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Relationships

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Original poster

How long were you on OLD before you met your match?

79 replies

DogLove3 · 23/03/2023 15:56

Hi everyone,

After recently breaking up with my partner of 3 years, I’m back on an online dating app. I find that I get frustrated within 24 hours because I don’t find anyone that meets the criteria (1) attractive but doesn’t seem to love themselves, (2) friendly but not too clubbing and drinking-orientated, (3) open-minded, and (4) not immediately too weird/sexual (“you would like my physical touch 👀”)

How long were you on OLD before you met a good match?

OP posts:

Kottontail · 24/03/2023 18:17

Stick with it. I think I have the record as I was on for 3 minutes when he made contact!!!
That was 3 years ago & we both came off the app immediately. You never know when you will meet the right person! I had been single for years and absolutely not trying until that moment!

Winemygoodenemy · 24/03/2023 18:28

About 3 years. Lots of dates, a few things that lasted a few months. Lots of weirdos.

met my DP last year when I had Covid and bored. Lots of good chat, swapped numbers and realised we had matched 2 years previously during Covid. Just didn’t go anywhere due to the many lockdowns. I did think he looked familiar. I had gone from Brown to blonde and 2 stone lighter.

stopped swiping after our first date. I deleted my profile after the 3rd date. Turns out he did the same. moving in together once my house sale is through.

I was a prolific dater. I was his second ever OLD swipe.

SocialLite · 24/03/2023 18:47

A month for me and seven months for my lovely hubby

rosyvalentine · 24/03/2023 18:50

Was OLD for about 7 months on and off before I started talking to now DP. It took us about 5 months to arrange a meet-up however, although I was still going on other dates during that time. Knew after one date that he was the one and we've been together 8 years now.

Happybakers · 26/03/2023 12:43

What sort of first message catches
your eye?

Often get my messages read with no reply so would love to see an example or what works well and what you replied to!

Eatentoomanyroses · 26/03/2023 12:50

A year and a half. Had about 25 first dates in that time and one guy I dated for the three months and a few I went out out with for a few weeks. It’s a numbers game

80s · 26/03/2023 13:22

I've been on OLD a couple of times and met someone worth dating within two or three weeks in both cases. I was just looking for some fun, not my dream man. The latest guy turned out to be a good match, but for the first four weeks or so of dating I thought he was just a shallow good-time guy :)
If you give up after 24 hours, you'll miss the guy who was just thinking about doing OLD yesterday ...

ChaliceinWonderland · 07/06/2023 22:24

4 years, still single.

Happywife22 · 08/06/2023 07:37

18 months, went on a few dates. Dated a couple for a few weeks at a time. Was ready to give up but joined a different site and in first week had my first date with my now husband.

Yupiknowhowthatfeels · 08/06/2023 07:46

2 years lots of dates in my late 20s and I met him on OLD and we married 18 months after that. I was his 2nd date.
He left me 12 years later suddenly and brutally after we've had 2 kids.
Now aged 47 I've come off OLD after a week. All the men give me the ick. Love themselves in the gym or they are fat bald etc. Most of their profiles say they want a partner in crime or no drama. Urggh.

EBearhug · 08/06/2023 09:09

About a year. I wasn't really looking for a relationship, but went on OLD to prove a friend wrong - a previous attempt many years ago before Tinder gor me one match in a year. Now at 50, I've been very popular, annoyingly proving my friend right.

My expectations were very low, and as I wasn't really looking for a relationship, I went swinging, had loads of great sex with men I wouldn't want an actual relationship with, and met others who were fine but no chemistry, as well as some total areseholes. I've got a couple of long term friends from it. And about 6 months ago, I met J for what I thought would be just one evening (he also wasn't looking for a relationship,) but here we are, and I'm about to collect him from work and this evening we've dinner with his parents, like a proper grown-up couple.

stayflufft · 08/06/2023 09:10

A week. He was my second date. Been together ever since - 15 years now.

comeasyouare1 · 08/06/2023 11:14

First match on tinder, dated for about 10 weeks but there was something off about him, the way he spoke to people, like waiting staff and in particular the way he spoke to women. Did a Claire's Law application and he turned out to be a serial DV offender plus stalking, strangling women and breaching restraining orders!! Obvs dumped him immediately but now I'm terrified of old 🫤

jojogoesbust · 08/06/2023 15:47

18 months. I have been seeing someone for a few months now and he's so different from any other k**b i met lol
Things are going really well. Met on Tinder

CocoPlum · 08/06/2023 15:50

About 5 months before meeting my now DP. Been together many years!

jesuisterriblementmarrier · 08/06/2023 19:07

9 years on and off . He was worth the wait 😁

AnyaMarx · 08/06/2023 19:20

3.5 years and gave up . I'm older tho . Started at 47 .

SamW98 · 10/06/2023 00:23

Joined Bumble in January. Get a lot of matches but hardly anyone replies to messages.
Had two dates - one wanted to meet again but I didn’t feel it. The other both said no spark.
I just seem to attract men who want casual sex and that’s not what I’m looking for

So far, it’s been a waste of time

MyMachineAndMe · 10/06/2023 00:29

Less than a month. We joke that we settled for each other as we were our first matches!

mrsneate · 10/06/2023 00:31

7 years. Gave up. Met my other half in the local pub

Vegandiva · 10/06/2023 11:08

SamW98 · 10/06/2023 00:23

So far, it’s been a waste of time

@SamW98 it’s not you, it’s them 😁 There are very few men I come across on OLD who are looking for a relationship. At least they’re honest, I guess 😁

ScottishBeth · 10/06/2023 11:12

TeamSpike · 23/03/2023 17:15

On and off for 7 years 🤣 never went past a 3rd date with anyone. Have been with 'the one' now for 7 months

Similar here. I can't count the number of first dates I went on. Several second dates and a handful of 3rd. But I met someone in 2016 and we are now married with a child.

Winemygoodenemy · 13/06/2023 12:13

ScottishBeth · 10/06/2023 11:12

Similar here. I can't count the number of first dates I went on. Several second dates and a handful of 3rd. But I met someone in 2016 and we are now married with a child.

Show quote history

Me too. I deleted my archive of swapped numbers recently and had over 200. I reckon I went on at least 100 first dates, maybe 30 second, fewer thirds. Few short term relationships. That was in the 5 years I did OLD. Just thought need to be in it to win it.

I was getting dating fatigue. But went on hopefully my last first date. Now been with DP for over a year. Moved in and planning a future.

Tanyaaah · 13/06/2023 12:39

2.5 years and about 40 dates but I was his 2nd date!

occhiazzurri · 05/11/2023 18:49

The only friends I have who met their husbands on OLD met them very quickly - only after a couple of dates in one case and after only one date in the other, so they didn’t have any time to get dating fatigue. My older friends - late 30s/40s have been on OLD for years and haven’t met a single person that even came close to being a partner.

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