Tips

Online dating sites are growing in popularity. Just think back to the days where (if you're old enough) AOL chat rooms were the latest and greatest place to meet new people! Today, online dating is an industry that's grown from $329 million in 2006 to projected revenues of $932 million in 2011 (according to Jupiter Research). That's a lot of hearts churning out a lot of dough to these online dating sites.

So if you're out there looking for love, how do you know if you're spending your dollars wisely? After all, you don't want to just throw dollars willy-nilly into the already rich online dating pool. With so much variance in online dating sites, it's hard to tell up-front which ones might best suit your needs. However, if you go into your search with a key list of questions to help guide you, we'll bet that you can sort the list of offerings in no time at all!

Your Goals
If you're just getting into online dating and not so sure you're looking for forever, you may want to try a free trial period with a paid online dating site or one of the free online dating sites. There's no shame in wanting to try before you buy. This is also a good way to get to know a site's interface and whether the way it works will ultimately float your boat.

No Mr. or Miss "Right Nows"
When you're ready to take that next step in your life and find a lasting partner, you may prefer more serious online dating sites like eHarmony, Chemistry.com or PerfectMatch. Designed more as "matchmaking" sites than dating sites, they are designed to provide you with significant in-depth information about your matches and make recommendations for you from their database. The registration process on these sites generally involves a questionnaire that will take anywhere from one to two hours to complete, so it's a win for the committed - a loss for the casual dater.

On the Go or No Go?
If you're in search of an online dating site that you can access on-the-go, you may want to try to find one with a mobile application like Match.com. Otherwise, if you have email access on your phone, I recommend setting-up a dedicated email account to handle your messages from online dating sites. This not only keeps you from ignoring you entire day while you respond to inquiries landing in your primary email - it also prevents the inadvertent sharing of information if you mistakenly reply directly from your email address to a message!

Funds for Fun
Not everyone has the budget to spend $50+ per month on an online dating site. Rates are easy to find - simply visit a site's "pricing" or "membership options" page. There are generally discounts passed along if you pay for more than one month in advance. The steepest discounts are on 6-month and annual memberships. And if you ever want to cancel, be sure to pay attention to your billing date! Online dating sites are merciless with refunds and if you're not careful, you can end up paying for the site long after you've found your love.

Messaging Options - Talk to Me!
Every online dating site has a different messaging option and you'll have to figure what's best for your communication style. While most all have built-in messaging platforms that prevent you from having to share an email address before you're ready, many others also have live chat and other notifications like "winks" and "flirts." Remember - never share personal information like addresses and places of employment prior to actually meeting someone and even then, exercise caution. Online dating sites have built their messaging platforms to protect you and your privacy.

According to a recent article from PC World, geeks are the most romantic bunch of folk out there! Whether it's men being able to better identify with tech-savvy women or simply the inherently creative nature of techier gigs, it seems that geeks rule both the online and real world romantic spaces. And guys - there's something to back up your argument when people say geeks are no fun!

But what about the ladies? The article reports that geek girls (or "geekettes") are more likely than their non-tech savvy fellow femmes to have more active social live. This translates into delving into the online dating scene as well as other tech-based social activities like FourSquare, Brightkite and community or regional groups like Meetup.com. So the bottom line is: nothing's wrong with being a bit of a geek, especially when you're out and looking for love.

If you're still a bit skeptical about the allure of "geekdom," we've put together a list of awesome things that geeks bring to the dating table:

• Great shoppers - A geek knows his or her way around online shopping. Give them a mouse and a laptop and they'll click their way to shopping bliss.
• They're connected - When you come across a fellow geek on an online dating site, they're likely to be better with emails and communicating before the first date. Tech is their niche, so take advantage of some great email banter!
• Oh-so-resourceful - Since a geek knows their way around a computer just think of their ability to tap into the local pulse. Live music, local events, movies and dinner reservations - the options are endless. Need something researched and planned? Give it to a geek!
• Simply handy - It's not so bad having a techie close by. Think iPhone snarls, cell phone questions, mp3 download and home theater system hookups. Sometimes you just can't beat "geek" for answering the questions posed by modern technology.

It's the internet age. Whether you meet someone through an online dating website or while running your most recent 5k, there are dating safety considerations that you likely haven't considered. It's pretty easy to find anyone these days, given the infinite possibilities the internet extends. However - do you really want just anyone to be able to find you?

We sat down and compiled the top five dating safety tips that you probably haven't even thought about. Ten years ago, these things weren't even an issue. Today is an entirely different dating ballgame!

Geolocation: Do you use cool smart phone apps like Four Square or Brightkite? They're tons of fun to help you explore new places and share information with friends and others in your local area. However - they all use geolocation. They pinpoint you at an exact place, at an exact time. Applications like Four Square also share ALL of your contact information (phone number and email address included) with anyone you accept as a "friend." So think twice before accepting friend requests and think about where you check in. Try not to check in at locations too close to your home and consider when it's OK to share your location with the world. Sometimes people just don't need to know.

Facebook: It's huge. Everyone seems to be everyone's friend these days. But do you actually KNOW the people you're adding to your friends roster? My advice is that you should. Facebook personal profiles are for friends, family and acquaintances. If you run a business, create a Facebook Fan Page and connect with colleagues, customers and other business connections on there. And here's a word of caution for dating: wait a bit before connecting with people you're dating on applications like Facebook. They'll have access to all of your friends, photos and daily life comments. Make them earn access to your inner sanctum. Keep your personal life personal. Also, check all of your uploaded photos for things like shots of your home or license plate. These are things that sneak into our photos without us even realizing it and are prime fuel for anyone dead-set on finding us (even when we don't want to be found).

Blogs: In today's online age, tons of people have personal or business blogs. If you're one of those people, those outlets are easy ways for people to find you. If you use WordPress, you have the ability to block a user's IP address from accessing your site if you're being harassed (thank you, WordPress!). Other blogging software offers the same capability. If you have a blog or other online presence, don't post your email address. Use a contact form or mask your email address using a website like this email address encoder. Don't list your phone number on a personal blog or website. If people want to get hold of you, there's nothing that can't wait until you respond to an email. And if they have a legitimate reason for contacting you, they'll understand your privacy and pursuit of safe online practices.

Personal Profiles: Online dating sites, blogs, social networking profiles like Facebook and MySpace...there are tons of places online for you to tell people who you are and what you like. But how much information is too much? If you're a prominent blogger or media professional, you have to let people know who you are any why you're a credible source. Establishing a personality may be key to your livelihood. But you can still play it safe and not give away the milk for free. Never give your address - a city and state is fine. Consider carefully posting the names of children and/or their pictures. Unless your online presence has something to do with your employer, don't share where you work (employers hate stalkers!). There are ways to be who you are and in all its glory without letting a date-gone-bad (or even a date gone great) do more digging and discover information about you that you didn't even know you were making available. If you go to school (even college), don't post your school name - your major and graduation year are fine. In fact, leave off the graduation year if you like as it speaks to age (another identifying factor). Think before you post - that's the theme here. Just because everything is available over the internet doesn't mean you have to make it so easy to find.

Business Addresses: Do you work for yourself and enjoy the bliss of making your own hours and working in bunny slippers? Then it's likely you have a business address: your home. If you went the formal route of establishing a business entity, then your home address is listed on your corporate formation paperwork with the Secretary of State's office in your state. This information is public record. Consider heavily whether you want to obtain a "virtual" business address from a respected source. Many outlets like Mailboxes, Etc. offer street addresses for a modest annual fee. You can also do a web search for "virtual business address" and compare listing prices. Since P.O. boxes aren't allowed for business addresses, virtual addresses are a safer route than listing your actual home address. After all - you love working for yourself and it's a topic that comes up on first dates everywhere: what do you do for a living? No reason to make it so easy for your date to track you down in public records.

Here's the bottom line for dating safety in the digital age: if you post something online, people can find it. Social networking and online dating sites are great fun, but understand what new applications make public information before you go all gung-ho. It's your safety at hand, and start thinking iSafe instead of iPhone!

Valentine's Day ideas - how do you make sure this year is better than all the rest? The most romantic day of the year is approaching and we wanted to help you take the guesswork out of creating a beautiful event for you and that special person in your life. Let's face it: sometimes we get stumped trying to conjure-up the ideal romantic scenario. Some of us are just not the "romantic" types (and maybe our partners aren't either!). Let us do the thinking to help get you on the right path to Valentine's Day success and use the following ideas to get February 14 off to just the right start:

A Wake-Up Surprise
Sneak over to your lover's house the night before and put a greeting card, bouquet of flowers or another something special on their windshield. What a delightful surprise they'll have waiting for them the next morning! Now, don't go breaking into garages to make this happen - a surprise left on their front doorstep can be just as effective (accompanied by a text to check their front door!).

The Office Surprise
Guys and gals alike want to know you're thinking about them on Valentine's Day. Surprise the gal in your life with something like an edible fruit bouquet or floral delivery on Valentine's Day. On a budget and want to save some dough (since florists have no problem charging a Valentine's Day premium)? Head to a florist or the grocery store, select an arrangement yourself and drop it off during lunch. For the guys? Call a local florist or gift basket company and have then create a Man Basket! Beer, sports magazines, snacks for the game - whatever you think your guy will like. And again - to save some delivery dough, build a basket yourself and sneak it by his receptionist at lunchtime! Weekend holiday? No sweat and even better. Entice a friend to make a delivery for you.

Silly e-Cards
Have a quirky sense of humor? Sites like Someecards let you customize your own cards and send them for free! Remember - it's always best to send an e-card to your lover's personal email account instead of their work address. Worried they'll miss it? Drop them an email at their work address to check their personal account. You'll keep yourself and your personal life out of the workplace as well as private giggles private.

Dinner and a Non-Movie
It's easy to find a restaurant in your local area that's having a Valentine's Day special. Once you find one you like, be sure to make reservations as they tend to fill-up fast. An idea - take an earlier dinner reservation (like 6pm) and add a non-movie event after! A stroll in the park, a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, a view from the rooftop of a building, a trip to the museum or even a cup of coffee at the coffee shop where you had your first date. Make a lighthearted evening out of it.

The Scavenger Hunt
If your lover has a thirst for adventure, why not plan a day-long scavenger hunt? Hide little notes and clues around the house, in her purse, sent via text message or email and keep the interest alive all day long! End the day's hunt by having them meet you somewhere special - special to the TWO of you - and celebrate with a bottle of champagne under the stars or a delicious dinner at your favorite restaurant. As an added coup, why not have your waiter bring over the final clue - a gift or special card for your lover.

The Traveler
On the road this Valentine's Day? Don't fret! While there's nothing like snuggling-up with the one you love, you can conjure-up some pretty decent alternatives. Try putting together an online photo album of pictures of the two of you and send them a link. You can even get creative and enlist the help of mutual friends: arrange for various friends to drop by your lover's house throughout the day in your absence, each bearing a different card or little gift.

Remember: not everyone like flowers or elaborate romantic gestures (and some people are quite the opposite!). You know your partner better than anyone - above any material things you could give as a gift, the most important gift you can give is letting them know they hold a special place in your heart and that you value them for who they are.

If you're lucky enough to have scored a first date on Valentine's Day, congratulations! The air is swimming in romance and there you are, wondering how to make this a stand-out day for you and your lucky date. Where to begin? Why, the basics of course!

The key to a first date on Valentine's Day is not going overboard. It's your first date and it should be about conversation, laughter and getting to know one another, not gifts, elaborate planning or trying to celebrate an anniversary that hasn't even happened yet. Relax and we'll walk you through the basics and keep you on track for a great time:

Reservations are a MUST. Valentine's Day is a high-traffic day for restaurants, so make reservations as early as you can. In fact, some restaurants that don't generally accept reservations make exceptions on big holidays. It may take you a couple phone calls to get a venue, but don't give up. Inquire about any prix fixe menus (set menus) they may have for the occasion as well.

Offer to Pick Up Your Date. Safety is a big concern in this day and age, so simply offer to pick your date up. It's kind and gives your date the opportunity to decline and offer to meet you at your destination of choice.

Flowers? Lovely! Ladies and gents alike - there's nothing wrong with a simple long-stemmed rose as a greeting for your Valentine's Day date. If you're feeling like a dozen roses or a bouquet, that's grand as well. Don't feel pressured to go overboard on date one, though.

Extras, Extras. Done with dinner? Try a walk in the park or a trip to the waterfront to stare at the night sky. Grab an ice cream cone or find a little place well-known for its desserts. Feeling quirky? Go grab a root beer float or slice of apple pie at that legendary diner in town. Be unpredictable yet not overbearing and your evening will end on a delightful note (with a second date in your near future!).

It's a new year and time for all sorts of resolutions - but what about your dating resolutions? Here's one that everyone can grab on to: this year, be a better date. Whether you're in a relationship or on the market (or hey - maybe you're not even looking and spending time with friends), we put together some ideas that might help you be better date for 2010 and beyond.

Start With a Smile - No matter how long your day has been or if the person you meet isn't what you expected, throw a smile up against the wall and see if it sticks. What's the worst that could happen? You start off on a good note and maybe you meet someone who gives you a laugh or teaches you something new.

Try Something New - Ever gone out with that person who has to have things their way or is the pickiest eater on the planet? You may not realize it, but you might be that way about some things! Let your date or friends introduce you to something new. See a chick flick. Watch an action movie. Try the veal. Take in a live football game. Whatever it takes, be game to try something new and stop being the fuddy duddy.

Offer to Drive - Gals like to be picked up. Guys are expected to pick you up. Why not change things up and if your date has had an especially crazy day, offer to do the driving for a change. You might get turned down, he might pick you up on it. But it's really nice to offer sometimes.

Give a Compliment - Maybe you're the type who always gives compliments. Maybe you're not. Try saying something delightfully unexpected to a friend or date - and mean it. There's always a smile that comes along with a compliment - and if you're not good at accepting compliments, why not practice saying, "Thank you," instead of thinking you don't deserve it.