Latest posts by stc5770 (see all)
- Dating Tips: When Your Mate Has Manic Depression/ Bipolar Disorder - May 23, 2011
- Should You Pay To Join A Dating Website? - April 28, 2011
- Tips for a Successful Blind Date - April 22, 2011
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While at one time dating websites that matched like-minded individuals together were considered to be an almost desperate way to go about meeting someone, millions and millions of people around the globe now use these sites to meet people. To meet the demand of this hot singles market, more and more dating sites have popped over the last decade. In fact, today there are literally thousands of dating sites online aimed at helping you find casual dates or even your soul mate.
As you begin looking at these dating sites, you will find that some are free to join, some offer a free trial run before charging you a monthly membership fee, and some require a regular monthly subscription fee for access to the site. Before you can determine whether you should pay to join a dating site, you will want to take a look at what each type can offer you.
What Can You Expect From A Free Dating Website?
First, a word of warning is in order. Be aware that some sites will lure you in with a free trial offer, but often the fine print about a pending monthly fee being charged after the trial period is up is written in very small and often hard to find print. So before you sign up for a free website, do some extra searching to ensure it is truly free.
Many people do wonder how a free website can make money, or if the website is just being operated out the goodness of the owner’s heart. Perhaps there really is a Cupid after all! Well, the truth is that truly free websites largely do generate quite a bit of income through hosting paid advertisers on their website. In fact, popular free dating websites are known to bring in tens of thousands of dollars per month in ad revenue! This income is largely used for the purposes of paying operating expenses like web hosting fees, domain name fees, and other such fees, as well as their own advertising expenses for luring in new users to the site.
If you choose to sign up for a free dating website, of course the biggest benefit over a paid site is that you don’t have to shell out any of your hard-earned cash. In fact, because such sites are free, many people will join multiple dating sites to increase their chances of meeting some really great people. Yet a few of these sites are also overwhelmed with members and may not offer an easy-to-use search or match feature, and so you may have to use your own valuable time to search carefull for potential dates. Many times, you will find that these sites are used more often (although not exclusively) by people looking for a more casual dating experience rather than a serious relationship.
A lot of research has been conducted to determine if there are any material differences between the people who use paid versus free dating sites. In general, research suggests that free websites generally have a slightly less educated membership base, and that these members have a lower average income than members of paid sites. These sites also have a larger membership base of senior citizens, too. However, bear in mind that this information holds true for general membership free sites, and not as much for those free niche dating websites, which have a focused membership, based on religion, ethnicity, or other characteristics.
Free websites are largely pretty basic in nature. While the majority of paid websites offer services such as customized dating advice, chat rooms, member email services, newsletters, chat rooms, and forums, you will find that most free websites may not offer as many of these extra services to their members.
How Are Paid Dating Sites Different?
Of course the first difference you will notice from the start is that you have to open up your wallet for access to the paid dating sites. The cost will vary depending on the site, but generally you can expect to pay up to $40 per month for your membership.
So what do you get for that monthly fee? First, you generally can expect matches to your interests and other mate criteria to be forwarded to you. Not having to search through dozens of profiles to find a date is a big timesaving feature that many people will gladly pay for. Then there are the website features like access to forums, email, dating advice, and more, and these services can really add to your dating experience. Many sites will also host mixers and other membership events so you can get to know singles in your local area in a low-pressure, laid back environment.
It is important to note that as much as these paid sites do for you, you should never assume that members have been screened, such as with a background check, unless the site specifically states that fact. You should always take safety precautions and keep your personal information private until you really know someone well.
Whether you have determined that paid dating sites or free sites are right for you, you will definitely want to read through some consumer reviews from real users. These reviews can tell you what to expect realistically from these sites, and they can give you a good idea about whether a specific site is a good place to devote your time and energy.
Keys To Safety
Meeting someone new through online dating services is always exciting, but you should reign in your excitement and make a conscious effort to stay safe while dating. This includes when using online services in general as well as when preparing to go on a date and while you are out on a date. Here are some keys to making dating safer for you:
- Always keep your personal information private. This includes information shared on your profile page and directly with a new contact. Personal info like your address, where you work, your email address, and your full name should be off limits until you fully know someone.
- Use email, phone calls, online chat rooms, and more to get to know your new contact before you agree to go out with them.
- Always drive your own car to dates, and never get in a car with someone you don’t know really well.
- Always plan to meet your date in a public place until you know them better.
- Always let family and friends know where you plan to go on your dates, who your date is, and what time they should expect you back.
- Always make an effort not to become impaired by drinking too much alcohol, and never leave drinks unattended. If an event arises and you do need to leave your drink unattended, always ask for a fresh drink when you return to your seat.
- Always trust your instincts, and back away from any situation where you feel less than comfortable.
Your Dating Website Tips?
If you have additional tips please share them in the comments section below!
Other Articles By Sarah Connor
Why Is She Dating Him?
Internet Dating Site Safety Tips
What Everyone Ought to Know About Dating After Divorce
That’s a really informative article Sarah!
Lots of useful tips that people in the dating game should read, thanks for the article and good luck with your dating site!
Andy Bailey recently posted..Broken chair!
Thanks for the kind words Andy!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article. I just believe you get what you paid for in the end….
Paid is always a bit better if you have the money to spend
Well, it all depends upon the degree of desperation that rests inside you. I mean its not totally unfair to join, but even if you have decided to join, you should go for the most popular one so that you get the best matches1
Twitter: tonyknuckles
Do you look at sites are not exclusively for dating in the same way? I would think that any time that you make a date whether it be a connection made from the internet should also be mentioned as well.
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Sound advice Sarah,
There are a lot of new and free dating websites popping up all the time. It’s hard to keep up!
I love this part: “Always make an effort not to become impaired by drinking too much alcohol” lol… That’ll be a funny, and a risky mistake to make no doubt.
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I don’t know why but i still don’t find a need to go for some paid dating site while we have free sites like FB and MySpace in place? yea, FB is not a dating site but it can be used to date someone if i am not wrong. its a social networking site with a lot of real people to deal with on the other hand most of the paid dating sites are filled with virtual users to make it look more genuine and attractive.
Agree, and FB could really do a big favor if they would allow people to say choose a dating status flag (open, looking, not available, etc) on their profile…
enjoyed reading the article . i would never pay for such a service.
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One thing anyone can do of course is do some due diligence and pick one respected free site, and one respected paid site. Invest in, say a 3 month membership, and compare the two. Give both some effort. If you don’t see a significant difference in quality, you might as well go for the free site in future.
Or, you may find that simply being on a paid site filters out undesirable people and it’s worth the money. Do some testing and stay safe!
Susan recently posted..Dating A Man You Meet On Holiday
Yes there are many free and paid for dating sites around but everyone want something different. Facebook and Myspace can be used for dating but again it depends what you are looking for and want from a new relationship.
A good way to compare dating sites, to find the right one to match your needs is by using a Dating Review Site.
I like the balanced comparison: there are pros and cons for both free and paid dating sites. My instinct is always that paid sites will have a “higher class” of potential mates – but I know how bad that sounds – I can’t help it! It’s good advice to check out some real reviews from consumers who have been there and tried specific sites.
Before joining any dating site, it’s worth thinking about all the “niche” sites that exist. You name it, there is probably a dating site for it: people who love their pets, people with disabilities, people with certain kinds of jobs… if you have specific ideas of who you want to date, see if there is a dating site dedicated to singles in that niche.
Beware though – if you narrow your search down too much before dipping your toes in, you might miss out on “The One”…
Jack Jones recently posted..How to Become Great At Conversational Hypnosis
I think it is really necessary to do some extra searching to ensure it is truly free. You should always be aware and read carefully about the site you are going in because you might suffer in the end. Be wise. Do not be fooled easily.
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In my experience with both free and pay-as-you-go sites, it seems that the ones which require payments offer better matches. Also, pay sites usually allow you to have a more customized match/search criteria than the free ones.
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Nice article, I’ve had a bit of success on Plenty Of Fish, its a UK website, not sure if its big in the UK. And its also 100% free. I haven’t tried out any other sites, someone recommended Match.com to me, what do people think of that?
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PoF is probably the best known free dating site on the net…
Internet dating does come with a couple glitches. The problem being you don’t know if the person shown in the picture is or will be the same person when you finally meet up. Ive had situations where the girl looked totally different than her profile pic =(
This is the most common complaint
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I have 2 friends who met their partners on dating websites, and both used paid ones. Paid ones keep the riffraff out! It is like using a recruitment agency to find a new business strategist rather than going to the Job Centre. If anyone has ever use the Job Centre (in the UK) to get a highly skilled professional they will know what I mean!
If you are nervous about meeting people, you need reminders that you are wonderful. Save every note, postcard, medal, and treasured word you have received from someone and put it in a box. Take them out and read them before you are going out on a date. You need to be reminded that other people are happy to spend time with you, and that you have much to offer.
dating pay site = less spam and fake
Nice articles….The problem being you don’t know if the person shown in the picture is or will be the same person when you finally meet up.
There are plenty of free ones out there now – so not sure of the value in paying. Unless of course you think that there will be a better class of date on a paid site. But maybe they will just be the less resourceful daters – or maybe the richest ones?
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I feel when someone is serious about dating, he/she should go for paid dating. It helps in finding other potential serious partners. All free sites have many fake users. Though paying hurts but when you go out on a date, it eventually pays back.
I’ve never tried it. Mostly because i have this fixed idea about those people: they’re either ugly, or psychopaths. A good looking guy searching for his mate on a website definitely has some serious psychic problems, else he would’ve found it already in real life.
Antonia recently posted..Disguised Hypnosis Review
It depends i believe. Under some circumstances, one can reach that point of paying to find a mate. Doesnt have to be ugly or crazy to try this. You never know what you will have to do in your life.
Do these dating sites even work? Seriously?
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LianaFloresFuen
Nice post..
Are dating sites considered as social media site? Anyway, I think few are lucky to find their destiny by hanging out on dating sites but I personally think that it lacks security and sincerity.
Liana recently posted..Ideas to Help the World updated Tue Sep 13 2011 12:27 am CDT
Get involve of some dating websites are good but sometimes others are use to have it for any other purposes. This is such a great information and advice those people who fond of entering dating websites. I don’t prefer to enter any dating websites because for me it is just a wasting of time and money.
Aiden Clark recently posted..Repo Cars For Sale in Michigan
Hi Sarah,
I hope your dating website is doing well. Most top dating websites require users to pay money to contact other members. And generally I have not had any really success.
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There are lots of good free dating sites out there if you feel you want to join one, although I guess maybe the paid ones offer a bit more security. I don’t know really.
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Any trial period to anywhere is going to charge you once it’s done. That’s why it’s a trial period. If they say free, then it should be free. Trial and free are two different things. But many people are not aware of this so it’s good you pointed it out.
I personally think that if you are going to try online dating then try the paid services. If not for the benefits then at least for the fact that they people on there are serious enough about dating to want to pay. Or that they have money to pay – however you look at it!
Lately I’ve been hearing more and more stories about online dating hooking up long-term relationships. It’s just easier than going to the bars and having to waste time looking for someone. It’s so much easier to just sit at your computer and look through the profiles to find someone that interests you.
Bellaisa recently posted..Looking For Love
There are a lot of advantages when you pay for a service. Like for example the software then has an obligation to you to actually work. If I see value in the site – then it would be easier to part with my cash.
Michelle recently posted..Pros and Cons of Online Dating
As always….great tips on meeting people online and what not to do. I like to look at the site’s other members first too and see how involved they are, are they real, or do they work for the website and try to lure you in to join?
Dating should be a fun activity, but paying to get a date? sounds a little bit too desperate (that’s my opinion). Do paid dating sites guarantee that you will meet that person you really desire?Anyway, thanks for the information, i believe its up to a individual to make their own informed choice.