A friend asked me last week about being ready to date again and to be honest, I don't think I really am. I do know someone, however, who's really putting herself out there in an admirable way on free online dating sites.
Because I want her to be candid with her answers, I'm interviewing her anonymously.
Which dating sites are you using?
Match, Yahoo Personal, PlentyofFish, OKCupid, DowntoEarth
Which one is working out best for you?
PlentyofFish has been good, but once I was on that it seemed that Match started to work too.
Have you ever used any of the pay sites before (like Match, eHarmony, etc.)?
I am on both Yahoo Personals and Match, mostly because i was unaware of the newer free sites. A few years back when I was last single I used Match so that's what I knew about. There is also LavaLife but that site is not a good for this part of the country.
How do the free sites compare?
I like them, I actually think that I like them better. But when I was online earlier today I found out that PlentyofFish has a paid aspect too…. called a Certified Member. Paying to have your membership prominently displayed can help get people's attention (it works like any featured listing).
What are some "green lights" that you're looking for when you see a profile? Green Lights include people who state that they have what I am looking for. Some big things are people who I find attractive, age, location, family, wants children, non-smoker, and people with the similar interests.
What about "red flags"?
Smokers, people with partial nudity in photos, people who don't want kids, people with no photos.
What advice would you give to someone who's considering online dating?
Do IT! its a good way to get to meet people. Be open to meeting people. If someone asks you out and you are somewhat interested…. GO! If you are uncomfortable meeting someone go to a place you are comfortable, like your favorite restaurant or coffee shop where you know people and meet for lunch during a work day. This way you can keep it short and simple, and if you click then make plans to meet again.
Ah, technology, making our lives more interesting everyday!