Benefits of Online Dating Services

 In these past few years the trend in dating from all over the world has changed drastically. Individuals looking to meet people don't choose to line up in queues anymore, to try to get into the hottest places. Seldom will they be seen hanging out in pubs and bars, trying to catch a glimpse of prospective hook-ups.

Nowadays, there's a more modern, and organized approach to this mating ritual. Welcome to the world of online dating. There are a lot of advantages that go with this method.

Now singles can meet and greet each other without leaving the refuge of their homes. Sounds crazy, but now this is the most preferred way individuals, especially young people socialize.

One of the greatest things about online dating is that participants get to specify the exact type of person they are looking for. This can be done by joining a dating online service, or posting a personal.

An online dating service is basically a community of people who gather together to interact, socialize, and make friends with each other. There are a lot of online dating services on the internet.

Some online dating services require participants to subscribe to their websites. The great thing about online dating services that are run by subscription, is that their members are assessed before joining.

Aspiring members are asked to file an application, and are required to meet the guidelines, and requirements that are set by the online dating service. Some online dating services are more discerning than others. A few selected online dating services even require their members to be prescreened before joining. This is done for the safety of the participants. In return, subscribers are asked to make a monthly payment.

Subscribers are often asked to create a profile that relates basic information about themselves. Usually this includes: age, gender, nationality, and place of residence.

For subscribers this also offers them a chance to express themselves. They can get creative with their profiles. They can also include personal information like hobbies, interests, and specify the type of person they are looking for. Profile Benefits of Online Dating Services

In these past few years the trend in dating from all over the world has changed drastically. Individuals looking to meet people don't choose to line up in queues anymore, to try to get into the hottest places. Seldom will they be seen hanging out in pubs and bars, trying to catch a glimpse of prospective hook-ups.

Nowadays, there's a more modern, and organized approach to this mating ritual. Welcome to the world of online dating. There are a lot of advantages that go with this method.

Now singles can meet and greet each other without leaving the refuge of their homes. Sounds crazy, but now this is the most preferred way individuals, especially young people socialize.

One of the greatest things about online dating is that participants get to specify the exact type of person they are looking for. This can be done by joining a dating online service, or posting a personal.

An online dating service is basically a community of people who gather together to interact, socialize, and make friends with each other. There are a lot of online dating services on the internet.

Some online dating services require participants to subscribe to their websites. The great thing about online dating services that are run by subscription, is that their members are assessed before joining.

Aspiring members are asked to file an application, and are required to meet the guidelines, and requirements that are set by the online dating service. Some online dating services are more discerning than others. A few selected online dating services even require their members to be prescreened before joining. This is done for the safety of the participants. In return, subscribers are asked to make a monthly payment.

Subscribers are often asked to create a profile that relates basic information about themselves. Usually this includes: age, gender, nationality, and place of residence.

For subscribers this also offers them a chance to express themselves. They can get creative with their profiles. They can also include personal information like hobbies, interests, and specify the type of person they are looking for. Profile guidelines vary depending on the online dating service participants choose to partake in.

One of the main reasons people choose to participate in an online dating service, is that so many people are doing it! Technically speaking, this increases an individual's chances of finding the right person that's meant for him or her.

In 2004, it was estimated that people who lived in the US, spent more than $460 million on online dating services. This means, that a lot of people are seriously getting online and spending money, trying to find their potential soul mates.

Also, singles who are a part of an online dating service know that they are there for a reason, which is to meet people, socialize, make friends, and potentially find the love of their lives. So this takes out the guess work of a person's intention out of the equation because everyone who is a part of an online dating community is looking for the same thing.

Also, the availability of an online dating service is irresistible. Individuals can avail of their services 24 hours a day! So participants can log on to their online dating service any hour of the day.

If they are bored, staying in bed because of a sore throat, or they just feel like staying at home on a weekend; they can always check if somebody is trying to contact them through their online dating service. They can browse through other people's profiles and try to seek out the one that strikes their fancy!

There are a lot of online dating services that are absolutely free! This is beneficial to those individuals who are new to the world of online dating services. Those who just want to have some fun and try something new can try out these free services first, and see how it suits them. Later on, they can move on to the more exclusive, by subscription online dating services, once they've gotten the hang of online dating.

It is important to note that with online dating services, not everyone who participates, tells the absolute truth! So it vital for participants to practice caution at all times.

An online dating service doesn't require participants to meet the people they interact with in person. This decision entirely belongs to the participants. So it important to always keep one's wits about, and practice logic, when engaging in these online activities. This will also ensure the safety of online dating participants, and also allow them to have maximum fun!

Lawrence Andrews is an ePublisher, software developer, consultant, and author of numerous books. Visit his Private Label Content and Software site at [http://www.lmamedia.com] for more information about Dating Do's and Dont's.

Online Dating Service

      Looking to spice up your life a little or add some romance...or maybe find that perfect love connection?

Cool! Jump right in...the online dating waters are just fine and you will have lots of company. There are over THREE MILLION others already splashing around when you do decide to take the plunge!!

If you're new, or relatively new to the online dating scene, this article should get you headed down the right path. Follow the tips and recommendation presented here and your initial experiences will be more enjoyable, and yield better results.

Do a search of "online dating" and you will be presented with more than 2.9 MILLION web pages from which to make your selection! Hmm... a bit overwhelming to say the least. But don't let the huge numbers discourage you. Try the dating preparation and selection methods described, and you will easily find your perfect dating site match.

So your first order of business is to get yourself matched up with one or more online dating sites that fit you and your needs. The questions below should help you narrow things down.

What Type Dating Site?

Plain Vanilla - no ethnic, religious, or cultural themes. Asian, Black/Ebony/African American, Italian, Jewish, Senior Citizen, the list goes on...

Do some searching using the terms below as a guide.

"online dating" + senior

"online dating" + Christian

"online dating" + African American

"online dating" + Asian

"online dating" +

Get the idea? A search on each of the examples above will pretty much yield what you would expect.

If you're on a tight budget, just add the word "free".

"online dating" + free

"online dating" + senior + free ...etc.

You will need to look a little harder to find high quality free dating sites or personal services. REALLY FREE dating sites with lots of members, lots of activity, and lots of member services are pretty hard to come by. You'll understand better after you do a few searches for free dating websites.

A search for dating reviews and forums can also be helpful.

"online dating" + review OR reviews

"online dating" + forum OR forums

With the dating related forums, you can read about good and bad experiences others have had with particular dating and personals web sites.

Dating services reviews will give you some good info as well. Look for genuine, unbiased reviews. Many of the dating review sites out there are willy-nilly listings someone threw together to earn commissions.

Another way to find good dating sites is by asking friends and co-workers who may have tried, or are using online dating or personals services. You may be surprised to find out how many of your single friends are members of a personals site.

How Much?

Monthly fees vary widely, but the average is around $24. Most dating and singles sites will give you a discount if you pay for two or months in advance.

I would suggest you only buy into a one month membership with any new dating service you join. If you decide you like it simply extend your membership. If you don't like the service, you cut your losses at one month, and avoid the hassles of requesting a refund, or canceling billing.

Tight Budget Dating Tip: Most free dating sites have low activity, and member activity is what makes personals and dating sites tick.

Solution: Join 3, 4 or more free dating sites. If you find that their combined activity serves your needs... you're good to go. If not, you'll have gained a good familiarity with online dating, and a better understanding of what you want, when and if you decide to plunk down some bucks for a paid membership.

Telling Your Pool-Side Story

Now write your story (aka: member profile). No great detail; just write like you're writing to the man or woman you seek. Write a little about you, stating one or more of your unique qualities. Write a little about the person you're seeking.

You'll save some time if you write and save all your profile data to a text editor or word processor file. Then, you can COPY and PASTE it to the proper areas of your online dating profile.

As things change, and as you grow, you will want to update and modify your profile statements.

A Picture IS Worth a Thousand Words

You will generally get 3 to 10 time better response with a posted photo than without. People don't generally spend much time on profiles with no photos... so take the hint.

If you don't own a digital camera, web cam, or scanner, take a few photos and a diskette to your local Office Depot, Staples, or general office supply store. They should be able to scan and copy your photos to your diskette. Then you can easily add one or more to your dating site profile. You could also ask friends and relatives who own a digital camera or scanner.

Digital cameras are very inexpensive these days. Check eBay for some of the best deals.

Stay Focused and On-Track

You may want to start a journal, (on paper, or in a text file), to log your "love search" progress. Make notes of URL links of sites you like (you should also bookmark these sites), restrictions, any new member specials, member benefits and services, monthly fees, etc.

When I first started, I also wrote out a statement describing what I wanted to accomplish by joining a dating site. You may want to do the same. These statements and a well-kept journal will help keep you focused and organized. Organized endeavors always yield greater results than haphazard approaches.

Safe-Date Policies

This is actually part of the title of an upcoming article, but I mention it here to stress the use of common-sense, safety, and caution when dealing with ANY dating situation - on or offline.

Now... jump in your skivvies and take the dive!

Dating After Divorce: Things To Think About Regarding Dating After Divorce

Dating after divorce is a much debated topic due to the psychological and emotional impact it can have on people. Dating after divorce can be complex, too often divorcees don't consider the ramifications of dating after divorce before they jump into it with both feet!

If you're going to start dating again after you've gotten a divorce, there's quite few things that you should consider beforehand...here's a partial list you might want to think about:

Dating after divorce consideration 1: Make sure that you are aware of your own level of self-confidence.

If are considering dating after divorce, be certain that you are either confident in yourself as a person or are at least aware of your level of self-confidence so you can plan accordingly. Self-confidence will help you to remain lucid when you're dating after divorce. Choosing who to date and why you want to date them can be a major turning point in your emotional health after a divorce. If you're self-confident, chances are good that you'll be able to handle being rejected or ignored if you're just beginning a relationship.

If you're truly self-confident, you'll be able to have the right mind set before you begin dating after divorce and any potential let down will be foreseen by you and "non-damaging" to your emotional state. Self confidence is perhaps the most important thing to think about from an emotional health perspective regarding dating after divorce.

Dating after divorce consideration 2: How quickly should you date after getting a divorce?

Fortunately, this is really only a question that you can answer, assuming your divorce is truly over with and you don't have a custody battle that's ongoing, a dispute about assets or finances, or any other type of lingering agreement that needs to be reached that could be impaired by dating. If you have children, this is a question of their strength and the strength of your relationship with them.

If you don't have children, this decision is entirely up to you regarding how you'll approach dating after divorce. Ask yourself how ready you really are to date again...depending on what you want out of dating after divorce, i.e., what the end result is to any solid dating relationship, will drive how quickly you date again. If you're simply lonely and think you need to date again just for the sake of dating or to test how you'll respond to dating, you may want to do a serious self evaluation regarding your confidence level. You will know when you're ready again to begin dating after divorce - everyone's different. Know yourself first, then make the decision.

Dating after divorce consideration 3: Should I date while going through a divorce?

Most coaches, attorneys, and counselors will tell you that dating while going through a divorce is never a good thing to do from a psychological perspective and a legal perspective. While this article isn't a form of legal advice, common sense tells you that if you're in any type of battle regarding marital assets or custody, avoid any dating.

From an emotional health perspective, dating while going through a divorce can be damaging to you and your "soon to be" ex-spouse. You'll be much more mature after the divorce if you self evaluate to figure out how you contributed to the events that lead to your divorce. Handling yourself in a caring and sturdy emotional manner during a divorce can be an extremely difficult thing to do...but, it is a terrific growing and learning process. Make use of it! Grow as a person and learn about yourself, and you'll be far better off after the divorce is final.

Dating after divorce consideration 4: Consider that you may have a tendency to date someone completely opposite from your spouse and realize that this isn't healthy.

Dating after divorce is tricky! Be smart, realize that the pain you may have felt at the hands of your spouse can naturally lead you to want to date someone who is an opposite of your ex. It is a reasonable and natural reaction because you might want to avoid having any pain whatsoever or you may not want to deal with anyone who might remind you of your ex-spouse.

If you find yourself looking for someone who is your ex's opposite when dating after divorce, take a deep breath and ask yourself if this tactic is truly healthy for you. If you answer 'yes', then you're saying that there was nothing good about your spouse and that you're a poor decision maker or else you would have never gotten married to your ex in the first place!

Instead, think of the things you'd like to see in someone that would make you want to date them and look at the person in and of themselves only. If you see something in them that reminds you of your ex-spouse, decide whether that something is a good trait or an undesirable trait. Only then can you decide about that person in positive fashion. Your spouse has or had some good traits, define what they are and don't be afraid to see those traits in someone that you are dating after divorce.

Dating after divorce consideration 5: Do what you need to in order to have a positive outlook on your future after your divorce.

When thinking about dating after divorce, and all the possible fires that can go with it, keep in mind that you need to feel good about yourself to be lucid. A positive outlook on life is key to everything else, and all the future decisions that you will make after your divorce. Go and do fun things with friends and get out! You should certainly keep your guard up but don't be overly critical of everything or you may get so paralyzed be your analysis that you never actually "get in the game." Your frame of mind on any relationship - friend or not - after divorce is key factor to your happiness. Keeping a clear head and heart is a healthy thing. If you keep these considerations in mind, you'll have a much better time when dating after divorce.

Online Dating Services - First Date

Online dating should be easy, full of fun and simple. That's why we strive to offer some of the best dating tips to think about when going out on dates. These dating tips are to make your stress lighter and control your excitements. These will also help you in making your date smile brighter.

It goes this way. You've previously sent out a tease to someone whose profile has aroused your curiosity and interest in you for that person. It was, maybe, due to their amazing profile, their electrifying photos or their magnetic personal values as mentioned in their profile. Now, you find that they have responded you positively to your tease and your mail inbox is filled with their messages, which are waiting for you. That's the way, how you are going to meet great singles at an online dating site nowadays.

You could be either experienced dater or newbie. If that's the case, then thoughts of preparation for first date could make you nervous and your mind will be flooded with queries such as where to meet? What should I wear? Do I need to take a gift? How this person would be? Would I be able to talk smoothly and keep my conversation going? and so on.

Now, just take a moment and relax. There is nothing to fear about. Believe in yourself and enjoy the moment of dating. Read the following and get more ideas to come over your anxieties.

Ask first

Find out first if your prospective date is interested to be with you. Send mails or call up to say "would you mind for an evening cup of coffee together", "what do you say for brunch at SunShine this Sunday" or something similar which you think your date would easily accept to meet. Don't just ask someone out for the sake of it but find someone if you are really interested to go for first date and also you partner is interested. If your proposal is accepted then go ahead and fix the time and place for meeting.

Pick the right spot

When you decide to go for your first date, there are lot of options. Either you can meet your date at the public place, at the good restaurant, at yours or date's house or even go for a movie. Two hours movie date may not be so good to start with. You perhaps don't want to sit and stare each other and if movie is good, you may get engrossed so much that you might ignore your date.

Ideally, most dating couples prefer an open place which is cozy but also surrounded with people. It should not be very crowded where you your privacy is hampered. Most suitable places are coffee shop, happy hour bar or casual lunch joint where you have good time to begin with formal intro, discussion on general issues and get to know each other. Remember that your intention should not be to impress your date with lavish ambience. If you don't know such place then check it out with your friends and colleagues or even your date. A first date should be impressive and memorable.

Tell your friends about your date

Sharing haps with friends will lighten up and appease any safety worries you might have. Also, you will have someone to share your first date moments of laughs and glee, if any.

Don't keep the high hope

Remember one thing that you are going on a first date and not for marriage. You are going to see a strange person, whom you do not know much about. Consider that you'll see only a friend in your first date. Keeping this momentum will takes the pressure off and is one of the keys to a fantastic first date.

Be on time

It is advisable to be on time or little bit early on your first date. Should also expect the same from your date. If you make too late then chances are that either you'll miss the date or you'll lose the excitement of meeting someone for the first time.

Impressive Dressing

Clothing do play vital role in first date. New clothes are preferred. if not then go for your best of collection which will fit you well and you feel most comfortable, good and fabulous. Remember, "dress to kill" on your first date. Also make sure that you that whatever you wear is appropriate for the place you're meeting at. Of course, neat and clean personality will definitely follow more dates to come.

Conversation

A good conversation will also impress your date. Speak in soft and gentle tone. Conversation with a gentle and confident voice will help you in building impressive personality in the eyes of your date. An impressive conversation in the beginning will help you in building good relationship in coming dates. Give the compliment to your date which should sound more genuine than appeasing. Pay attention to your date. Listen what your date says. Avoid complaining on the very first date. Also, avoid discussing about your ex-boy or girlfriends and how you broke with them. Avoid painting negative part of your dating experience in front of your date first time.

Give Respect

Respect your date. Pay due attention when your date is talking. Be respectful and polite. Give more space in talking to your date rather than giving yourself more attention and importance. Give enough time to your date to express his or her views. Monitor your conversation specially the humor. What is more hilarious to you may not be funny to your date. But if you both find something amusing then laugh up a storm. Use thank you's and sorry in your conversation frequently.

Keep the momentum live

If you find everything is going well and you liked the company of the person then go ahead and ask for the next dates. Tell your date how you felt nice on the first date. If your date has also enjoyed then chances are that you'll get positive reply sooner or later.

At the end of date, thank your date for joining you and say something nice before you depart.

How to Start, Plan, and Keep a Date Night

It's very common as the relationship progresses, for busy couples to begin to take each other for granted. Usually the first thing that goes in an established relationship is the quality time spent with each other building the relationship. Starting a date night is a great way for couples to 'stay connected' no matter how busy their schedule may become.

What is a date night

A date night is a way to rekindle and reminisce on the times when you both first started dating, and the giddiness it made you feel. For most people, during the dating period both people are on their best behaviors, and arguments and disagreements are kept at a minimum. Many people feel that after they 'got' the person, they wanted, they are no longer dating. This usually makes one or both of the people in the relationship complacent. Complacency is the silent killer of relationships. Date night is a way of taking the ho hum, and turning it into Ooh...hun!

Starting a date night

When you start a date night, you should pick a day of the week that's good for both parties, where there will be few chances for missing the date. Honestly look at and asses both schedules, and sit down and determine the date that's best for both. It's good to also take into account the proposed start and maybe end of date night. For some people, a few hours is fine, for others, date night means all night long. Sit and decided what's the best day and time that both people will be able to actively and openly participate in date night. When you decide on a day and time for date, it's also good to set up the ground rules for how date night should be. These rules should include reasons why and in what circumstances a date night could be broken, and what the penalties for breaking the date night would be. You might also pick an alternative night for date night when the times come when unavoidable situations may arise.

Planning the date night

It takes two devoted people working on the relationship to make and keep the relationship last. As an established couple both parties should actively participate in planning the date night. It's best if each person alternates every other week planning the date night for the other person. Choose activities that both parties enjoy doing and actively can participate in. Be creative and be different. Don't settle for routine when it's your turn to plan for date night. Don't be afraid to try something new and/or choose something that both parties have been interested in trying, but have not done.

If you want to plan a date night for talking, remember to keep the conversation positive and be reflective on your feelings, the good times you had, and the great times yet to come. Date night is not the time, nor the place to air grievances and/or to dump on the other party. Remember that the reason that you want to plan and keep a date night is because you want to continue to build on the intimacy that's already established and to make sure that neither party loses interest in keeping a date night.

Keeping the date night

The most important reason to start and plan a date night is making sure that you keep the date night going. You should try your best to ensure that nothing stops or prevents you from enjoying many nights of date nights throughout your relationship. Inevitably through time, situation, and/or profession, date night will be missed or cancelled. One of the best ways to keep a date night is to establish SPP's (Sexual Penalty Points) for the person that breaks a date night engagement. This is a fun and harmless way that both people win, when a date night is missed. Sit together and make a list of postcards with various sensual acts that a person can pick from when a SPP has been assessed.

Another great way to keep date night is to give friendly reminders and hints about what could be expected during the next date night. Many times the tease or contemplation of what could be expected on date night is enough to intrigue the other party to make sure they don't miss it. Of course, you should be prepared to match the expectation! Giving hints and leaving reminder notes about what you have planned for date night is a great way to keep both parties interest peaked in wanting to keep the date night alive.

Date night is the responsibility of both people in the relationship. Just like it took two people to start the relationship, it will take the same two to make the necessary sacrifices to keep the date night dates. These represent just a few things that you can do to keep your date night active and your relationship moving in the right direction.

Free Dating Sites May Devastate You!

Everything seems to be in your fingertips including shopping for your home necessities like foods, even for better shelter and personal luxuries including cars, hi-tech gadgets and everything this new age can offer. In the comfort of your home, let the internet makes it much easier.

And for the singles, they don't have to go out every night just to find the best date. Here is an inexpensive way of finding the romance; again, the key is through the internet, it is all you need that will aid you in finding the match you've been looking for.

Free dating sites may devastate you. Study how to look for the right free dating site for you.

Internet dating, personals, matchmaking free dating sites are the sites you might want to discover. But take note, not all free dating sites are the best sites, of course you might also learn of the worst free dating sites.

Let me give you some insights on what are free dating sites are offering that might perhaps urge you to sign up to free dating sites or not at all.

Some of these are advantageous with quick signing up forms, with large membership base, with free browsing but no free way to contact members, with light monthly charge. Such free dating sites have internal mail system so you don't need to have a Yahoo or Hotmail account.

Free dating sites also lets you contact and receive emails from their members. To join, you have to add your free dating profile. You will get messages when you have mail as you are a member to a free dating site.

Look for free dating sites with growing membership, long freebie period followed by reasonable monthly fees make this a great personals site. And of course 100% Free Dating Sites! There is also a free dating site that will give you access to different dating sites in just one registration.

Free dating sites have no initial joining fee and let you view photos and profile of the dating sites members. No credit cards are required to join and to view singles from different places.

Internet Dating Tips and Advice

An online internet dating site is the easiest way to find a partner in today's world. With the ever-increasing technology aids, not only can you correspond with someone, but also see them in real-time. It used to be that an internet dating site was a taboo and people just didn't trust it or the quality of people they might meet. But even so, you run the same risks as if you were to actually meet the person face-to-face. What is the difference? Well, you can't smell a person through an internet dating site!

This article was written to give free dating tips and dating advice to those who are unfamiliar to internet dating. Or maybe you've had a couple bad experiences and are wondering why you are running into "duds". My dating advice is not aimed particularly at either men or women, but looks at both sides. I am not a psychologist or therapists and all dating advice and tips are my personal thoughts found through my internet dating experiences.

So why choose online dating services rather than conventional dating? I'll list a few benefits:

Millions of people from around the world sign up for internet dating services everyday. Also there are thousands of dating sites coming online everyday. So not only can you find a person to match your needs but also a dating service built around your specific need.
You're in the US, you can meet someone from Australia
Find someone in a different state that you would enjoy visiting.
There are Asian dating, Jewish dating, Christian dating, adult dating, senior dating, hiking dating, dog walking dating sites and the list goes on.
Your search criteria can be more detailed, less compromising later.
What hobbies are they into?
What are their turn-offs?
What are their interests
People tend to be more honest through correspondence. You know the true person quicker.
You can still have an online date even if you're sick.
It's safe because you're not in the same physical environment, at least initially.
You don't need to meet the person until you are totally comfortable. Never meet anybody unless you are 99% comfortable.
The first date or 2nd, 3rd, and 4th should be out in public.
Let someone know where you are going.
Ladies, I highly recommend you bring a friend or double-date!
Do not allow the person to pick you up. Provide your own transportation
Bring defense items - pepper spray, whistle, gps tracking device. Be careful of bringing weapons that can harm you - knife, gun, clubs...etc
Ladies, even if the date is going well and it's the 1st date, DO NOT be persuaded to get into a car alone with him. If he is a predator, he'll get agitated and possibly upset. If this happens, then CONGRATULATIONS you may just SAVED YOUR LIFE and walk away now! A real gentleman will understand your fear and rather spend time with you than miss a party, concert or whatever. Just be sure to let him know prior to the date that you will not leave the initial meeting place with him unless your friend can come along.
Those are just a few reasons and each person will benefit differently based on their character and personality. The precautions would also relate to conventional dating practices and not just internet dates.
So what are some of the drawbacks of internet dating?

Do they smell?
Are they really writing or just cut-and-pasting?
Cameras and lighting can be manipulated to hide certain features (flaws).
The photos in the ads maybe professionally done or retouched and not be a true reflection of the person
As with the benefits, there are other downsides to internet dating that aren't listed and will vary from person to person.
So who is the best internet dating service? That's a hard question to answer because there are so many variables and there is no one best service. I say the best dating site is the one you find what you are looking for on. Luckily, most are free to join, although you will get limited functionality and features of the program. But at least you can get an idea of the types or kinds of people who have joined that particular internet dating service. There are more and more online dating services that are specific to certain groups like - people who are in the service, Christian dating, pet lovers dating, and so on. The major dating sites will have these people as well, you'll just need to sift through the members to find out if someone shares your passions or hobbies. What it boils down to is that the more people to select from, the better your chances of finding a match.

So, does internet dating really work? Yes! It did for me. I live in the US and met my wife who lived in China. We corresponded for 6 months, sent pictures to each other, and finally met when her company came to the US on a business trip. We hit it off and for the next year, she came down to visit and a couple months later I went to China to visit her and meet her parents and family. Keep in mind that it could be expensive to go this route because of airfare and those sort of things. Lastly she had another business trip scheduled and we got married during that trip.

Marrying someone from another country is not as easy at it seems. There's visa and passport issues, US Immigration forms and regulations, and much more. Most big internet dating sites will have a section to help with immigration issues. Things went fairly smoothly for us and we now have a beautiful 7 month old son.

Internet dating doesn't have to be about marriage and it will definitely differ for everyone. Maybe you just want someone to hang out with on the weekends and go to dog shows or a social outing or you want to go white water rafting but your friends aren't interested. Many people just want to make friends and not really label it as dating, but rather companionship and someone to talk to.

Other people may just want a companion because they are going on a trip to another area and would like a friend or someone to show them around at that destination.

What it boils down to is - What are your needs and wants?

Some free dating tips and dating advice I can offer based on my experience that helped me find the love of my life and also general tips are listed below.

Be honest when you communicate
Speak from the heart, don't try to be someone you're not
Sign-up for more than one online dating site
Choose a general "big name" site.
Search Google or Yahoo by typing "dating dogs" or "dating armed forces" or "dating Christian"...etc
Only pay for the sites that you feel there are more than 5 profiles that match what you are looking for, remember most are free to sign up, but you will have limited capability.
Stay away from free online dating sites, you get what you pay for. The more serious a person is, the higher amount of money they will pay to find quality people. That means if someone on a particular dating site has the highest level membership (Gold Member) then they are serious about finding someone. 2nd to the highest level (silver) may be those who are serious but don't have a lot of money to spend. Anything less are in my opinion "gamers" and just passing time. HOWEVER! In countries or areas that are poor and under developed, they simply can't afford to pay the membership fee. They are probably using a computer at school, a library, or a friends, so you'll need to be extra patient.
Stay away from ads that don't have pictures or at least make sure they will send you a picture. Some people don't want to be seen in fear of their friends colleagues or family seeing them on the internet. That's perfectly understandable, just make sure you get REAL pictures once getting to know the person.
Send and receive many pictures, insist on casual setting pictures and not professional retouched photos

Be patient, if they live in another time zone it can be difficult to call
If they live in another country, get a calling card or use a webcam and microphone.
Since my wife didn't have a webcam, my phone bill averaged $1200 a month and I didn't know about calling cards.
Call your phone company and get a plan with better international rates.
There's more options today like VOIP (voice over IP) pc2phone that's a lot cheaper and the sound quality is much better now also.

Ladies, when you do meet, make sure it's with one or more of your friends even for the first few dates. Safety first and if the guy can't understand that, then that's a RED flag!
Ladies, purchase some books on pick-up lines, how to seduce a woman, and those sort of things. If your correspondence contains many of what you find in a book, then the person may not be sincere. If you're tired of finding losers, this is your wake-up call to find out why.

Men, buy books on how to treat a lady. Buy books on how to seduce a woman, but only use it after you know they want to be seduced by you (later in the relationship).

Be Honest! - If you're serious and want a life-long mate
Be upfront, put EVERYTHING on the table. Too many unexpected surprises will kill the relationship.
Don't try to be what you think the other person wants. You can't put on a show forever.
Get a webcam so you can see and hear the real person. Sometimes you get a glimpse of their room. Is it messy? Are there naked people hung up on the wall? It can also be a lot of fun once you are closer and can be more intimate. BE CAREFUL! What you do on camera can be recorded and exposed if things don't work out.
Make a list of things you absolutely do not like or won't compromise on. For example, you dislike it when your partner drinks too much, does drugs or things like that. Don't ask these questions straight out, but have them elaborate when they had a night out with the guys/girls. Just keep a mental note to yourself.
Make a list of the key things you like that make you feel adored and desired.
You like feeling pampered by getting breakfast in bed
You like it when doors are opened for you
You like it when girls pamper you
You like it when girls make you feel special
How does the other person perceive what making someone feel special is.
What is your definition of joy and happiness?

Be Honest! I know I keep saying that, but it's the most important thing!
If you've been burned once too many times, do a background check on the person. You can find out if they have been married, divorced, in jail, law suits against them, and things of that nature. It costs a little money, but can save you years of heartache and disappointment. Some people may feel this is an invasion of privacy or a sign of not trusting the other person. I say it's a matter of feeling secure and if the other person can't understand that, then they are hiding something or don't care about how insecure you may be feeling. Another RED flag! Online dating has evolved to where it's common place to check on people.

Have fun on your date but pay attention to
Do they open doors for you
Do they talk negatively about too many things.
Are their eyes busy wandering rather than focusing on you?
Are there too many lines or quotes from the dating books?
You may want to keep a score card or write down notes immediately after the date. Just make sure you destroy them all when you are exclusively seeing that person. Nobody wants to know they are being compared, but it's a good way to make sure the person has all the qualities that are truly important to you. To be on the safe side, never ever write down anything relating to sex. Technique can be learned if the person is willing to satisfy you. Talk about it, if they aren't interested in what turns you on, that's another RED flag. Lets face it, sex is an important part of a relationship. For some it isn't but for the majority, it is. It's also a two-way street. In order to get, you must give and if you give, you should get. It's that simple.
Is this person someone you want your family and friends to meet?
And for the last time - BE HONEST!