Here on Smart Dating Over 60 we focus a lot on online dating.
It may be the best way to find love and romance, because so many people are on these sites . . . and the over 50 crowd continues to be one of the largest growing segments using online dating sites.
Also, Cosmo and I met through a dating site, and it’s very unlikely that we would ever have met otherwise . . . even though we lived across the street from each other.
Here are some of the sites we recommend. Most of them have been around a long time, have millions of members and have successfully brought many people together:
eHarmony (our readers’ favorite online dating site)
Not sure you want to go online to get dates? Read more about them in Top 10 Best Online Dating Sites for Over 60: How To Choose and Use Them.
Best Advice on Using Dating Sites for Men and Women Over 60
Here are some of our best articles on online dating.
Is Online Dating Better Than Traditional Dating?
In this article, Cosmo says the question begets more questions, and it’s easy to see why a new dater might get overwhelmed about how to re-enter the dating scene.
For instance, what exactly IS traditional dating? No single method has been the standard long enough to be called traditional.
And what is online dating all about? Where does a newcomer start when there are thousands of dating apps and sites from which to choose? When you sign up, how does it all work?
Despite the questions, there is a simple way to think about dating that will help the newcomer find dating success.
How to Tell When You’re Ready for Online Dating and True Love
In this article, Cosmo describes his struggles with relationships:
“When my last relationship ended, I gave up on ever finding true love. Relationships seemed to be out of the question for me so why bother to date? I believed there was an emotional demon lurking deep inside that simply couldn’t be exorcised.
Telling myself that it was my duty to abstain from future relationships, I was convinced it was the only way to avoid doing emotional harm to another.
That decision offered a sense of relief, calm, and acceptance. No more would I be plagued by an inability to successfully navigate a relationship.
And since there were to be no relationships, there wouldn’t be any dating. Yes, I was ready to give up on true love, companionship, sex, and true partnership.”
10 Do’s and Don’ts If You’re New to Online Dating
If using dating apps feels alien to you or you’re afraid of it, I urge you to reconsider.
Go ahead and network with your friends and family to get dates, but also step into the online dating world.
Unless you have a very robust network of people who may know of people for you to date, online dating will probably provide many more prospects.
But before you dive in headlong, read my article for some things to consider. For a quick taste, here are 2 from my “do’s and don’ts” list:
- DON’T put up your dating profile and then sit back and wait for people to ask you on dates.
- DO go out on lots of dates to get experience, and understand better who you are and what you want.
5 Ways Your Online Dating Expectations May Be Unrealistic
It’s easy to have unrealistic expectations with these sites. They kind of set you up for it. As soon as you log on, you’re looking at a sea of people, any one of whom could be “the one”.
Naturally, with such a huge pool of potentials, you expect to hit the jackpot quickly. But it’s best not to set yourself up for disappointment.
My 5 unrealistic dating site expectations are detailed in these two articles:
3 Signs You Need to Lower Your Online Dating Expectations
2 More Ways Your Online Dating Expectations May Be Unrealistic
4 Tips To Sail Through Online Dating When You’re Over 60 and in Recovery
If you’re a non-drinker and in recovery, dating (online or otherwise) can be tricky, and sometimes risky, if you’re not mindful.
I know it was for me.
I had been sober for more than 5 years when I first started dating seriously, leading me to Sam.
At first, I didn’t rule out dating men who drank, as long as they didn’t drink much.
It didn’t make sense to me to further limit the already small pool of eligible men in their sixties, living nearby in this rural, sparsely-populated area. The pickins were pretty slim to begin with.
I should have known better, but after Sam died and I was ready to date again, leading me to Cosmo, I did it again. I went on dates with men who were drinkers.
After a few unpleasant experiences, I realized I could only be with someone who was also a non-drinker, so I didn’t look twice at men who were even very moderate drinkers.
Mature Dating Safety: Online Dating Advice Every Man and Woman Over 60 Needs To Know
Dating sites offer a large pool of potential partners, but risk is associated with them.
Risk is also associated with real-life dating. That doesn’t guarantee you’ll have a safe dating experience. A blind date arranged by a good friend can go bad, and potentially threaten your safety, just as much as a date you arrange through online dating.
Although any kind of dating carries some risk, with planning, knowledge, and just good common sense, you can take advantage of the access to such a large pool of over 60 daters that the dating sites afford you . . . and still stay safe.
How To Write a Dazzling Online Dating Profile To Attract Your True Love Faster
The trick to being successful with dating apps is to create a profile that stands out . . . in a good way.
To attract your ideal partner, tell her or him who you are, specifically, in your online dating profile . . . and generate chemistry for who you are.
There’s not much you can do to jazz up and personalize the multiple choice questions about hobbies, activities, lifestyle, etc.
But the questions on dating sites that require short narrative answers, plus the longer narrative sections where you’re prompted to provide even more information about yourself, allow for lots of content.
Are You Making These 10 Disastrous Online Dating Mistakes?
We’ve put together a nifty ebook to help you avoid some of the mistakes we made, and find love and romance with your ideal partner.
Whether you’re a new or long-time user of dating apps, this ebook has down-to-earth tips you can start using today.
We may receive compensation when you click on some of the links above.
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