Mature dating has moved from the usual social watering holes to dating online and in fact online dating has become the preferred way of meeting people today for singles over 50.
Indeed online dating is probably the most talked about subject today for people in the over 50 age group if only because this new way of dating has different challenges and opportunities than those that presented themselves to us when we first started dating 30 years or so ago. So let’s take a fresh look at mature dating and the online dating challenges we will face. These online dating challenges are in truth few and far between and can be easily overcome as you’ll discover later. Later too you’ll see what makes online dating the most effective way to find like minded people today regardless of your age!
Online Dating Challenges
What you see is what you get- isn’t it?
No unfortunately not always and this can apply to someone’s age, physical appearance, personality or solvency.
The truth is that some people lie about their age, add pictures to their dating profiles that are not current or even not of them. Others sometimes describe themselves as fit when they’re flabby and six foot tall when they’re nearer five.
The internet and online dating sites are also used by spammers, scammers and criminals although it is as well to remember that these same dubious characters can also be found in everyday life in your local supermarket, shopping mall or nightclub.
Then there are those who describe themselves as outgoing, kind, sincere when they are introvert, mean and downright dishonest! Of course it is true that some people don’t do this deliberately and (as Robert Burns observed) do so because they are unable to see themselves as others see them.
There are also those who say they are financially secure but suddenly discover when it comes to paying for an intimate dinner for two that they have forgotten their credit cards.
What’s the answers?
Thankfully the companies involved in this online dating revolution offer many ways to deal with these challenges in the form of sophisticated online dating tools that are easy to use.
Scammers, spammers and criminals
Reputable online dating sites employ sophisticated security measures to keep scammers and spammers out so if you join one of these sites it’s unlikely you’ll come across these characters.
If you are getting serious about someone and thinking about going on a first date then you can either rely on your intuition to tell you this person is trustworthy or you can use one of the agencies out there to run a check on them. Perhaps though if you’re considering this you need to reconsider meeting them in the first place!
People who misrepresent themselves- wittingly or unwittingly
This is far easier to fix than most people imagine-just use the video chat feature which most of the advanced dating sites offer at the earliest possible opportunity.
The usual format for getting to know someone online starts with letting someone you like know by sending them a “wink,” “flirt” or suchlike to “test the water” then waiting to see if you get a positive response. If you do then it’s time to exchange a few emails and perhaps ask them to email a few more RECENT pictures of themselves.
Asking appropriate questions and seeing how they reply is a great way to find out what makes them tick and also if they’re telling “porky pies” although it’s important to bear in mind that “a man is innocent until proven guilty” so you should try to avoid turning these exchanges into the Spanish inquisition!
Undoubtedly the most effective matchmaking tool to really get to know someone before meeting them face to face is video chat. Most laptops have built in webcams nowadays and that’s all two people need to arrange a video chat so it’s worth checking to find out which dating sites offer this feature before joining.
Using video chat is the closest you can get to meeting face to face and ensures what you see is what you get more than any other medium can. It follows that if someone is not prepared to engage in a video chat then probably he or she has something to hide and should be given short shrift.
Online Dating – The Perfect Way for Over 50’s to Meet Like Minded People
As we get older there are fewer and fewer opportunities to meet like minded people who belong to our age group or era and our choices of potential matches is limited to our social circle.
Contrast this with thousands of dating sites and millions of members from all over the world – a dating world that our parents and grandparents could never have imagined with infinite opportunities to find like minded souls.
And you have the ability to make this huge “worldwide dating club” as exclusive as you like by only allowing members in that meet with your approval!
The growth in demand from the over 50’s for online dating has spawned many new dating sites specifically for that age group and some of them are better than others. You can join most dating sites, look at other members’ profiles and create your own for free so it can be a good idea to join a few. This gives you the chance to find out which one you prefer or perhaps more importantly which has the best choice of members before paying for a subscription that allows you to contact them.
There’s really no need to restrict your choice of potential mates by frequenting the same social watering holes anymore when it is now conventional wisdom that the most effective means of meeting like minded people is by online dating.
