Everyone seems to be involved in online dating these days.
It's the new method for single adults to connect with each other.
Gone are the days of frequenting the local singles bar with the hope of meeting a compatible guy or gal.
Nowadays, all you need is a computer with an internet connection.
Simply connect to the internet and hundreds of thousands of available singles are at your fingertips! There are two types of online dating sites: paid and free.
The paid sites will allow you to setup a free profile so you can peruse existing members.
But once you try to communicate with another member, you are forced to enter your credit card information and agree to a monthly billing program.
On the flip side, free dating sites are exactly that: free! And why would anyone choose to pay for a dating site when they can become a member at one of the free sites? There are many valid reasons for choosing a paid dating site.
We'll discuss several of those reasons.
If you're paying a monthly fee for a dating service, what does that say about you to other singles? Probably the most significant message it sends is that you are serious about finding someone special.
It also says you aren't a complete bum and you can at least afford twenty or thirty bucks a month.
Essentially, paid dating sites have higher quality individuals within their member database.
While there are no fees for the free dating sites, there are some drawbacks.
Every website on the internet has operating costs.
If you aren't paying a monthly fee, how do you think your dating website is subsidizing itself? Most likely they are doing it through advertising.
Whenever you log into your free dating account, you will get bombarded with advertising.
You will also receive advertising emails through the dating site's affiliates.
By not paying a monthly fee, you are asking for unsolicited junk emails.
If junk emails and lots of advertising don't bother you, then maybe you'll be very happy with free dating sites.
Another drawback to a free dating site is customer service.
Because there is no significant monthly revenue, free dating sites usually have extremely poor customer service.
Not only can poor customer service be frustrating, it is potentially dangerous for a dating website.
If another user harasses you, who can you turn to if the website has no customer service? Although a monthly fee might seem annoying, most paid dating sites have a responsive customer service team.
They can usually answer any question or concerns you might have, and their response times are typically within 24 hours.
Every dating site will offer email communication between members.
The better dating sites will hide your email address from anyone you contact.
This is for your own safety.
You should never reveal your personal email address or any personal information until you are certain you wish to meet someone.
Even then, it is best to keep basic information about yourself withheld until you can meet him or her face-to-face.
However slight the possibility, there is always an outside chance that someone intends to harm or deceive you.
Besides email, there are many other methods to communicate with other members.
One method is instant chatting.
You can usually send an instant message to another member who is online at the same time as you.
Video or "web cam" chatting is the latest rage for dating sites.
If you own a web cam, you can instantly chat and see another member who also has a web cam.
However, most dating site users do not own web cams (yet!).
Although you can join any number of free dating sites, it is highly recommended that you join a paid site.
Paid sites usually have all the convenient features that are mentioned above.
Don't you think a small monthly fee is well worth the extra bells and whistles that only a paid dating site can provide?