Online Dating sites...what's the use?!?

Online dating sites are a complete rip-off! Except for one site that I know of that is free (plentyoffish.com), all of the sites make you pay to be able to email someone (understandable), but the catch is that the person you are writing to has to be a paying "member" also. Similarly, on some sites, someone may write you, but unless you pay, you can't even see the profile of the person who has an interest in you, let alone make a reply. So unless you sign up for some high cost, automatic-renewal-trap contract, you can't respond to a person that has already paid to be able to speak to you. This situation basically makes online dating a complete joke. If a person pays a site to transmit their message to someone, then it should be made law that that message is delivered regardless of whether or not the receiver is a paying member. This practice is as assenine as having to pay to receive a call from someone...but at least cell phone providers are finally (slowly) coming around on that score

Online Dating sites...what's the use?!?
That is sooo funny. Here's why. I agree w/you completely. I have always been the person who always said that I will "never PAY for an online dating service". Yes, I'm on plentyoffish and a couple others that are free, *Mate1 is free for women by the way. Anyway, I had a message on yahoo personals just yesterday, I got my 1-time free response, and this guy and his message and profile intrigued me so much that I found myself actually going against all my previously (longtime) stated "I'll NEVER PAY FOR ONLINE". Effective today I am a paying member of yahoo personals (but will only participate for one month) just so that I can make a connection to this person and plainly reply to his email and let him know that I am also interested. My calendar has already been marked to terminate the contract March 10th!!!! Not necessarily an answer for you but maybe some humor.... (I told myself, "Self, $25 in the grand scheme of life and possibly finding Mr Right just may be worth it this one time.") Maybe February 14th this year won't be the 'Black Wednesday' I thought it would.........good luck. I sure in hell hope he turns out to be worth the $25 bucks!! If not, then I'll have to do double time to find someone else before the membership runs out..lol
Reply:Why use dating online sites when you can just go out and get her self a real girl.Get to know her and have a good time.What'z ta point of meeting someone on the internet as a boyfriend/girlfriend?


There's medince for people who use those sites.


The first one is called,"PATHETIC"


The next is called, "GET A LIFE."





No offense.(Seriously)


Just get out and meet someone.


Don't be to desperate.
Reply:i agree 100% with your sentiments, what is your call name in plentyoffish.com!
Reply:online dating sites - waste of time and money
Reply:Well I never paid for a site but have met people thru personals..Let me tell ya..I dont see why people insist on meeting someone that lives so far away from them instead of just goin out their door and maybe by chance finding mr/miss right next door,,in the store,,at church....etc....I have found so many gamers on sites and yes even on personals,,met so many who claimed to be someone they were not..Alot of broken hearts..I prefer the face to face meeting..Someone you can see each day or once or twice a week..Someone who you can really get to know..Not have to get in a vehicle and drive I dont know how many hours...I have met men like that to and let me tell you BIG MISTAKE BIG TIME..So I dont do the online thing..If I want to meet someone all I have to do is get out of my house...God bless
Reply:Well, you could look at it this way. You never would have met or had access to the person you want to communicate with if the online dating site had not been available to link you together. They are providing a service and should be paid for the service they provide. True, they do charge a lot of money, but there is a lot of overhead in maintaining a website, paying web designers, paying the salaries of the customer service reps who answer the phones or respond to e-mails from members who visit the site, etc. Each dating site varies by price. I knew I would have to pay in order to meet the matches that were sent to me and to be able to communicate to them through the website's e-mail system. Still, their system was highly organized, was user friendly, gave lots of useful information and advice, and it provided a safe way to get to know someone before actually meeting them face to face. The website I am talking about is e-Harmony.com, and I am engaged and will be getting married soon to a wonderful man I would not have ever met, were it not for the website that I paid for. You have to weigh the pros with the cons. If the good outweighs the bad, then spend a little money. You would spend money to go to a ballgame or a movie, or go out to eat, and there is no guarantee your team will win, the movie will be good, or the food won't come back to haunt you later. At least for the price of a couple of movies or meals, you can try these sites for a month or two and maybe meet the person you are looking for. Shouldn't a lifemate or someone you could fall in love with be worth spending the money on, more than some quick entertainment?





P.S. - No disrespect intended to the person above me, but it doesn't make you a loser or pathetic to go to these online dating sites. It's a safe way to screen out people without wasting your time. I am attractive, have a nice personality, am witty and fun. I'm not being conceited - I'm just saying I wasn't desperate. I went to e-Harmony because I had just gone through a terrible divorce. They had a free personality questionnaire, and I thought it would give me some useful insight into my personality so that when I WAS ready to date again, I would not pick someone like my ex-husband. Right away they sent me matches, and one of those turned out to be someone who is the most awesome man and is SO compatible with me in every way. We've been together for a year. I was far from desperate. I wasn't even trying to find someone, and by doing a personality questionnaire, I met the man of my dreams.
Reply:get out and meet people, bars club the mall in everyday life, don't be anti social