How do you start dating again or am I past it?

newcook

If you do decide to go on the free dating sites, I recommend smooch and okcupid – smooch will even tell you the distance that people are from you (which I like as I don’t drive and most sites do a minimum search of 5 miles). Okcupid works out a match percentage which is nice.

Plenty of fish is a little bit tiresome – its always the same faces on there and theres a lot of guys who are players or just plain weird!!

Magicboo

VfM4meplse wrote: »

No you do not need to be larger than life - normal is recommended of you want a second date!
Just remember you have a life to live whilst you look for Mr Right, enjoy every opportunity that comes your way and you'll build up a collection of fantastic memories....

That is really good advice, I couldn't have put it better myself!
That's coming from someone who is now married to a chap she met via an internet dating website!
Be yourself and be prepared to meet (or maybe even kiss ) a few frogs before you find your dreamboat! x
Oh-and enjoy it!

Lotus-eater

I've just had a look on plenty of fish and there are millions of women in my age range round here who I would ask out!
Loads and loads! And I live in a rural area.

This surely must be the easiest time EVER to go and find a date!

I'm jealous

ps my age range, is about the same as yours

lostinrates

ally18 wrote: »

Have to admit this feels really daunting and scary and I'm 44!! :rotfl:

Any advice at all?

My mother remarried in her forties, my f-i-l met and remarried in his sixties/early seventies and I know people who have dated/remarried in 70s, one to someone in their early 80s! You are NOT past it.

Tropez

Open University course, perhaps?

Many of them have tutorials and some also have day schools. You can get financial support if your income is low and event small grants towards the cost of buying books and other materials for your course and of course there's the chance to meet people and expand your social circle.

choccyface2006

Hi

Firstly no, you are not past it, in your prime in fact!

When I was single I joined a few dating sites including Match and Dating Direct (both actually the same site) yet I never paid the full amount, only a maximum of £5 a month.

To do this I registered with the sites and browsed, winking or adding to favourites anyone that looked interesting. Then I waited for the special offers ignoring the 'Buy one month, get one free' as it was still expensive, eventually they did £5 for a month or £1 for a week.


By then I would have built up quite a list of those I wished to contact so I would message them then and hope for a reply if they were also a paying member. Don't forget that not every member has a subscription so if you don't hear back it might be because of that.

Don't forget to cancel your subscribtion and pay close attention to the T & Cs on cancelletion, with some of the week trials you can't cancel withine 24 hours but it must be 48hours before the end of the trial giving you only a small window in which to cancel, I never got charged! Or get a pre-pay credit card and only load the cost of the trial so they can't bill you again (I leant all the tricks!)

They will try to get you to stay will promotional offers, usually £9.99 a month as opposed to £29.99 for Match and Direct Dating so if you want to continue at a fairly reasonable rate that might be good.

Some members pay extra to allow non-paying member to contact them free of charge so look out for the banners on their profile.

Also, if you see someone you like, try putting their username into the free dating sites as I always used the same username for the sites I was on and contact them through there instead.

Some sites have free communication weekends/days where everyone will be able to contact anyone they like so you are likely to get a response then.

Remember to stay safe while dating, read the site guildines carefully.

Have nice clear up to date photos showing you doing differenty things that interest you and if possible a full length photo. Never be put off if you don't get a reply and remember you might have to a few frogs before you find a prince!

I've been blissfully boyfriended for four months now (we met on POF) and glad to be off the dating sites but I would highly recommend it!

Sarah xXx

bluenoseam

I think another thing to remember is that you can only really get anywhere if you believe in yourself enough to get over the nerves of it, unfortunately though there's a perception that it's full of wierdos - although that being said i've seen a number of women on POF who genuinely think that Brad Pitt is going to ask them out and won't think about anything less, so avoid being that kind of person and you'll be fine.

Tell you what though, if POF is anything to go by, i'm going to my nearest seminary & signing up, it'd cure the single side AND the jobless side, who says us men can't multi-task!

ciderwithrosie_2

If you want to start off a bit more slowly than actually going on dates, and build a bit of confidence, what about a chatroom? OK there are idiots on there like anywhere but I've met some genuinely nice guys to chat to over the years and still in touch now with a couple of them. Doesn't have to lead to anything, just a bit of a boost, lots of lonely/bored people out there and it's free! I go on uk.worldsbiggestchat.com which has recently become lycos chat.

ally18

Thanks for all your advice, I'm going to start and have a look tonight and thanks for the laughs as well

No open university course for me I'm afraid, I've done with studying now

I do understand about the 'few frogs' bits as well. The few winks I got were all from men a lot older than me who weren't in my age range that I asked for either, I wonder why they didn't read the profile properly? Mind you, there was one who was a whole lot younger as well which did give me a slight boost until I realised he probably wanted a mother figure :rotfl:. I have to admit its all a bit weird but hopefully fun and won't cost too much!

ally18

ciderwithrosie wrote: »

If you want to start off a bit more slowly than actually going on dates, and build a bit of confidence, what about a chatroom? OK there are idiots on there like anywhere but I've met some genuinely nice guys to chat to over the years and still in touch now with a couple of them. Doesn't have to lead to anything, just a bit of a boost, lots of lonely/bored people out there and it's free! I go on uk.worldsbiggestchat.com which has recently become lycos chat.

Do you know, I wouldn't have a clue how to do this. What do you talk about? I don't think I could go on one of those and just start talking to a complete stranger unless I was completely tanked up! :eek: