How to pick a dating

Website

Google the term "Dating website" and you will come up with tens of thousands of options. It sure takes all kinds to make up the world of online dating!

But there are some that are more appropriate for you than the others. How do you know which one is right for you before investing considerable time and membership fees.

Follow our simple step-by-step plan to clearly identify your dating needs:

1. Finding your "type"

Draw a mental picture of who you're looking for. Do you have specific requirements in terms of location, race, religion etc.?

Some dating websites insist on screening their members to rule out a criminal background. Many websites cater exclusively to singles within the United States. Similarly, there are websites that cater to Christian singles or specific races such as Asians, Blacks, etc.

If you have specific needs that a regular dating website can't meet, look for the specialty dating websites that are rapidly gaining in popularity. It will simplify your search and you will be able to 'connect' better with each other.

2. Search for Free

Most websites allow you to search their listings for free. Specify your criteria such as age and location to check out the profiles available on the website. Can you find a couple of interesting picture profiles right away? 

Search at least 10 different websites before you sign up with one that you like.

The top website today (in terms of the number of members) is Match.com, followed closely by Yahoo Personals. However, the size of their database should not be your sole criteria for selecting a dating website. Quality matters!

You might want to ask your friends for recommendations. Some excellent websites that make the search fun and easy include: Lavalife.com, Dating.com and uDate.com

3. Fix a budget

Decide what you want to spend on online dating, but be flexible! You don't want to pick a website just because it's cheaper to join.

Make a list of at least ten popular websites and look for reviews and recommendations to help you choose. Don't join a lot of websites at once. It takes time to develop a relationship and too many choices can confound you.

While there are several completely free websites with great features, most of them are not even worth your time signing up. A friend of mine who fell for the 'free' bait had her mailbox regularly spammed with appeals to send money. Many others are populated with underage teens and married cheaters looking to spice up their sex life. Best avoided!