I'm in that "I really need a boyfriend" phase and I want to try online dating. I've never been good at comunicating with people in person and I think online dating is for me. Any advice on what not to do? And what sites to use?
Clarify right away that you don't want hook-ups, and stay away from websites where they are common place. I hate casual sex too, so obviously there are going to be more of us out there.
Just be carful because they are free too join but you have to pay to respond to messages and some make fake amounts. You can see if they have charges in the terms and conditions (!!)
Be upfront about what you are looking for. You will probably need to weed through the weirdos before you talk to the genuine people, but they are there so don't feel discouraged if you don't find anyone right away
Just a friendly reminder to everyone: We don't allow the mention of dating sites by name. Please do not try to circumvent the filter.
I have been in the online dating scene for a long time; apps and sites. Some are OK, none are (to my mind) great and many are just money pits. They all promise more than they can deliver. "We have so many members in your area, you will be sure to find someone" and similar claims, which never seem quite as good as you hoped, at least for me. Nearly all of the members are too far away. Some people meet with success but I think most don't. Research wisely and thoroughly. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. They prey on the fact that people are lonely and desperate.
My sexy boyfriend Kent found me on a gay sex site which was really strange since I never in my life thought I would find someone on that site but just happen someone told me about the gay sites since I was looking for a boyfriend and never found one for 3 years and I was surprised Kent messaged me and we talked on phone and Skype for 3 months and then actually met in person. Also I remember I wasn't sure if he really was going to be my lifetime partner since at first he was trying to decide from two other guys but at the end he had to make his mind I told him and he decided to be with me and he is happy his with me. He did even want to marry me to he says so hopefully it works out. Also my mom and Doug found each other on a online dating site too so searching for a someone online isn't all that bad. I can say I' am a homebody so I don't go out much so online is the only way I can find someone pretty much. Trying to find someone at a store or so never worked out since most guys are straight that I talk to.
I echo what everybody else here is saying - be extremely blunt about what you're looking for and be prepared to filter through a lot of extremely sexual guys.
Be prepared to receive message from men in their 60s! I think it's a bit paranoid that we can't even mention dating sites here. Most sites will have some filters such as "I'm looking for a relationship" or "just casual".. You might have to be on several sites to increase your chance to find one person to date. It also depends on your location, how densely populated your area is... And yes, beware of fake profiles, I myself made one fake profile myself to see if there any messages. Oh well, have fun, you might not find what you're looking for, but there's gonna be plenty of weird stories to tell!
Just as a reminder, yes, mentioning specific dating sites is not allowed. That said, unless a site or app is very specific in its focus/interest, you could probably use any one you like. You might try a few, see if you feel particularly comfortable with any of them, and then stick with those. Be specific about what you're after. It's easy to say "whatever comes my way" or "open to suggestions" and the like, but in the end this leaves your intentions pretty vague and can actually make it harder to connect with people as well as make you sound uninterested. If you want to go on dates and aren't open to hooking up, say so.
I met my first bf on a site; guy I'm seeing now met also online. Just be careful.....search dating precautions re online
