Tips for Singles Interested in Free Online Dating

Here is some advice when considering free online dating sites.

Free online dating is a cheap and efficient way of meeting singles in today's world. The average amount of money that is spent on one real life date is about fifty dollars. To some that is just plain crazy, that is why free online dating is so popular. There are numerous sites that do not charge for their dating services and some that do. Today we'll discuss what to look out for when searching for the perfect free dating site.

When searching for a free dating site you might come across the big name dating sites that say their services are free when in reality they're not. Double check if these sites are really free in their About Us section of their site, here you will usually get the nitty gritty. This way you will not waste your time in filling out a profile and then get charged for using a simple feature like email. When reading the About Us section do not be fooled by their clever slogans like paying for quality online dating will result in quality experiences. This is so beyond the truth it's insane, like mentioned before there are plenty of other completely free online dating sites that have the same features or even more than these wallet pinching thieves! The moral of this first rule is this: Why join a dating site that lies to you right in the beginning?

Look out for the number of ads placed within the dating site. If you click on a free online dating site and then you see your screen become flooded with flashing ads, Get Out! These dating sites usually have all sorts of viruses and bugs that could very well harm your computer. Another example of inappropriate ad placement is this, if you decide to join a free online dating site and you're required to click on an advertisement before moving on to the next step, Get Out! No dating site should make you their slave and make them get richer and richer by annoying you with ads to click. You should enjoy your free online dating experience, you shouldn't get hassled for it.

If you do decide to join a free online dating site make sure that your privacy is kept. Meaning this, usually when you fill out a dating profile you're asked for your email address. After you finish completing your profile make sure you can remove your email address from the dating site's mailing list. If you cannot delete it this is normally a bad sign. Dating sites that require your email address and will not let you delete it often email you fake messages stating that someone is interested in you or something along those lines just to keep you coming back. Sometimes these dating sites sell your email address to other sites that will send you even more ridiculous emails. Again, you of all people should enjoy free online dating.

So these are the first three things to look out for when considering free online dating. Don't be discouraged when reading these tips, there are plenty of trustworthy dating sites on the web. Just be smart and know what to watch out for when filling in your personal information.

A Friendly and Free Online Dating
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By April Wu

Hadley Freeman: Real Romantics Look to the Past

Anyone gone speed dating lately? I highly recommend you do, if only for the fascinating visual experience. Oh come now, no need to feel ashamed anymore.

Anyone gone speed dating lately? I highly recommend you do, if only for the fascinating visual experience. Oh come now, no need to feel ashamed anymore. According to a report by Telecom Express, one in five single Britons now uses dating services and they pay out over £43m a year in the hope that a stranger or machine can help them find their happily ever afters.

Speed dating is rarely sold on this merit, but the events have a wonderfully elegant choreography. Everyone moves collectively in a clockwise direction every few minutes: suddenly those country house reels seen in television adaptations of Jane Austen don't seem so anachronistic. And this might explain their success.

In Austen's time such structured farragos were necessary because they provided an acceptable context in which men and women were allowed to do more than engage in parlour talk about Lady de Burgh's new garden arrangement. So it is, on the surface, puzzling to see people submit themselves to orchestrated manoeuvres in this era of "sex texting".

These days we can have a pretty good look around for ourselves at what's on offer. But maybe this social freedom has become a bit overwhelming. We prefer romance to be pursued within a reassuring structure in which someone else is in charge.

There are two, apparently contradictory, reasons why many people find the rise of dating services depressing. On the one hand, the thought of people being so desperate for a partner that they'll go to a town hall on a wet Wednesday evening and chat to 30 people for five minutes each seems pathetic. On the other, a mindset based on probably too many romantic comedies, cries out that true love cannot be forced.

Many theories have been posited as to why, in the 21st century, finding love is still such a fraught business. We are caught at an awkward time - after feminism's sexual liberation but before we have established new expectations about our romantic lives. We are no longer obliged to find a spouse before the age of 30. Plenty of us will have more than one long-term partner during our lives. And most of us understand that Richard Curtis's view of human relations is not necessarily a realistic one.

Social structures have shifted, and in the absence of knowing how to incorporate our search for love within this, we have harked back to older, more controlled, methods newly trussed up in modern coating.

Or maybe Pride and Prejudice's Mrs Bennett was right and many of us - still - just want a little guiding push.

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 4/14/2004

Eight Quick Speed Dating Tips

Get into the swing of things right from the start. Keeping these speed dating tips in mind will make your first speed dating experience more relaxing and help you put your best foot forward.

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Tried the new speed dating craze? These speed dating tips will help you get into the swing of things right from the start. You may be hesitant to try speed dating because you think you can’t learn much in three to five minutes about someone, or because you feel uncomfortable trying to express yourself in such a short period of time. But if you go into speed dating with a positive attitude and the right perspective, you can have a great time and break the ice with some wonderful singles. Keeping these speed dating tips in mind will help:

Pay Attention to Your Appearance

The evening is designed to be fun and relaxed, but your first impression will inevitably be how you look. Women, dress in something you would wear on a great evening out with friends – attractive, fun and not too seductive. Men, don’t show up in jeans and a tee-shirt – take it up a notch. Remember, every single at the event will be meeting dozens of other men and women – looking great will make you stand out from the crowd.

Smile and Relax

The simplest speed dating tips to remember are sometimes the most important – like putting the person you’re talking to at ease. How do you do this? Smile and relax! An honest, open smile will help the people you meet more comfortable. Be aware of your own nervous habits, too. Don’t tap your fingers or feet constantly – others will key in on it as either nerves or boredom.

Watch Your Body Language

Slouching is no good; neither is crossing your arms across your chest. These will give the impression of being either (again!) bored or defensive. If you lean forward slightly, you’ll convey interest. Keep you hands free and on the table. Gesturing some during conversation is fine and can help you make a dynamic point, but don’t flail about.

Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol

You want to be on your best behavior and completely focused. Alcohol will dull your wits and your attention, which is fatal in speed dating, when you’re trying to learn as much as you can quickly. There’s also the chance you’ll do or say something stupid – ouch! You don’t want to ruin your chances in four minutes or less.

Keep the Conversation Flowing

Ask open-ended questions when starting conversations; it will keep the conversation flowing. Asking, "where do you work?" doesn’t give the other person much to work with. Asking, "What’s your favorite childhood memory?" or "Who would you most like to meet in the world?" will naturally lead to discussions of why and comparing notes for the two of you.

Focus on the Other Person

This is probably one of the most important speed dating tips. Focus the conversation on learning more about the person you’re sitting across from than on advertising yourself. Everyone enjoys talking about things they’re passionate about. Find out what the person’s passion is, and ask questions that will draw them out.

Follow up Without Pressure

At the end of the evening or a few days later, you’ll receive contact information for people you expressed an interest in who felt the same way. Send a short, friendly email to let them know you enjoyed meeting them and thanking them. Don’t send a novel and don’t pester them if they don’t answer within a few hours or even the same day. The person may be genuinely interested, but very busy, so give them a few days to respond.

Have Fun!

Don’t make each speed date a test or challenge. Simply look at it as an opportunity to meet lots of interesting people and make some new friends. If you do these simple speed dating tips, you’ll find yourself enjoying the evening for its own sake. If a few dates come out of it, they will be a wonderful bonus.

Keeping these speed dating tips in mind will make your first speed dating experience more relaxing and help you put your best foot forward. Good luck and happy dating!

About the Author:

Kevin Urban is the publisher and editor of Dating-Site-Advisor.com, a handy resource on the best online dating web sites & matchmaking services. Find love online with free dating tips for men and reviews that include the best Asian dating services and local sites.

Copyright 2006 Dating-Site-Advisor.com

By Kevin Urban
Published: 7/1/2006