With the popularity of online dating and mobile apps, dating is easier than ever before. No matter your age, online dating allows people to build connections regardless of distance and you can see if there’s chemistry between your matches without even leaving your house. In fact, searching for love online has become the most popular way to date and there are so many online dating options to find your one true love.
The Stigma of Online Dating
In the past, dating online used to be seen as odd and unnatural. Looking for a romantic partner on your laptop or cell phone used to be considered taboo. We all know that one couple who met on Tinder and got married three months later. But although this once was considered an exception, it has now become a reality as more and more people are meeting their significant others online. Forbes reported that online dating increased by 15 percent between 2005 and 2015. Gone are the days where swiping left or right for a match in a coffee shop, on the bus, or in the checkout line was seen as odd. In fact, EHarmony reported that 40 million Americans, 40 percent of the US population, has done online dating and that 20 percent of today’s relationships started online.
Dating When You Get Older
Dating when you’re older isn’t nearly as easy as when you were younger. There are many other things to consider like if you have kids, being uncomfortable with your appearance, feeling like you’re too old to find love, or being widowed or divorced. Don’t let your grey hair or beer belly discourage you though – everyone deserves love. While it’s true that many men desire younger women, it’s best to stick with someone similar in age to you because they’re more likely to share similar interests, backgrounds, and values to you. It’s hard to find things in common with someone who’s half your age.
Online Dating When You’re Over 50
The increase in the use of dating sites is most noticeable in young people and adults in their 50s and 60s. For millennials ages 18 to 24, online dating has tripled and for adults ages 55 to 64, online dating has doubled. So, besides for society becoming more open to the idea of online dating, what else is responsible for the increase in online dating? It could be the sheer amount of online dating sites available besides Match.com, eHarmony, OkCupid, and Tinder.
In addition to these sites there are Coffee Meets Bagel, The League, OurTime, religion-based sites like Christian mingle, Eshq, and jSwipe, and Farmers Only. Recently, many women have been turning to Bumble as it’s the first app that has women initiating the conversations. Most dating sites have also tightened security which makes these sites safer than they’ve been in the past.
Dating Sites For Seniors in More Detail
We mentioned some popular dating sites, but these four are specifically tailored to seniors. Before you sign up for them, make sure to do your research. Remember that just because you sign up for a dating site, it doesn’t mean you have to stick with it. Perhaps you want to try it for a couple of months to see what all the hype is. That’s totally okay to do and there are even free trials and special offers that make it possible. Here are our four picks.
- EHarmony – This site will cost you between $20 and $40 per month and it uses science to help you match up with your future partner. The Compatibility Matching System narrows your suitors down from thousands and it sends you emails with the profiles of those it thinks you would be most compatible with. There’s even a part of the site that’s meant for seniors dating, which offers dating advice and online dating groups for seniors.
- Match – Match has been around since 1995 and it was the first online dating site! It’s between $14 and $18 per month and you can browse for free. There’s a large database of users so you’re bound to find someone with similar interests to you.
- Our Time – A subsidiary of Match that targets people 50 and over. Like Match, it’s free for a basic membership which allows you to search profiles and receive matches. For about $12 for a six-month membership, you’ll have access to chat rooms and you can send and receive emails from connections. In addition to looking for romantic matches, you can also search for friends.
- Silver Singles – This site is also free, but for a full six-month membership it costs around $35. When you create your account, you take a personality test that matches you to partners. You’ll be sent three to seven matches every day until you meet the right one!
