Match.com Celebrates 15 Years of Romantic Introductions

This week, Match.com is celebrating 15 years of helping singles find love online with survey results confirming their position as a leader in the industry.

Match.com recently completed a study of 11,000 people over a five year period, which concluded that one in six marriages took place between people who met through an online dating site. That comes out to 17% of couples who married during this period.

The Chadwick Martin Bailey study on online dating trends looked at three areas: Marriage, Online Dating, and a General Survey.

“The world has changed,” said Greg Blatt, CEO of Match.com. “We get married older, we work longer hours, we move around more, we’re generally busier. These changes have put pressure on the way we traditionally have met our significant others. Luckily, with these changes has come an increasing openness to doing new things. Online dating has grown so much in part as a response to these societal changes, having become the third most important way we meet our significant others, even though it didn’t even exist 15 years ago.”

Match.com launched on April 21, 1995. The original membership was only $9.95/month. Currently a one-month membership to Match runs $34.99. According to Match, more than 20,000 singles register on their site in the U.S. every single day.

The Match Online Dating survey conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey shows a definite shift where more singles are meeting their spouses online than at bars, social clubs, and churches or places of worship.

The Match study also revealed that members have gone on twice as many dates as members of other online dating sites.

Match launched Match Mobile last year and recently added an Android application to their service offerings.

Today, everyone knows someone who has met a romantic interest online. Do you?

In fact, I met my love of over a year online – my mother and stepfather met online and have been married for 10 years. I know it can happen, because I’ve seen it and lived it!

To read details of their findings, visit Match.com

Searching for Friendship or Dates

In today’s world many people meet over the internet this is an excellent way to meet people from around the world. Many friendships have started this way, in some cases after talking to each other over a period of time people will agree to meet in person. The safest way to meet someone for the first time is to meet them in a public such as a restaurant for a lunch date. After meeting someone in person you are more likely to know if you want to date them or not.

Just because someone places a picture on the Web, doesn’t mean that is what they look like. The picture could be an old one, or it may not even be the person you are talking to at all. Before you agree to meet someone you need to check that person out, you can find out just about anything you want to know on the Web just search. Where do they work and live, are they married and what are their likes and dislikes. After talking to someone for a while you will get to know more about them and what they are really like.

The most important thing to remember is to make sure you are truthful about yourself, just like you want others to be with you. Remember there will usually come a time when one or the other of you will want to meet in person. It is human to want to attract a date, so temptation is very great to embellish things a bit and to say in your description that you are young “voluptuous” and “attractive” when actually you are overweight and middle aged.

An important thing to remember is that there are people of all shapes, sizes and ages looking for that certain someone just like you are. Be honest look for sites such as those for Queen sized women, people over 40 or whatever applies to you, that special someone may be out there.

There are sites at your disposal for checking on someone such as (publicbackgroundcheck), (usa-people-search) and (peoplefinders) these sites are easily found and most of them will walk you through your search.

Once you have made up your mind as to what you want, finding someone on the internet to date, have a relationship with or just have a friendship with you are on your way.

If you are looking for old friends such as classmates, there are lots of websites that specialize in helping you find friends from the past. Some of these sites can be found using words such as “classmates”, “reunions”, “public records” or names along these lines friends from the past, from school, Armed Forces or previous jobs. You need to be specific with your word choice when looking for a friend from the past there are more than 46,000,000 sites to choose from.

eHarmony.com actually has the best reviews by it’s members in that many state the members are truthful in their photos and profiles.

Dating Tips & Advice for a Successful First Date

Are looking for advice on how to have a successful first date? Are you about to go out with a woman/man for the first time? Are you about to go on a date for the first time in years and feel that you are out of touch with what is expected?

This article is all about dating – offering tips and advice aimed at helping people who may have answered yes to one or more of the above questions.

There have been many different type of online dating sites for several years now. Probably since the internet was started in fact. These sites offer advise on what to talk about, what to wear and provide tips of where the actual date should or could take place.

Other types of dating site give people the opportunity to find their perfect match. This could be by viewing a number of photos and reading different profiles. Once you’ve found a profile that appeals to you, there is the chance to e-mail and even phone the person of interest. From here of the next step is the first date or meeting.

Many people have met their future husband/wife this way. With the amazing success rates that continue to grow, these type of dating sites are likely to be around for many years to come. 

I have a number of friends and relatives who have successfully met people through online dating. They feel that this way of meeting somebody is a lot less hassle than constantly going to bars and trying to find a partner that way. These women are not in truth the actual type of person they are after in any case. They like the fact that they can attempt to get to know the person via e-mail or phone before they have to agree to meet them.

As for the first date itself, this can be a daunting experience for some people. This is where a dating tips service can prove to be invaluable as the advice given can be of great benefit. The information provided comes from tried and tested previous successful experiences of dating, information which should also prove to be successful again.

Regardless, you should get out there and enjoy yourself. Some you will win, some you will lose. At the end of the day all you can do is give it your best shot and hope to win the ultimate prize.

What are some of the best dating tips you can offer up to someone trying to plan the best possible first date?

Dating Tips & Seduction – Going From Creepy to Great Catch

It’s a fact of life guys! Some guys will never become great with women.

"What?!"

You might think I’ve lost my mind, but it’s true.

A lot of guys just won’t and don’t get it.

And it’s not because they’re not smart enough or somehow defective… though there are plenty of women who would argue that point with me.

In fact, get this, it’s a subconscious choice! That’s right, a choice they have made unknowingly.

I know what you’re thinking.

"How can I make sure I’m not one of those guys?"

Well I’m here to tell you how. You will probably never hear what I’m about to say from other relationship professionals because it’s such a subtle, but very powerful fix, that most leave it out of the equation.

Meet Dave.  Dave is a good guy. Dave likes to be social and has taken a bootcamp with one of the pickup companies. But Dave still doesn’t get the success he really wants; in fact he’s not successful at all.

There are a couple reasons why Dave remains unsuccessful. Primarily the fact that he’s too set in his ways and is stubborn.

I’ve already said Dave is a good guy, but every time I talk to him I get the feeling like he wants something from me. In fact a lot of our mutual friends have said the same thing to me about him.

We don’t like hanging out with Dave and neither do other single women.

Dave always gives off this vibe of having an ulterior motive. He talks to you like a friend, which is great, but he naturally gives off a vibe that says to me that he’s trying to take knowledge, power and fun from me.

The same thing happens to Dave when he’s talking to women. He treats them in a friendly manner and is funny but always gives off this vibe that on another level he has an underlying intention.

Having intentions with women isn’t a bad thing. If you express your intentions openly they’ll likely be acceptable of it, especially if you have tight game. It may even turn them on. IN FACT it will skyrocket your conversion rate if you do it the right way.

But if you hide your intentions you come off as creepy and weird. Women won’t trust you or feel safe being around you alone. You could be the best actor in the world but… trust me, THEY WILL KNOW.

Being creepy is the "Death" card in the Tarot deck of your love life. It will kill any chance of success you might have.

So now you know what might be going wrong. How do you fix it?

To begin with, you need to focus on being fun and unattached to the outcome whenever you can. It’s not about giving back money. It could be anything from telling a great story to a group or being a great host to a bunch of your friends.  It could also be a compliment (in the right way of course) or a tease that will spike emotions in way that is fun to a woman.

Be out there talking to women not only because you want to pickup, but because women are amazing and fun and interesting and wonderful.

Next you need to start doing is being clear about your intentions. This doesn’t mean directly telling a girl "The whole purpose of me talking to you is so that I can get into your pants."  That’s going to kill your pickup about as fast as being creepy.

There are small subtle changes you can make in your behavior that will affect how your intentions are perceived and if you’re congruent with what you’re saying.  There are so many small fixes that I could write a novel on them.

Do you want to read a novel about fixing your creepy vibe and then taking the months to implement it that it will require?

I didn’t think so.

I wouldn’t want to spend the months writing that novel either.

Are Cheap Dates A Problem?

A lot of us are talking about dating in this economy, including Melissa Braverman who was interviewed for an AP article on the economy & dating. I found this part on being too cheap regarding dates to be very interesting:

Melissa Braverman, who blogs about dating, said she knows someone who was asked out on a walking date and considered it a turnoff. And in the last six months, she’s noticed that men don’t suggest meals. When they meet for drinks, they limit it to one hour. She believes it’s so she won’t order a second drink.

“The recession is almost becoming an excuse,” said Braverman, 35, of New York. “Men don’t want to take the initiative, suggesting something fun that is inexpensive. It’s more, well, ‘I can’t afford to take you out for a meal, let’s keep it brief.’ Unfortunately, a lot of times chemistry needs time to develop.”

I agree that chemistry takes time to develop, that you need time to get to know one another (that’s why I’ve given cheap ways to meet potential mates and listed cheap date ideas), but are men (and women too) weaseling out and being cheap as opposed to being practical or thrifty in these economic times? If so, they are selling themselves and possible relationships short.

How Cheaters Use The Internet To Seek New Romance

Are you in a relationship? If you are, cheating may be a concern of yours. After all, cheating is an issue that many of us have become alto familiar with. You may have been cheated on in the past, you may have known someone else who has been, or you may have learned all about cheating from the television and movies.

If you suspect that your partner is cheating on you, they may be using the internet to do so. Why? Because the internet has made it very easy for cheaters to seek new romance. Not only is the internet making online affairs easy and convenient, but many cheaters think the internet makes it harder to get caught. Unfortunately for them and luckily for you, the computer often tells the tale.

As for how men and women use the internet to seek new romance online, there are a number of different approaches taken. One of those is social networking websites. Now, it is important to know that social networking sites, like MySpace, have increased in popularity over the past few years. Just because your partner uses a social networking website, it does not mean that they are cheating on you. They may truly just be interested in connecting with old friends. Be cautious, however, of a profile that you cannot see or access or the appearance of old girlfriends.

Dating websites are also how many cheaters use the internet to seek new romance online. Unfortunately, dating websites are more risky than social networking websites. If your husband, wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend uses an online dating site, they may have the intention of actually meeting the person at the other end of the computer. This is when an affair stops becoming just an emotional affair and often starts becoming a physical affair. If you ever find that your partner is using an online dating website, be aware because there is a good chance that they are cheating on you or intend to start soon.

As it was previously stated, the internet does make it easier for cheaters to start romances online, but it is also relatively easy to catch a cheater online. To get started, check your computer’s internet history. To do so, open up a new internet explorer window. Along the top of the page, you will see the history icon. This icon is in the shape of a clock with a green arrow. Clicking on this will tell you all of the websites visited in the past few days. Be suspicious of no information, as it may mean that the history was purposely cleared.

A keylogger program, also occasionally referred to as a keyword tracker, can also be installed on your computer. These programs work to capture each word that is typed on your computer. If you think that your partner is communicating with their sex partner or partners online through email or in chat room sessions, you may be able to see exactly what it is they are saying. These types of programs can be expensive, but they can also provide you with the proof that you need.

You can also always take the direct approach. If your partner is using the computer and acting secretive, demand to see what they are looking at. Walk over to the computer immediately, request that they get up and you take their seat. View the computer’s internet history immediately. This allows you to see what they have been looking at online before giving a computer savvy cheater time to cover their tracks.

Or you can do what I did:

How to Catch an Online Addict is a great tool in catching an online cheater

Relationships are HARD

Let’s see if I can condense the last 8 months or so right quick so I can get on to what’s really on my mind here.

The beginning of this year brought with it life in a new home and one hefty divorce.

Shortly after my divorce, I was attempting to update an online dating review I’d done years ago on Yahoo Personals. While updating the review, I was forced to create a profile just to get in to test the waters out to see if everything functioned like it did back then. It did not – so the profile was a good thing.

Because the profile was new, it was not visible and approved, so I shut down and went to bed thinking I’d finish up the next day.

The profile went visible sometime in the night and the next day I had over 30 responses.

I immediately hid my profile – because I was nowhere near ready to date – really.

There was one though. One that caught my eye because he was so close to where I live. He had to know people I knew and I thought it might be nice to find a male friend to hang out with while I’m processing my divorce.

We met, we liked, we dated.

Flash forward to present day…

I have trust issues! Big. Time.

I doubt it has a thing to do with the fact that I have been married twice to men who managed to cheat on me right under my freakin nose.

As the result of these trust issues, I feel as though I keep pushing A away or at least driving a wedge in between something that could turn out to be a really wonderful thing.

So what’s a girl to do when she can’t stop over thinking and over analyzing?

Secrecy vs. Privacy – The new relationship with old baggage

It’s no big secret that I have been married twice, divorced twice and cheated on twice. Seems I have a real knack for attracting men with a cheating heart.

People often dish up the age old advice of not carrying old emotional baggage into a new relationship, but when you’ve been cheated on, how can you truly trust again?

I remember the days of opening up the bank statement and finding the cheapest, sleaziest local motel had charged our account on a Saturday night when I knew full good and well the father of my kids was not home.

I remember the day that an overwhelming feeling of deception poured over me when I checked my second husbands email to find that he’d been engaging in not one, but several, married and looking casual encounters dating sites and had even arranged a meet with one woman.

I’m sad to say, that lack of trust has poured over into my new relationship and while there are many times I trust him more than life itself, there have been a few episodes that lead me to wonder if I’ve attracted yet, another cheating heart.

Technology can be a terrible thing. It can build your suspicions in a way that eats at you like a cancer.

I make it a habit to check the history on my computers for possible hacking as well as monitoring the two teenage boys I have in the house. There has been a few occasions that I have found searches, traces of email contact (without content) and peeking at personal ads (without a membership) that obviously belonged to my boyfriend and not my kids. To date I have encountered a handful of questionable episodes for which he has a believable excuse.

It’s my belief that people, whether man or woman, are easily tempted. People make mistakes. By engaging in certain acts, it can sometimes place a person in the position of temptation they may not be strong enough to reject. It’s that lack of willpower that I concern myself with most.

I believe there is a big difference between secrecy and privacy.

Privacy is something that is mine – something I am interested in, no one else in the house might be – I share my thoughts and engage in friendly exchanges but keep a very defined line drawn on what is appropriate behavior. Basically I don’t do or say anything I would not want my man doing.

Secrecy is something that is destructive. Secrets are painful to keep, painful to share and pose a real threat to a relationship. If a person is engaging in an act and their partner were to find out about it, that’s wrong.

There can be nothing stronger nor weaker than the human will and when you commit to a relationship with another person, you should have mastered strong will.

I have to wonder though – how much privacy is good in a relationship?

Would you offer up your email passwords to your partner or is that something kept private?

Singles Choose Love Over Money

With the U.S. being in the height of a recession – True.com took advantage of the opportunity to tap into the minds of singles on this very topic. TRUE.com, the leading scientifically based online relationship service, shows that singles choose love over money even in tough economic times.

Some of the results from 2,286 respondents:

• 95 percent of men and 87 percent of women agree that it does not matter if you make more money than the person you are dating;    
• 49 percent of men and 36 percent of women stated they would not curb their dating spending in a tight economy;   
• 87 percent of men and 80 percent of women responded they would stay in a relationship where their partner had substantial credit card debt or had filed for bankruptcy;    
• 67 percent of women and 66 percent of men claim they have never kept financial secrets from someone they are dating;    
• 64 percent of men and 63 percent of women don’t tend to argue with their partner about money.

I believe this is all fine and good, however, finances tend to be one of the most difficult sects of marriage.  Perhaps if couples who are dating would talk about finances more there would be less friction in marriages.

When you take financial baggage into a marriage, it eventually becomes a problem.  As much as we might try to prevent it, it just happens.

A Singles Guide to Dating on a Budget

Just because times are tough and you want to make an effort at remaining ‘budget conscious’ – that doesn’t mean you have to look or act like a cheapskate on a date.

Match Special has a wonderful list of ideas on how you can maintain an active dating life and not put a strain on your wallet.

The one I’ve always liked most is going Dutch!  To be honest, I always felt guilty having the guy pay for everything and most of all, I never wanted to feel I owed him anything following the date.

Dutch is the best way to go as far as I’m concerned.

What about dating during lunch and happy hour instead of going out during the most expensive times of day?

Go out to eat early in the day and then make it a home date complete with movie rental and popcorn.

For more ideas on dating on a budget, check out Match Special’s Guide to Dating on a Budget

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