http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2011/5/2/the-real-cost-of-dating.html

Yes this is for Americans, but it shows how inexpensive an online
dating membership is compared to a single date! And considering you
can meet and get to know tens (or even hundreds) of eligible singles
for less than the cost of a date, it’s a no-brainer.

Now, some people regard e-mails as something informal, so they don’t
really watch out for their grammar or construction. But this isn’t so.
Actually, I find it a turn-off when a person has bad grammar in their
e-mails to me, it’s a minus point, and I think that a lot of people
think the same way I do.

Okay, so as an unwritten rule, it is considered best for both parties
that your communication be kept within e-mails for the first few days.
In that way, you can get to know each other in a more impersonal way
and you can organize your thoughts better.

In finding your dream match, the key is communication. The more you
communicate, the more likely your chance to find exciting dates. And
as with most of the things in this world, e-mails are also governed by
a set of rules and manners, which are known as netiquettes or e-mail
etiquette’s. Here are some of them:

1. Guard your privacy. Your privacy and that of your loved ones should
always come first, so you must keep privacy foremost in your mind.
Never give your personal e-mail address, home landline number, or your
home address. Consider it paranoid, but it is always better to be safe
than be sorry.

2. Be yourself. Do not be a fake or a poser. Your main goal is to
start dating that can be your soul mate for a lifetime, so do not try
to be someone you are not. You should market yourself, and not someone
that you are making out to be. Because the singles would want to know
you, the real you.

3. Ask and answer questions. Taking time to answer their questions
means that you are showing them that you are making an effort, and by
asking some questions back, then you are also showing that you are
willing to get to know them better. This also opens up channels of
communication and invites more exchange or e-mails.

4. Be responsive. Be prompt. If you like the person e-mailing you,
then go ahead and reply. If not, then ignore the message. If you are
the one waiting for a reply, if the person you sent an e-mail to has
not replied for several days, then chances are, they aren’t ready to
communicate yet. But don’t worry! There are other singles out there
who are just waiting to hear from you!

So open up those channels of communication and get ready to have the
time of your life!

We’ve added some new features to the profile pages and has been seeing a fantastic response. Everyone loves them!

Here’s a short list of the new features:

Member Introduction:
A short overview of the member is now presented at the top of the page, detailing their name, age, location, what they’re looking for, their distance from you and whether they’re online or not.

Photo Gallery:
Conveniently browse member photos from within a profile with the all new Member Photo Gallery. Move forward and back through a members photos and zoom when you want to see more detail.

Status Commenting:
When a member updates their status with something interesting you can now send a comment.

Instant Requests:
Send instant requests for more details such as photos or profile text.

Come online:
The member you are viewing isn’t online? Send a request to come online and chat.

Similar Members:
View similar members to the profile you are viewing from right within a profile page, providing a quick and easy way to browse through members.

Random Member:
Can’t find the right person? then try the new random member button.

More information:
We’ve added even more info about the member into the profile page, you can now view photos, diary entries and videos all from the one page.

Clearer Layout:
Even with all the information we have added we still have a cleaner, clearer layout.

Popular Actions:
We’ve moved popular actions such as ‘Send a Message’, ‘Send a Wink’ and ‘Add to Favourites’ into more prominent, clearer locations.

Inline Messaging:
Having an in depth conversation with someone you like? You can now send and reply to messages right from their profile page.

Message Preview:
See a preview of the last message you have received from a member right from their profile page.

Why don’t you login and have a look yourself?

If you really like a guy, you may not be paying attention to his body language, the inflection of his voice as he speaks, or the tone of voice in which he is speaking, and so might miss some of the non verbal cues that would otherwise clue you in to what he is thinking, and how he views you. Does he view you as a potential partner, or a potential bed partner?

We all know the dating rules, or at least enough of them to know what to do and what not to do on a date. However, if you are dating for real, some of those rules don t apply. The rules for dating were largely established a few decades ago to make it easier for people to date, and figure out how to behave towards each other when they had no idea how dating between a man and a woman is supposed to work.

When you date for real, as in you are looking for a lasting connection with a man, rather than a fleeting infatuation, you are more likely to put yourself out there, be more honest and more direct than you would be normally. The interesting side effect of such blatant courage is that the man you are showing your real self to is blown away by your honesty and will probably respond in kind. A real relationship is not based on mind games or attempts at power plays or control.

If you begin your association with communication, honesty, and forthrightness, the chances are good that that will be the basis for the dynamic of your relationship. If you or he goes the other way, and depends upon a list of antiquated guidelines to look to for correct behavior, the relationship will never really get off the ground because neither of you will ever really get to know the other person.

It’s not about being polite, its about being you, the real you.

What happens a lot of times is that a woman will meet a man that she likes or who fits all of her idealistic relationship criteria: he is successful, he is good looking, intelligent, has a nice body, etc…..then she will try to figure out what he wants in a woman, and she will mold her personality to fit into what she THINKS he wants. Then what happens?

He is still not having a relationship with her. He is having a relationship with the woman he thinks she is. But she will soon grow tired of this game, and he will eventually notice that she is unhappy but will be unable to figure out why.

Dating for real is scary because it means that you have to let the other person in. You have to let them see who you really are in order to start something. Just as you need to see who he really is. You need to fight through the nice clothes, and the fancy car, and the sexy voice, down to who he is on the inside.

It’s a long, arduous frustrating journey, but at the end of all that, guess what you will have? You will have a bond with a man who knows you don’t look like Tyra Banks in the morning when you wake up, but loves you anyway.

So many men are looking for good women, and so many women are looking for good men, and they are all around us all the time. They are lonely and confused and have a few dings and scratches, or even a humdinger of a dent, but with a little care and patience, and honesty, they could be good for us.

What we put into a relationship is what we get out of a relationship. If you’re dating for real, be yourself. If he takes off, he is not the one for you. That’s all it is.

This is life. We are going to be rejected. It happens. But don’t shy away from being yourself for fear of rejection.

The hypothetical man in the above story just wanted a woman to be with who he could share his time and his life with. If she had been authentic with him from the beginning, things would have been different.

Be Real. That is the only dating rule you really need to follow.

Source: RoseMary Alberts from nsadatingsite.com

Living in the 21st century, the sad fact is that most of us spend the larger part of our late teens and early- to mid twenties pursuing our careers, with the result that our personal lives (and romantic relationships in specific) tend to be put on the backburner. And before you know it, you wake up one morning and all your friends are married, you haven’t had a date in ages and all the single men you know are either creepy or come with more baggage than Posh Spice.

So, what do you do? Sit back and wait for your sister to set you up with her accountant? Join a gym and sidle up to your instructor? How about an option that allows you to screen potential mates even before you meet them and get emotionally involved? Welcome to online dating sites. We use the internet to hire cars, shop for clothes, study foreign languages and keep in touch with friends in different countries, why not for online dating? It only makes sense to use this infinite global resource for this reason as well.

While dating sites can be a great way to meet like-minded people, the fact remains that the medium is susceptible to misuse by individuals with less than honourable intentions. That is why you should take care to protect yourself when participating in online dating. Here are a few handy tips:

1. Trust you instincts. As humans, we have all been blessed with a complex psychological tool we colloquially refer to as our ‘gut feeling’. This tool uses a combination of conscious and sub-conscious observations and prompts to let us know when to get out of a given situation. Never ignore your instincts. Refer to your ‘little inner voice’ every time you read a profile, a response to an email, have a phone conversation or meet in person.

2. Take your time. In the initial stages of online dating, it is best to keep your personal information private. This includes your name, surname, home telephone number and home address. It may seem prudish to withhold this information but there are some scary things you should be aware of, namely:
• With your home phone number, any person could find out where you live, what your income is and even the value of your home.
• Your full name can allow people to ‘Google’ your name and perform an internet search that may result in them knowing where you work, what you do and even what your phone number is.
• With both your home number and your full name they can find out basically everything.

3. Use anonymous communication methods. Set up a free email account with Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail to facilitate your email communication and use a prepaid cell phone account or Skype for telephone conversations. This will allow you more time to get to know the person in question better before divulging any personal details.

4. Use a reputable online dating service. There is a saying that goes ‘you get what you pay for’ and this is true for online dating as well. Free dating services are all good and well, but take into account that ‘free’ means that people who use the site are completely unidentified since they don’t need to provide any credit card information. This provides a greater opportunity for potentially dangerous individuals to misuse the platform.

5. Be on the lookout for odd characteristics. Once you start communicating with a potential mate via email or telephone you should be wary of any odd characteristics you may notice. Are they easily affronted, do they seem controlling, etc.? If you notice anything that is not above board, that should be your cue to tuck tail and run.

Online dating can be a fun, rewarding experience. Just make sure to keep yourself safe!

Source: Johara from hotguysandgirls.co.za

Let’s move on to the bigger picture. Pick your favorite actor. It doesn’t have to be from the list above. One, two, three or more. It does not matter. Picked one? So what is it you like about them in particular? What makes them the stand out performer in your eyes?

OK, so hopefully you’ve picked one or two now. I’m sure you didn’t have too much trouble. Slow down and wait a moment though. It’s time to take a BIG STEP BACK. Why did you choose this actor or actress? Is it their ability to dazzle on the big screen alone?

I’ll bet the majority of you made your choices based on their acting skills alone? Of course, this makes sense. They are actors, after all. You pay money to go watch them and you have certain expectations when doing so. Now, let’s forget, for a moment, they are actors. Totally forget their status and the image all together. Imagine they were the worst actor in the world and that you only know them as a person. Who now is your top pick? It can be more than one again. It’s difficult I know.

Maybe your choices have changed? Maybe they haven’t? It does not matter. It’s time to talk about their people powers and what you can learn from them in terms of attitude and being approachable. More specifically – The Good Dating Attitude.

Let’s talk autographs then. Maybe the actor you choose is the best in the world? Maybe they are the worst? Maybe you have no idea?

Johnny Depp is one such Actor that certainly knows where his bread was buttered. Despite him being conflicted about the Hollywood System and fame, he shows nothing but love for his fans. Catch him in a crowded airport, and he’ll sign an autograph for you while carrying his luggage. No doubt his fans love him for this. George Clooney is another who will happily joke around and sign autographs for his legions of fans.

What about the other end of scale? Then, of course, there is Cameron Diaz. Cameron think she’s far too smart for her silly fans. Generally, if you ask her for an autograph, she’ll refuse. Furthermore, she’ll probably lecture you about how dumb autographs really are.

So what does this have to do with dating? It is a great example of how to be approachable for a start. Remember now, there will always only be two ways to get a date. One is to approach and the other is to be approachable. So if you don’t want approach – why not at least make yourself approachable? Gives you a much better chance doesn’t it? Body language should never be underestimated on this front, either. Smile and make eye contact. Any is better than none at all. Your confidence will grow as a result, giving you a fantastic chance of the date going well.

Having a good dating attitude is the main point,though, to take away from our autograph example. The point being – give everybody a chance from the start. Remember, like you, they are in the same boat. Even more so, if it s a first date.

Judging your date, before you’ve even spoken, will not help. Sure, of course it s a judgmental world we live in. We all know that. However, you will certainly give yourself the best possible chance if you START off with this good attitude. Of course, if you don t start with this attitude then forget it. The date is destined to be a disaster.

What if the date is still a disaster? Even after this? Nothing more you can do. You’ve gone in with the right attitude and that’s all you can control. More importantly, don’t just make this a one date wonder showing of good attitude. If the date didn’t go well, you need to clear it from your mind. Try not to take these negative thoughts into the next date. It will only ruin your chances. You gave yourself the best possible chance and that is all that you can control.

So, yes….you can learn Good Dating Attitude from Mr Johnny Depp.

Source: http://www.velvetloungedating.com

Successful online dating starts with the first moment someone sees your profile. It’s the most important moment in online dating.

Each ad should be well thought out and reflect just what you are seeking. Be honest and straight-forward. Don’t lie to the members on the site and pretend that you are someone that you are not, because someone looking for who you really are will miss you! This wastes your time and everyone else’s.

A picture is worth a thousand words. The ads of people who submit pictures get approximately 12 times the hits of those without pictures. You do not have to submit a picture with your ad, but it might be worth considering. At FunAtForty, we give you the opportunity to upload several large images.

When you receive a response to your ad, it is either going to spark your interest, or not interest you at all. Even if the e-mail doesn’t light your fire, it is always common courtesy to send a response, even if it is to say “Thanks, but no thanks.” After all, this person was interested enough in you to send you an email, so take it as a compliment and send back an acknowledgement that the email was received. If the email does light your fire, then respond to it and enjoy!

Responding to an Ad

When you are searching our database, you need to realize that not everyone will be responding and not everyone will be interested in what you have to offer. So it is a good idea to respond to more than one ad at once. There can be a certain feeling out process to make sure this is a right rendezvous for all parties. While it can work, don’t go overboard with your first email. Unless specifically asked, don’t go into long tirades about what a good lover you are and what you will do with him/her/them when you meet. Try and introduce yourself and let the advertisers know a little bit about you. Just as someone putting in an ad should submit a picture, so should you send a picture when you respond to the ad.

Once you receive a response to your email it is time to start giving more information. This may be a good time to talk on the phone to get a better feel for the person. Then, when you feel comfortable, it is time for the meeting.

Meeting your Date

The first meeting is a big step. This should be fun, but also bear in mind that safety is an issue. That is why we recommend that the initial meeting be at a public place and either during the lunch hour or right after work. If things go well, you can arrange for an immediate, more intimate setting, or you can schedule one at a more convenient time and place.

Common Courtesy

This should be the norm, but unfortunately this sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. The first thing to remember is that NO MEANS NO. Just because you meet doesn’t not mean that he/she/they have to like you and want to take things further. Things may change after a face-to-face meeting, so if the other party wants to break it off, do so. This is not a personal insult. Just smile, accept it and go on to the next one.

If you are invited to the other party’s home, remember that you are a guest. You don’t live there. Dress appropriately for the situation, bring a gift, don’t put your feet up on the coffee table, etc. Just because you are entering into a possible relationship doesn’t mean you have to be an idiot. Good manners go a long way in breaking through those first-time jitters. If you respect the other party, just as you would at work or school, you will do fine, and you will never lack new dating opportunities. Word gets around, and the fools suffer while the good ones are in high demand!