Relationships

According to a poll from the People Media Network of dating sites, they found on average 52 percent of singles find no advantage to being single and rather have a partner. This leaves 48 percent of singles finding some advantage to having a "still looking" relationship status. In comparison, 33 percent of people polled said that being able to do what you want to do is the main advantage of being single, while 7 percent said living alone. 4 percent of singles said they like being single because they can date, and the same percentage said they like it because they can choose how to spend their money.

This poll ran on 13 of People Media's dating sites in the month of August and the first part of September. 27,000 members took part in the poll.

To find out more about People Media's most popular dating sites, read our review of BlackPeopleMeet.com and our review of SeniorPeopleMett.com.

Attention tall men. There are women on your dating site that aren't getting very many emails, or if they are, they're rejecting them in hopes of finding YOU. They've been a little neglected in the guy department for most of their dating lives and they'll tell you that they are sick and tired of it. Where's their prince? Where are you?

Oh, that's right. You're wasting time on women who probably won't email you back. You're neglecting this prime community of women who are dying to meet you because you don't have your custom searches set up to find them.

So who are these babes who are dying to meet you, tall guy? Tall girls!

Sounds obvious, right? But really, how many of you have a custom search set up just for women over 5'10"? Probably not many of you! Meanwhile you're sifting through tons of girls, some tall, some average, some short. How's your success rate for emails? Not so great?

Hook up your custom search to show you women over 5'10". Many of these women have problems finding dates, or if they do find a man about their size, they have to retire all their high heels. (Tragedy!) I've had several tall friends throughout the year and they've all sung the same song:

"Guys are afraid of me. Nobody asks me out."
"Just once, I'd like to feel SMALL when I'm with my boyfriend."
"I want to be the little spoon!"
"I'd love to tilt my head up to kiss my guy."
"Sometimes guys email me, but when they realize they overlooked the fact I'm 6'1", they get all awkward and then disappear."

Email those tall girls, tall guys! They're waiting for someone like you - a guy that can be the big spoon, make her feel small, and lift her chin up to kiss her. Step up to the plate!

When you’re a dating senior, it might be tough to find the gumption to get back on the horse and enjoy riding in the dating game. First dates were hard enough when you started dating way back when, but now? Forget it! With online dating and matchmaking services coming onto the scene, you are able to set up dates with people you’ve never met. It’s no longer about asking the pretty girl to dance or hoping the cute boy from the football team will ask you out. It’s learning when to do once you’ve both agreed to meet.

To save you the frustration of trying to figure out the first date, we’ve done it for you! You’re a senior with a litany of life experiences to share – wouldn’t you rather get on with the business of finding a partner than figuring out your dating destination? Here are eight great ideas for first dates for seniors, designed to get you out from in front of the computer and into the swing of things with someone new.

Have you been called a “cougar?” Well, you’re not alone. In the dating world, it seems that any woman who happens to connect with a younger man is destined to bear the title of cougar these days. Granted, it’s not the nicest thing a confident woman in search of a romantic match can be called, is it really all that bad to be a cougar these days?

Women in their mid-thirties and beyond have a special edge over their twenty-something “competitors” in the dating world. What is it, you ask? Read on and I’ll tell you the top five reasons it’s great to be a cougar and on the prowl these days!

Reason 1: You know what you want to be when you grow up.

Confidence is completely sexy and your have it in spades. As a matter of fact, you’ve spent the past thirty-some-odd years developing that confidence. You’re not bouncing around from job to job and have probably come to discover what you really love doing with your life. Your career, passions and pursuits all reflect who you are and what you enjoy. There’s nothing sexier than waking up in the morning and knowing that you’re a confident woman who knows where she’s going. That’s a ride for which any match is lucky to get a ticket.

Reason 2: You’ve come to understand and appreciate sex.

In your teens and early twenties, you’re figuring out sex. Hopefully by your late twenties and early thirties, you’ve discovered what pleases you and how to please a partner. Understanding the importance of sex in your life – no matter where it falls on the scale – can only add to you being a better partner for the match in your life. You see it as a release, as passion, as fun and occasionally as a pure need. Being able to see sex for more than just what goes on in dorm rooms and the back seats of your parents’ car lends to that whole confidence thing and makes you someone lovely to wake up next to.

Reason 3: Alone time – everyone needs it.

As a “cougar,” you don’t need to be with your partner 24/7. Rather, you understand and appreciate that you each have things you like doing and they sometimes don’t involve the other person. When you can each go your separate ways and pursue what you love yet still converge and share the wonderful things in life together, you’re going miles towards not only being a great partner. You’re letting your partner know that you respect their life. You’re each better people for what you do individually. Those individual pursuits make you better together as well.

Reason 4: You don’t need men to buy your drinks.

Whether you’re out for a night on the town with your girlfriends or on a business trip and catching up on some reading at the bar over a solo dinner – you’re a big girl. You can buy your own drinks and meals (though it’s nice to have someone offer on occasion). You know that who you are is more important than how much you drink or how little you eat and that you’re more than just a caricature of a woman on the prowl. When you share your time with someone, it’s because they are deserving of your company and add value to your life. Not because you need them to pick up the tab.

Reason 5: Because you know that chemistry is hard to find and you’re not limiting yourself on finding love.

No matter the age of the person you connect with, you understand that how you two relate is what keeps conversations alive, sex exciting and your relationship from going stale. If you find that connection with a younger partner, who’s to criticize? So long as you’re realistic about expectations and face more challenging issues head-on (like the desire to have children, blending families and life goals), there is nothing set in stone that says the people involved in a perfect couple are within a few years age of one another. Follow your heart, honor yourself, and don’t compromise on what makes you feel loved at the end of the day.

Being a cougar in this day and age isn’t such a bad thing after all! We are all looking for someone to make our days brighter and heart fulfilled. Cougars are just a few steps closer to fulfilling that on a personal level! Never let anyone say that being a cougar is a bad thing. After all – if they didn’t call us cougars, they’d call us something else.

When you're a dating senior, it's likely that the kids are grown and have moved away from home. However, that doesn't mean the kids won't be curious when it comes to who that "special someone" is in your life! Deciding the right time to introduce your partner to your family is definitely worth some thought, as these are all people in your life who are important to you. You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but you need to make decisions you feel are right for you, your family and your new partner. Here are some tips to help guide you through the introduction of "new friends" to your family.

Make it a Joint Decision. If you and your new partner both have families, try to make introductions a bi-lateral decision. While this can be hard when kids are grown with families of their own and possibly living in different states, a joint decision can sometimes take the pressure off one party. This also serves as a good "status check." If one of you is ready to introduce families and the other isn't, then take some time to explore where your relationship it at. After all, you spent a lifetime raising your family - sharing them is a big decision!

Family Introductions Should be Fun! Your family is a great source of pride and you have a lifetime together of quirks, memories, laughter and love. Why not make the day they meet your new partner just as fun? Whether it's a backyard barbeque for the Fourth of July or a group dinner at your favorite restaurant, try to take some of the pressure off by actually enjoying yourself! You love your family. You love your partner. Help them get to know one another and develop their relationship by adding a little levity to the situation.

Have a Family "Cram Session." Just like you did before math test, why not set some time for you and your partner to sit down and do some studying of your own? Grab a bottle of wine or pack a picnic basket and make a date of going through family photo albums. Share your favorite memories of your kids so neither of you will go in blind. This will help establish a sense of familiarity before the big "meet my partner/meet my family" day and show your partner a side of you he or she has never seen before.

You’ve got something that those young whippersnappers don’t: a lifetime of experience and common sense. But how can you play this to your advantage when it comes to getting back into the dating scene?

Dating has changed since we first ventured out there. While the ideas of courtship aren’t completely dead, the lines of propriety have been blurred. You should never have to worry about your personal safety when it comes to dating, however. By using that lifetime of common sense you’ve accumulated along with a few tips, you’ll be in the mix of things and enjoying the process of getting to know new people. Now, that’s better than worrying, isn’t it? Here’s a list to get you started with safe dating (and while these tips aren’t just for seniors, we won’t tell anyone!) :