Date and Save

Recommended Online Dating Sites:

Pros: Matches you based on personality with only those compatible with you, eliminates unwanted email from people not compatible with you, and your profile and picture are only shown to those who take the time to fill out a profile of their own rather than to anyone in cyberspace.

Cons: Expensive, takes a long time to fill out a profile, you do not get the choice to meet everyone in the database, not good if you are just looking for someone to have fun with rather than a relationship.

Prices: $49.95 for a one month membership, $99.95 for a three month membership, $159.95 for a six month membership and 249.95 for a one year membership.

Free Stuff: Free to create an online profile that allows you to be matched with potential dates. See who you will meet before spending a penny!

Match.com

Pros: Relatively inexpensive, most potential matches of any other Internet site, advanced search function that allows you to search for a potential match based on a great number of criteria, and a matching function that allows you to easily find people with your interests who are also interested in meeting you.

Cons: Difficult to fill out a profile, anyone can see your picture if you post one regardless that they have not completed their own profile, sometimes the match function works improperly and fails to match you with potentially compatible members, and you receive tons of unwanted email to sort through from people you will have no interest in.

Prices: $24.95 for a one-month membership, $44.85 for a 3-month membership, and $65.70 for a 6-month membership.

Free Stuff: Free 3 day trial membership where you can post a profile, receive mail that others send to you, and use the special functions of the site such as searching and matching. See who is interested in you without spending anything!

Recommended Online Dating Sites:

Yahoo! Personals:

Pros: Inexpensive, easy to fill out profile (unless you fill out the personality profile, in which case, it will take you a while), easy to use, and if you fill out the personality profile, it will tell you those members who you are compatible with.

Cons: Fails to give you a lot of information about potential dates, if you fill out the personality profile, it takes a long time to complete, and the personality profile is less advanced than Eharmony.com.

Prices: $19.95 for a one month membership, $44.95 for a three month membership, $99.95 for a one year membership.

Free Stuff: Free trial membership that allows you to use the search function, send limited emails, and receive emails.

AmericanSingles.com:

Pros: Allows you to choose to hide your photo from non-members and tells you who's checking out your profile.

Cons: It is relatively expensive and to complete your profile you must answer overly personal essay questions.

Prices: $24.95 for a one month membership, $59.95 for a three month membership, $99.95 for a six month membership, and 199.95 for a one year membership.

Free Stuff: Free trial membership that allows you to receive emails, send limited emails, and exchange instant messages with other members. Exchange messages with potential dates without spending a dime!

Jdate.com:

Pros: Largest selection of Jewish singles on the Internet, allows you to choose to hide your photo from non-members, and tells you who's checking out your profile.

Cons: To complete your profile you must answer overly personal essay questions and it is relatively expensive.

Prices: $34.95 for a one month membership, $99.95 for a three month membership, and $149.00 for a six month membership:

Rules for Meeting

Follow these rules for meeting a date from the Internet for the first time off line:

1. Always meet in a public place as you want other

people around for safety:

Coffee houses and bars are good because they allow for safety while also providing an intimate setting for getting to know your date.
Plus, you will feel free to leave after a drink rather than feeling obligated to stay until the end of a planned activity.

Avoid meeting for dinner or any activity that you will feel obligated to stay on your date if you are not having a good time. You can always agree to go for dinner after a few drinks.

2. Never arrange for your date to pick you up. Wait

until after you meet them to allow them to know

where you live or work.

3. Never tell your date about your plans for the next

day. If you are not having a good time, you will

have an easy way out of the date by telling them

that you have to work the next day.

4. Never meet on a Friday or Saturday night. If you

do not like your date, it is harder to come up with

a believable excuse that won't hurt your date's

feelings for why you must leave early. Plus, if the

date does not work out, you really did not want to

waste the weekend.

5. Always wear shoes, not sneakers. If you like your

date, and want to go to dinner later, you want to

be able to meet the restaurant's dress code.

Plus, wearing sneakers on a date is just not

fashionable.