what are the best value dating sites?

sapphireeye

runningwoman wrote: »

Sapphire, was this on Okcupid? I had a profile on there for a few weeks before taking it down.

At first, I thought "ooh lots of creative/studenty types, lots of pretty photographs and interesting well written profiles - I'm in a creative career too, sorted - GET IN THERE GIRL ".

But I found after a bit it seemed to be full of types who “live on the internet" - are primarily interested in chatting online about trivial stuff for AGES without actually feeling confident enough to think of any IRL contact with real people. It's a free site, so I don't think there are a lot of people there thinking "I'm genuinely interested in some real life action so I can get VFM".

Nowt wrong with that – the fact that we're both "here" indicates that online social interaction is a BIG part of people’s lives now - but I think that if you are after something more than "I have an online buddy who I've been sending one line messages to for two years" then free sites are NOT the place to be.

I think we're both vaguely of the same demographic (twenty somethings, not loaded but not "thick" because we're sort of on our way to grown up careers - if that makes any sense :rotfl:), so would be after the same demographic men, and I think you'd probably do much much better on that match site.

Personally. I joined for one month. Met up with about eight chaps - if I had wanted to properly close the deal and try for a permanent Mistah RW I would have said two of them would have been well worth the effort – interesting people, comfortable in their professions/lives, cute, open minded, and had that whole late twenties “ready for a serious girlfriend/life partner” outlook – down to having their own man places and ready to impress with domestic skills/being ultra gentlemanly etc - also could stand me and visualise a future with me, which is also important :rotfl:

I think the paying does filter out a LOT of timewasters.

Last year on match.com similar thing – on for a month, met about eight, would have called two, possibly three – proper boyfriend/marriage material - ended up falling in love with one unlucky sod which was interesting...... :eek::eek:

Thanks for the advice runningwoman (no idea of your real name), I'm planning to join up to Match sometime this week because like you, I think that people will take it more seriously if they're paying for it! I'm going to join for a month and do some serious hunting and then once my month is coming to an end if there are people that I want to keep in contact with or who I've just started chatting to and want to know more then I'll swap emails or something. I suppose because I live across two places I'll get more for my money as well ;-)

There is one guy on Okcupid who's consistently replying which is good, he seems nice and actually makes some effort in his responses but I'll have to bring up the meeting thing I think cause I don't really want an internet only boyfriend!! I am nervous of meeting someone from an online dating site for the first time, I have no idea why though because I have no trouble chatting to people, when I was commuting into London I made a 'train friend' who I chatted to every day on the commute (he was married lol) and I'm the sort of person that random people start conversations with (I got chatted up on the tube earlier in the year and we had a long conversation) so I must look like a nice person and I can keep a conversation going with a complete stranger so I don't know why it worries me! I think once I get the first one out of the way it'll be fine which is why I need to get on with it

I think you and I must be very similar runningwoman, I agree with almost everything you write!

Butterfliesarepretty

missmontana wrote: »

my brother has a mx5...

ha is he on mx5nutz.com ?

Scotty1.7

Well decided to try the 'normal' route and went out last night, though I think i messed up.

Went out with my female friend as it was her idea and other girls may have thought we were a couple.

Did have a girl pinch my !!! though.

All this after i had been out for a posh dinner dance in a tux, come home had 30 mins sleep and then went back out

VestanPance

GemmaB78 wrote: »

10 out of 10!! The first person to get that right!

I was always good at maths!

Butterfliesarepretty

GemmaB78 wrote: »

Butterfilesarepretty: nice profile - you have a lovely smile!!! Good luck - I'm sure it will go well.

Your profile gemma is brilliant too. Strawberry blonde hair, mine used to be red, its now auburn again as like on the pic of me walking.

I straighten my hair but last few days Ive left it curly in spirals. Straight or curly for the date, but he'll recognise me as soon as i come in the car, as he knows what sort i have.

GemmaB78

I was a tad worried about recognising my date - let's just say I've had a few where the photos didn't match the reality - but he rang me to let me know he was waiting outside. Total gent!

Dickdasdedly_2

I’ve been reading this tread on and off for the last few days and it occurred to me that if and when I’m ready to start dating which isn’t in the to near future the internet is probably the only place I could do it. I’m male 50yrs, & 3 months out of a 20yr relationship 18yr of those marriage. I have 2 lovely daughters 14/17. Now for the last 20yrs I’ve put my family first to the extent that though I have some friends left most are married. Not much in the way of hobbies my kids were my hobby. I work in the NHS with venerable adults I’m a lone worker & what colleagues I do have are male & I work long hours sometimes 24 hrs at a time.
I hadn’t really thought about it till Id found this thread to busy dealing with all the crap that goes with separation. But where & how the hell would I meet some like-minded person to have a frendship/relastionship with.
The ladies I would like to meet aren’t going to be around town on a Friday night not that I would be either if you know what I mean. Reading what you’ve all got to say about Internet dating makes it sound really scary. Anyway I would hope that somewhere out there is someone I could meet when the time is right. Its just how to go about meet them ?.

Cautious_Catie

Hi Everyone,

I've had some really strange experiences with dating sites to be honest, but would recommend 'speed dating'. Met some nice guys and the evenings are usually a lot of fun.

sapphireeye

Ok, the guy from OkCupid wants me to add him on Facebook, what's the consensus on this? I'm a bit wary because my whole life for the past few years is probably on there and adding him on facebook would give him access to all my friends/family/photos and etc. but he seems nice and I don't want to be rude! The only thing I can think of is adding him and then adjusting the privacy settings so he can only view certain things but then that seems like hard work and a bit pointless? What's everyone else done because I'm sure you've been asked?

Also, I've signed up to Match, haven't subscribed yet because I've been looking at how many men are actually on there... I've put my age range as 25-30 and apparently within 30 miles of my university city there are only 90 eligible men and half of them don't even have photos?! However, I've just searched again and now there are apparently over 1000? Very odd.

findingmyway_2

I have just broken up with boyfriend, so am in no state to even consider dating again at the moment, but reading this thread has been interesting. Although it does fill me with fear. I am in my mid twenties, and dont even know where to start. I dont really drink or do the clubbing scene so that rules out a vast majority of men my age. I am extremely shy and reserved, and I suppose I have very old fashioned values. All these things together scare me to death when I think about meeting someone new.

Some of the stories have given me a little chuckle though which is greatly needed, and hopefully, when my heart has recovered I'll be able to provide a few funny stories of my own. In the meantime I will keep reading with interest.

Hope those who have dates coming up have a great time.