A Waste of Money?

@hofferp (4734)
United States
January 14, 2011 4:50pm CST
Over the Holidays, just for the heck of it, I completed an application for Match.com. When it came to paying for a month or two or three subscription, I closed the site. Since then, I've been getting "winks" and even e-mails from various gentlemen. I find myself going back to the site and almost filling in the credit card information and then I close the site again. Have any of you ever signed up for eHarmony, Match or similar site? Was it worth the money? Were you pleasantly surprised or did you feel like you'd been "taken". I still don't know what I'm going to do. It is tempting, but do I really want to spend money to meet people on line? Heck, with MyLot I get to communicate with friends and they pay me. Why should I be paying someone else?
4 people like this
7 responses
@laglen (19759)
• United States
14 Jan 11
I have never used a site for dating but I do have friends that have. I have a friend that actually married the person she met on match.com. My sister signed up and didnt have very good luck. She has a tendency to attract freaks and online was no different. So just to make your decision more difficult, I have given you both sides.
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
14 Jan 11
Thanks, Laglen. I almost signed up again...but I didn't. This whole thing makes me laugh at myself. Heck, I remember counting the names of (didn't count those I couldn't remember their names) 135 guys I dated between my sophomore in high school and sophomore in college years. (And I even went steady in there a couple of times... Oh, and I was engaged more than once... I just couldn't go through with it.) I stopped counting after my sophomore year in college. On special occasions, I even had two and three dates in a day (it use to drive my parents crazy). I didn't really stop dating until I turned 30. Then I literally became married to work. There was no time for dating/relationships... So even thinking about dating again is "laughable". I can't explain why I even started to sign up. Maybe I need to spend money on a Shrink, instead of a dating service :D?
@laglen (19759)
• United States
15 Jan 11
lol no. Your time is freeing up a bit now and maybe you would like to enjoy some free time with a nice guy. Nothing wrong with that and no shame. There are now so many resources out there that you would be silly NOT to use them.
1 person likes this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
15 Jan 11
I spent most of my time this evening online checking out the free dating services. They don't look much different than Match.com. I still don't know why I'm wasting all this time...I won't sign up, when push comes to shove. I guess I really didn't want to clean!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
14 Jan 11
eHarmony turned me down. Apparently the divorce has to be final. The reality is that I am really too cheap to pay for one of these sites though. I figure if I want to go looking for somebody, I can manage without a dating website. Famous last words? lol
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
15 Jan 11
1 person likes this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
15 Jan 11
Well then you need to sign up on Match.com. Some of the guys winking at me are "separated". I can guarantee you there's a cheap part to me too. That's a major reason for not having gone forward. Even though it's not that expensive...there's just something about paying to talk to someone. I think I just talked myself out of signing up... Thanks, Dawn!
1 person likes this
• Grand Junction, Colorado
15 Jan 11
Last year I igned up for both site. I enjoyed match.com but didn't like eharmony. I didn't like having to pay for them to get information but those were the only ones I knew of at the time so I paid. I found out a bit later about okcupid.com and plentyoffish.com, both of these sites are free, although I think that plentyoffish does have an upgrade version, but you don't need it to check mail or anything. The advise i give though is to always to meet in public places and just use common sense about meeting complete strangers, always tell someone where and when your going to meet and then check in with them give them a time that you will be back so that they have information incase the worst should happen. Don't mean to frighten you, but intodays times you just never know. I had some fun, but also had some problems that got me discouraged. My brother enjoyed the eharmony site and actually met his wife on there a few years ago. Good luck! If you have more specific questions I would be happy to help.
1 person likes this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
15 Jan 11
Thanks! I'll check out the free sites. I can't say I've always been "cautious", but I know that I'm a lot more cautious today than I use to be. I use to hitchhike with my brother and to pick up hitchhikers when we were going places. Not today... But then when I think back 45/40/35 years, it wasn't always safe then either. Maybe we/I were/was just lucky. Thanks for your insight/ideas.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
15 Jan 11
I don't know that it would be a waste of money but I would not want to take advantage of online dating services. People can say anything on the internet and you never know what you're getting. That's also true of real life but in real life they can't drag out the deception as long as they can online. If you want to start dating, by all means do so. But be sure the service, if you choose that method, is reputable and has good customer feedback. Here is a complaint site you might be interested in: http://www.complaintsboard.com/bycompany/eharmony-a641.html
1 person likes this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
15 Jan 11
Thanks for the complaint site address. I will look in to it. But I think I've pretty much convinced myself, if I really want to start dating again (it's been over 20 years since I have), I'll check locally to see what's available. I know there's singles clubs and seniors events, etc. I just haven't checked in to them. I started signing up on Match.com on a whim. And now that push comes to shove, I've talked myself out of going forward. Although I noticed one really nice looking guy, and charming, on there last night :D
@kingparker (9673)
• United States
15 Jan 11
You simply talk to people who chat romance with you at those website? Is it worth the cost? Have you ever go out with those gentlemen who gave you wink or smile? If you get to meet any good guy, it might worth the cost. If not, you might simply waste your money. Indeed, it is smarter to visit mylot here, than those websites.
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
16 Jan 11
Yeah, I've decided it's probably a waste of money. I checked some of the free sites suggested by other MyLotters and I may go that route and save $20+, but then again, I may just check the local papers and see what's happening around town. I really haven't done much to meet new people. I usually just hang with my married friends on the weekends. They'd be shocked to know I was even considering online dating! Thanks for your thoughts.
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
15 Jan 11
I will never spend that kind of money on those sites. IT's not going to work at all. iF it's really workable, there won't be that many singles out there. Those sites might be a good place to meet someone, or make friends, but definitely not paying a price for it. IN some cases, such sites might even create false profiles in order to lure members to join and pay for it.
1 person likes this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
15 Jan 11
I never thought about your last statement...the site actually making up false profiles. I wonder if it's true; it's certainly possible. But you'd think that eventually, if one party wanted to meet the other party (the fictious one), they'd be found out. Yeah, I've convinced myself (I think) this isn't something I want to do. I think I'll just go the old route. I really haven't even tried the old-fashioned way. Thanks for you thoughts.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
30 Jan 11
Hi Hofferp I have never joined them and I never would even if I was available, in my eyes these Sites are to dangerous and also yes I think they are a waste of Money Again that is my Opinion and I know for some People these kind of Sites have been successful but not me I am to scared of these kind of Places
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
31 Jan 11
I hear you. I haven't joined. I sure get a lot of messages about "look who's looking at you" or "look who's available", but I haven't paid/joined and probably won't. I think there's probably better ways to meet people when you're older... Thanks, Gabs.