users the ability to search for singles based on any type of religion. The largest “free” dating sites like Plenty Of Fish will give you this ability also.

But, users who list themselves as christian might be casual believers, might not attend church, or just self identify as being christian. “Religious beliefs” are listed as one of the top criteria that people look for in a compatible mate. Dissimilar beliefs or morals was one of the top reasons that singles felt that they were incompatible.

Connecting with a person who is also dedicated to faith in the same ways that you are, might lead to a more fulfilling and longer lasting relationship. In this case, you may opt to be part of an entire network or christian singles like ChristianMingle or ChistianMatchmaker. This type of site might offer you access to mates that are regular church attendees, have a moral system that is inline with yours, and want to raise children in a similar type of household. If you are serious about marriage and children, these sites would likely be your best bet.

Top Dedicated Christian Dating Sites

100′s of dating sites specifically seek connect based on different aspects of their faith or style of belief. These sites include Christian Mingle and Christian Cafe. One problem with dedicated christian dating sites is that they may have smaller userbases, thus less single people for you to choose from.

The profiles may be out of date or not have an abundance or users in your particular area. If you decide to pay for a monthly membership on a site, you should be sure that they are adequate numbers of members in your local area.

Here are a list of the top dedicated christian sites:

1) Christian Mingle

2) Chistian Matchmaker

3) Christian Cafe

Christian Sites You May Want To Avoid

Christian dating makes up a large subsection of the online dating community. Sites are created specifically to target this particular demographic (which is very profitable for them). Even though these sites serve a similar purpose of connecting like minded Christian single, it can make users feel like a product. The owners of the companies that run these sites may or may not be run by people dedicated to the faith. One site, called BigChurch is run by the company that owns a range of sites in the Friendfinder network. These include adult themed dating sites, that may be incompatible with you belief system. It is also owned by the company with publishes that adult magazine Penthouse. Some christian daters might feel that this conflicts with their moral beliefs and might choose to use dating sites that are run by Christians.

Small Niche Christian Sites

In addition to the large mainstream christian dating sites, there are also smaller sites that may fit a users need more specifially. For example, blackchristianpeoplemeet.com is a site that caters to African American who identify as being christian. There are also dating sites that cater towards the LDS community which would include LDSSingles and LDSMingle. There are also dating sites specifically for Orthodox, Catholics, and Prodestants.

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Senior Online Dating: 5 crucial tips for the over 50 crowd

January 28th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Over 50 - (0 Comments)

When internet dating first began growing in popularity, there was a stigma attached to it. In 2012, this stigma is all but gone and it is quite common for people from all walks of life to meet other singles online. Dating sites welcome people of all ages, but their are site that specifically cater to members that are 50+ years of age. People in this age range can have success on any type of dating site, but may specifically seek members that have gone through a divorce, have children, or have been widowed.

- It can help speed up the bonding process if you and a match have gone through the same event like the loss of a spouse or difficult divorce.

Is It Harder To Meet Someone Over The Age of 60?

Absolutely NOT! The fastest growing demographic for online dating site are between the ages of 50-65. Many of these daters are recently divorced with adult or almost adult children. The most beneficial aspect of online dating is that it helps connect people that have similar traits, characteristics, or life experiences. Dating sites either match you with people that fit your criteria or you can search for people who are a good match.

Dating statistics have shown that single people often choose their matches poorly, so don’t be afraid to go with the matches that are set up for you. Sites like eHarmony use extensive questionaires (up to 400 questions!) in order to discover core traits of each member. These traits are processd with a unique computer algorithm and used to match with other members that are a good fit.

How to Date With Kids

Sometimes children can be resistant to the idea of their mother or father dating. They can often feel like they need to protect yiou as their parent. They may not be familiar with online dating or how it works. It might help to walk them through the process and show them exactly what you are doing. Sites like eHarmony screen their members and are especially vigilant when it comes to criminal records and scammers. If you include them in what you are doing, they may be less resistant to the idea.

How to Watch Out for Scams

Internet dating scams are relatively common, expecially on free dating sites, where there is little oversight. High quality “paid membership” sites take a different policy towards people trying to scam or cause trouble in their community.

In spite of this effort, these scams do happen, and you need to know what to watch for. An example of a scam would go something like this: usually a younger, very attractive member of the site will stike up communication and once trust is gained, ask for money.

High quality membership sites aren’t immune to this type of behavior, but they are less likely to contain these “fake members”. One way that you can protect yourself from this type of scam is using a background check. These are usually inexpensive and can confirm whether you are communicating with a real person or a scammer from Nigeria. Eharmony also has an identity confirmation service that is optional to members. If you feel that you are conversing with someone who could potentially be a scammer, ask them to confrim their identity in some way. You can say that you’ve had abad experience in the past and just want to be sure. If they are resistant to the idea, you may want to move on.

Tips For Success With Dating Sites

Relationships that result from using online dating sites tend to get serious much more quickly, than relationships that develop offline. On average a courtship lasted a year and a half before it led to marriage, while offline it averaged four or more years. For best results, daters should:

1) Communicate with many members on the site – It is much more beneficial to look around and see what options are available to you, before you commit to a relationship.

2) Try dating the matches that are generated for you – It is statistically shown that many times we aren’t good at choosing our own matches. Sites like eHarmony and Match have very extensive questionnaires that try to get at the root of each members personality. A proprietary algorithm then matches people with similar personalities and interests.

3) Meet for short 15 minute dates – When you are interested in meeting up with a person that you have been in contact with the site, DON’T GO ON A LONG DATE! Online and offline communication are completely different animals. Short 15 minute coffee “meet-ups” are perfect for discovering whether or not you are compatible.

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Over 50 Online Dating: 5 “crucial” tips for success

January 25th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Over 50 - (0 Comments)

Statistics show that men and women in the 50+ demographic make up 20-35% of all online daters. Divorce rates have doubled in the 50+ age range and many of these newly singles people are looking to online dating as a way to improve their social life. One of the top dating sites, Match, states that 25% of its total user base is made up of people whose ages range from 50 to 65. This market is one of the fastest growing online dating demo’s. Sites that were popular among this age range include eHarmony, Single Parent Meet, and Match.

Get Some Help With Technology

One of the main obstacles in online dating for both men and women in this age range are the technical aspects. People over 50 have not grown up using computers and might not feel comfortable with the internet. The learning curve can be a little steeper for these people when learning to use a dating site. Fortunately, only basic internet knowledge such as knowing how to use email and needed to use these sites. The big name brand dating sites have spent alot of money making them user friendly and easy to use. If you are well acquainted with email and the internet, you are ready to get started.

Don’t Be Afraid To Initiate the First Contact

Your success with internet dating can depend greatly on how active you are on the site. Remember that everyone on the site is single and available. Don’t be shy about sending lots of emails to people that pique your interest. If you send out lots of email, you will face some rejection, it is just a fact of life. Also be sure not to take rejection too personally. Searching your people that have shared interests or hobbies is a way to create chemistry quickly. Get comfortable with the “search” function. This will help narrow down the field of candidates to a small group that fit with you and your lifestyle. If you aren’t “proactive” about contacting people, you aren’t fully taking advantage of the site.

Don’t Get Serious Too Fast

If you are emailing and conversing with more than 1 person on the site, you should also assume that they are doing the same. If you meet someone interesting, don’t assume that they even want to be exclusive. Many people in the over 50 age range have not been single for a long time and they might want to take advantage of being single. Therefore you shouldn’t assume that a person you are dating is on the same page, unless you have a specific conversation about it.

Online daters generally go out on dates with more than 1 person on the site, before they settle into a committed relationship. But, statistics show that a relationship gained from a dating site tends to get serious much more quickly, compared to a relationship that starts offline. On average, a relationship found through an dating site led to marriage on average of 1 1/2 years, compared to 4 years for an online marriage. If marriage is your focus, stick to high-end membership sites like eHarmony that generate matches based on your personality, likes/dislikes, and hobbies.

Be Open to Some Baggage

Men and women in the 50 – 65 year old age range most likely have been through marriage, divorce, and children. It is unlikely to find a person that has no children or has never been married at this stage of their lives. Being too picky will prevent you from meeting interesting, fun people that might be a great match. Don’t be afraid to take on a little extra baggage, as you may have your own.

In conclusion, if you are over 50 and single, internet dating may be a good fit for you. It allows to search specifically for someone who fits your personality and lifestyle. The over 50 demo is growing rapidly, so do not be afraid to take a leap of faith and jump in.

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Single Parent Dating Tips

January 24th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Parents - (0 Comments)

One of the biggest issues single parents face when getting back into the dating world, is the dealing with emotional baggage that comes after a bad relationship. In order to commit to someone else, you have to be completely “over” your last relationship. If you are the parent of child and seeking to find a new mate, you should cease any and all romantic contact with your ex. This person will always be in your life due to your child, so it might not be easy, but you might want to tell you ex you plan on dating new people, so everyone is on the same page.

Join Group Activities + Avoid Kid Centric Places

If you have a child, its probably been a while since you’ve frequented bars or night clubs. You might not even be interested in re-visiting this nightime singles scene. With kids, you have probably grown accustomed to kid-centric daytime activities like the zoo or the park. Unfortunately, this type of setting doesn’t attract many single people. You may want to try some new activities which are kid and adult friendly. These include places like museums, the library, the beach, and outdoor activities which you and your child might enjoy. These places attract a wide variety of single and married people who you can mingle with as you see fit.

Single Parent Dating Sites

Newly single people with kids can take advantage of online dating sites that were created specifically for single parents. This type of site is an essential tool, as they can be a direct connection to the type of person you are looking for. The rules such as safety, still apply and you should wait until you and your date are comfortable before introducing to each others families. Most single parent dating sites are not free, and range in cost from $10 to $60 for a 1 month membership. The top single parent dating sites include: SingleParentMatch, SingleParentLove, and SingleParentMingle. All 3 of these sites allow new users to sign up free, but require a paid membership to contact other single people.

When Should I Reveal That You Have Kids?

It is important to talk about your kids as soon as it might come up in conversation. It is not something that you should wait to tell, or hide. If you are doing online dating, you should say that you have children right on your profile. Being honest will attract the “right” type of people to you and will prevent you from getting stuck in an awkward situation by having to explain it later. You tell your kids to “be honest”, so you should follow the same rules yourself.

How Should you Tell Your Kids?

It is not easy talking to kids about dating, but it is important to be honest and open about what you are doing. You child’s reaction might not the best, especially if the relationship is newly over. But, it is important to let them know what you are doing, even if they aren’t happy about it. This will slowly prepare them to meet your date, in case things become more serious. Allowing them to slowly get used to the idea over time is usually the easiest way to make the introduction.

How to Introduce Date to Kids

Before bringing a date into your home, you want to make sure that you know this person very well, you can imagine them being a part of your family, and you feel safe around them. If this person fits well with your life and your families life, you might try inviting them over for dinner to see how it goes. In case things don’t work out, you don’t want your children to have to go through additional pain on their own. If you are dating around and meeting people who don’t quite fit with your family. You may want to try dating another single parent. This will allow you to find someone that is good with kids, expects to go out on the type of activities that the kids are interested in, and understands the type of work that goes along with taking care of kids.

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Worst and Best Pickup Lines EVER!

January 21st, 2012 | Posted by admin in Pick Up Lines - (0 Comments)

Meeting someone at a bar, club, or party is as easy as finding the right opening line. Some girls don’t like the idea of being picked up at a bar, and may automatically shut down if presented with a bad pickup line.

Pickup lines don’t necessarily have to be the cheesy, boring, recycled lines that we often hear in movies. They can range from something simple as “want to do some shots?”, to the truly cringeworthy such as “I didn’t know angels could fly so low”.

If you are looking for an opening line to approach someone, you might just want to approach and say “what going on?”. A honest, non-threatening line often goes much further a bad attempt at being funny.

Worst Pickup Lines:

1) Do you wash your pants in Windex? I can see myself in them.
2) Excuse me, I lost my phone number, can I borrow yours?
3) What do you want for breakfast in the morning?
4) Do you have a map? I just keep on getting lost in your eyes
5) Can you stand still, so i can pick you up?

The above lies are horrible. If you use any of them it should be for amusement purposes only. If you have the right approach and delivery, there is a tiny chance the girl might think you are funny, but its not likely.

Lines That Just Might Work

1) My friend over there wanted to know if you think i’m cute
2) Have a Boyfriend? Do You Want One?
3) (order them a drink) Here you go, come get me when you’re ready.
4) Does your boyfriend know your out so late?
5) Did you just smack my butt?

Lines like these aren’t necessarily funny, but they are different from the same boring lines that are often made fun of. They just serve to open the door for conversation. What you do with the person’s attention can mean the difference between success and failure.

Approach Anxiety

The confidence that you project is really the main factor that will get in your way if you would like to approach a person at a bar. The best opening line will not work if you lack the confidence to deliver it properly. People can sense if you are scared or fearful through your body language and tone of voice.

One strategy that works well is treating it like a game. Don’t take rejection seriously and purposefully put yourself in awkward situations. The more often you do this, the more confident you will be. Go out with a group of friends with the intention of talking to alot of girls, regardless of success or failure. If you make it fun or funny, you are much more likely to not feel as anxious when approaching people.

Not All Girls Liked being Approached at Bars

One thing you should expect when approaching women at a bar, is that some hate being approached. They don’t feel comfortable in that type of situation. Almost anyone that tries to approach a person like this at a bar or club will be rejected. This type of person is usually very unfriendly and tends to stick with their own close friends.

Any attempt to get in on this circle of conversation will be met with resistance from this person. If you expect to have any chance with any of the girls in this group of friends, you must be nice to the “mother hen”. She will ruin any chance you have or try and get the other girls away from you. Being nice or making friends with this girl, will allow you to talk to and communicate with other people in the group.

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