what are the best value dating sites?

alyth

I've not looked at this thread for a while but thought I'd share my own experience. Been single for four years after a 15 year relationship, joined PoF about 3 years ago, met a few nice guys for coffee but was always adament that I wanted to be on my own - I had my whole life mapped out - uni/move to China (I'm a mature student) and nothing was going to change that - to me all men were evil lying cheating scumbags and that's the polite version.

About a month ago, on a Monday night, having had too much wine, I randomly emailed a guy because on one of his profile pics he had a pic of the Louvre - I'm quite a prudish person so the email wasn't in any way suggestive, smutty or crude. We emailed back and forward, chatted on line, checked out each other's facebook profiles, and met the following Monday for lunch and then a wander around at art gallery I wanted to visit - we live about 30 miles apart from each other.

To say that I feel like I've found my soulmate is understating it - we try and see each other perhaps twice a week, he cooks for me, when he comes here we go out for supper as I am a crap cook. We share so many values (neither of us wants children), like the same things, and it is scary how easy we have settled in together. Even spending the night together wasn't awkward - we didn't rush it, talked about it, and when it happened it felt right.

So what I'm saying I suppose is if you see someone, drop them an email - god only knows why I did email him that night, whether I lonely (not normally) or whether it was meant to be. For sure I had a few - more than a few - weird guys contacting me, Mr cowl neck jumper and Mr Silk Slip freaked me out a bit, but there are normal people on PoF and other dating sites, I wasn't particualrly looking, I was moving abroad in two years time, I used PoF just really to chat to people on, I didn't need nor want a man - and now I seem to have acquired one and whilst he's turned my life upside down and made me question a few things - why I was adament I had to work abroad - in the main I am so happy that one random drunken email had brought someone into my life that I think I want to spend the rest of my life with.

Sentinel

I joined for three months with "Over 60's dating" paying with my card. Cancelled my membership, but after a week decided to give it another month.
Had a choice of 1 month, three months or six months. Pressed "Yes" thinking I would asked to tick which one, but was immediately signed up for six months and despite an immediate E mail and a call to Global (Who own the site) was told I couldn't have a refund because I had checked their E mails -therefore I had "used the site" Hence, from their small print, I had no redress. Once you go back on to the site you're committed to re joining. This policy stinks. It is exactly the same as those dicey American companies who offer a free trial -but get your card details and then bill you on it for a whole years supply.
Avoid them.:mad:

gardenia101

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

I joined through a parenting site, expecting to join a dating site for single parents (yep, the laughter is getting louder now ) but now understand it is all part of a huge database from gazillions of other sites, some quite specialised :eek: Gardenia101 - maybe this explains what happened to your friend?

Thank you JustKeepSwimming - that does explain it. She is glad she is not on the site anymore, but also scared that online dating was almost her last chance to find a partner.

Although she met a friend of a friend yesterday for lunch. As soon as he arrived (20 minutes late but she was prepared to forgive him as he seemed nervous) he umed & ahed then announced he was going as she was too old for him :mad:. He knew exactly how old she was when he went on the date as his friend was in the same school year as her. And the chap himself is 6 years older :rotfl:

What is it with you men?

VestanPance

gardenia101 wrote: »

What is it with you men?

I don't think being a bit nuts is gender specific.

Just the other day a lad in my work was telling us how he was blocked from messaging someone on a dating site due to their filtering criteria. The reason? He was too old. He's 36, she was 35 but had set her upper age limit to 35!

gardenia101

VestanPance wrote: »

I don't think being a bit nuts is gender specific.

You are quite right there! No offence meant to all you men out there by the way...

JustKeepSwimming_2

gardenia101 wrote: »

Thank you JustKeepSwimming - that does explain it. She is glad she is not on the site anymore, but also scared that online dating was almost her last chance to find a partner.

Although she met a friend of a friend yesterday for lunch. As soon as he arrived (20 minutes late but she was prepared to forgive him as he seemed nervous) he umed & ahed then announced he was going as she was too old for him :mad:. He knew exactly how old she was when he went on the date as his friend was in the same school year as her. And the chap himself is 6 years older :rotfl:

What is it with you men?

Gardenia101 - are you my friend? :rotfl:

I had a similar'ish experience yesterday too. I met a friend of a friend whom I'd met a few times over the years (to say hi to at parties etc. not much else) so he knows exactly what I look like....

We met for a coffee in a busy local coffee shop & it started well (or so I thought ) when he suddenly decided to criticise my clothing (smart jeans & a shirt) then my hair (yes it is curly but by now I've learned not to fight it as life is just too short) then the fact that I "hadn't bothered wearing any slap which was a shame as I obviously needed it"! I have no idea what provoked that onslaught.

He then walked out shaking his head. I suppose I shoud be greatful that he did at least pay for his own coffee . I tried to sneak out quietly a few minutes later, when the chap at the next table said "Ouch, that was harsh" as I stood up. Humiliation complete.

I logged onto to the dating site just now - a man who will only consider chatting to me if I send him some more photos...

I'm feeling somewhat undatable today. Hope you are all having better luck than me (which wouldn't be too hard).

VestanPance

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

We met for a coffee in a busy local coffee shop & it started well (or so I thought ) when he suddenly decided to criticise my clothing (smart jeans & a shirt) then my hair (yes it is curly but by now I've learned not to fight it as life is just too short) then the fact that I "hadn't bothered wearing any slap which was a shame as I obviously needed it"! I have no idea what provoked that onslaught.

He then walked out shaking his head. I suppose I shoud be greatful that he did at least pay for his own coffee .

Where do you all find these nutters?

1940sGal

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

Gardenia101 - are you my friend? :rotfl:

I had a similar'ish experience yesterday too. I met a friend of a friend whom I'd met a few times over the years (to say hi to at parties etc. not much else) so he knows exactly what I look like....

We met for a coffee in a busy local coffee shop & it started well (or so I thought ) when he suddenly decided to criticise my clothing (smart jeans & a shirt) then my hair (yes it is curly but by now I've learned not to fight it as life is just too short) then the fact that I "hadn't bothered wearing any slap which was a shame as I obviously needed it"! I have no idea what provoked that onslaught.

He then walked out shaking his head. I suppose I shoud be greatful that he did at least pay for his own coffee . I tried to sneak out quietly a few minutes later, when the chap at the next table said "Ouch, that was harsh" as I stood up. Humiliation complete.

I logged onto to the dating site just now - a man who will only consider chatting to me if I send him some more photos...

I'm feeling somewhat undatable today. Hope you are all having better luck than me (which wouldn't be too hard).

God almighty! Consider it a lucky escape! What an absolute swine :eek: I'd have poured my coffee on his lap the second he started!

Don't let it get you down, they're the nut jobs, not you. If a bloke can't stand seeing you without any war paint on, he's not likely to last the distance.

JustKeepSwimming_2

VestanPance wrote: »

Where do you all find these nutters?

They just seem to fall at my feet...

1940sGal wrote: »

God almighty! Consider it a lucky escape! What an absolute swine :eek: I'd have poured my coffee on his lap the second he started!

Don't let it get you down, they're the nut jobs, not you. If a bloke can't stand seeing you without any war paint on, he's not likely to last the distance.

Yes, I doubt he was "The One" somehow

I do try not to let it get me down, & there have been boyfriends who don't mind the no make up look so I know most men aren't so shallow. But I am finding it more & more difficult to believe in this dating stuff (not quite the right word but can't think of another) & I've not been doing it very long. Must stay positive :beer:

1940sGal - do you like the Nella Last audiobooks? I read the books years ago & loved them, but the audiobooks really bring it alive for me.

1940sGal

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

1940sGal - do you like the Nella Last audiobooks? I read the books years ago & loved them, but the audiobooks really bring it alive for me.

I read the books but i can't get on with audio books. I can't sit and listen to them without doing other things and if i'm doing other things I'm not really listening to the audio lol.