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Lone parents

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Original poster

Am thinking of starting internet dating in the new year.(gulp) I need tips, advice, sites to look at etc etc.

199 replies

ATortIsForLifeNotJustChristmas · 27/12/2007 22:08

Of couse i may still chicken out! But it really would be nice to at least start chatting to a man(or two!!)!

OP posts:
Pinkchampagne · 13/01/2008 22:33

I will get on there now!

VictorianSqualor · 13/01/2008 22:42

I met my darling dp online.
There is an awful lot to be said for getting to know someone before the actual meeting.

MiaWallace · 14/01/2008 14:38

Any luck yet?

tortoise · 14/01/2008 20:49

I just had my first email from someone on POF!
Do i have to reply? Is it rude not to?
He asked if want to chat. Not my type though.

Lizzzombie · 14/01/2008 20:54

I met my DP online too...I have no shame in telling people that.
I got fed up of waiting for Prince Charming to appear in my local pub so I formulated an aggressive dating strategy and went on tons and tons of dates for about a year. Then found DP. It was fun. I recommend it. I know lots of people who do it/have done it & don't need to anymore as they found someone by doing it.

OverMyDeadBody · 14/01/2008 21:15

tortoise if he's not your type you don't have to reply, otherwise it might get to the point where you're forever sending replies to unsuitable suitors!

Good luck btw, I've used dating sites lots of times and have had some long term relationships through them, and had lots of fun, and met two of my now best friends on them!

I'm using toyboy warehouse at the moment for a change!

ZippiBabes · 14/01/2008 21:21

i have answered people but now i don't bother unless i think they would be interesting to chat to...so yes if they are unlikely to be dates but might be mates...i have a few of those..if neither dates nor mates i ignore unless i feel they deserve a reply and i am feeling nice

i tend to prefer no reply myself to a thanks but no thanks

tortoise · 14/01/2008 21:29

Thanks. Thats great advice. I won't reply this time.
Fingers crossed for more interest soon!!
Think i had better check out this toy boy one.

miarosemum · 14/01/2008 23:32

ooh i have just joined plenty of fish, yes they are completely free and quite an easy site to use as well..good luck! i need to be swept off my feet for once not knocked off my feet...lol

lou33 · 15/01/2008 10:08

my exh just found me on pof, about an hour after i joined

he sent me a message

i replied to that then blocked him

miarosemum · 15/01/2008 11:33

oh god lou33, out of all the people on there he found you...

Sunshinemummy · 15/01/2008 11:34

Never used them but friends that have have had a lot of success with mysinglefriend.

lou33 · 15/01/2008 17:31

yes it was a bit odd

neva · 15/01/2008 18:39

This illustrates my worry about internet dating; what if someone you know eg a work colleague spots you on there? One what if someone you chat to turns out to be someone you know? I suppose it doesn't happen too often and as you both might be equally embarrassed maybe it doesn't matter...nb I'm shy so sensitive to these things!

ZippiBabes · 15/01/2008 18:41

but if they are looking then it doesn't matter does it?

i don't get why it is embarrassing..i don't think it is

lou33 · 15/01/2008 19:05

it's only cos my exh is a nob, i dont care if anyone else sees me

Magdelanian · 15/01/2008 19:31

When I had a pic on a dating site a couple of people got in touch that knew me. One was from school and totally unfanciable but we went out as mates and are still now. I think its quite flattering.

tetti · 30/01/2008 20:30

Recently went on Plentyoffish myself,and there are some real fit men on there!lol
There is one who's asked me out once we get to know eachother better,and he actually seems like a prefectly sweet guy(then again,I might be wrong!lol).I've made a friend on there,someone I chat to everyday,but we're not interested in eachother romantically,we're just swapping notes on what it's like to be single parents(!),then I chat to another few guys,they are also nice and nice looking,but I'm happy just messaging them for now:-).I'd never in a million years have thought that I would have gone on one of these sites,thought they'd be full of weirdos and pervs,ok,there are quite a few of those,but you just have to dig deep and you'll find the good ones!:-)
Went on MySingle Friend before,thought that site would be better as you have to pay,but it was total crap! The men were so not fit(fine if you are into white guys,which I'm not,andif you like men posing in their suits by the watercooler in their offices,but that doesn't rock my boat,lol).
After being tied down for 12 years,it's kind of fun just cyber flirting!lol

GrumpyMoo · 31/01/2008 17:32

Hi, Everyone! I am new here but I just wanted to say that I think you are all incredibly nice, and sooo supportive of each other!! I think this website is going to save my sanity!!

But anyway...

I've been on various dating websites and have not met all that many people admittedly, but does anyone out there know why blokes just stop replying to calls, texts, emails? I mean just randomly in the middle of conversations! I'm not a psycho, stalkerish or even particularly demanding.

It makes me a little cross that people just can't be bothered to say that they just can't be bothered.

And at the moment I'm 'texting' two guys at once, well I have spoken to one of them a few times but it is mainly by text that we chat. I get a bit nervous at this whole thing, but does it get any easier? And how do you know if someone is really interested? I'm 31 and I've only ever been in the one one relationship, and that ended in divorce after 10 years!! LOL

Sorry, I do tend to waffle a bit! Umm, flirtomatic is good fun if all you want to do is chat to people, I've been on Match.com for ages, AOL dating is quite good as well. I've found that the websites specifically for single parents are quite limited in menbers. And why are they all soooo expensive???

ZippiBabes · 31/01/2008 17:37

grumpy they are just a wide variety of people so it is impossible to say really

i think i have probably done the stop answering thing too

i think sometimes people are enthusiastic and talk to quite a lot of people and then it gets boring or they settle for a few they click with and fade out the pothers

it is a bit of a numbers game

and it is unpredicatble the luck of the draw really

thpough it dopes seem that the obvious hotties tend to know it and play accordingly

just take it as fun and see how it goes really

ZippiBabes · 31/01/2008 17:37

plentyoffish.com is free

GrumpyMoo · 31/01/2008 17:50

Thank you Zippi. I think too much, that's my problem, or really I overthink everything!!

And the thought of my 100% failure rate so far is pretty worrying!

But the thought of being on my own forever is just soo not what i want. For me and my kids. They need someone too, cos their dad is such a nob, and he rarely sees them. sigh

lou33 · 31/01/2008 17:51

flirtomatic is shit, i got endless barrages of filth from blokes on there

pof is better

MAMAZON · 31/01/2008 17:53

i went on my first date yesterday
he has a little girl roughly the same age as mine so we took them to the sea life centre in Brighton.
it was nice as it was less like a date and more like a playdate.

i have agreed to meet with him again, on a more "date" like situation. doubt it will go anywhere really as there just doesn't seem to be any kind of spark but at the very least i have now finally met someone and so have jumped the first hurdle of fear.

ZippiBabes · 31/01/2008 17:54

i have chatted to lots online but only met two..some others i am still chatting to tho