I am not all without heart or feelings of loneliness. Just like any other normal human being, I too crave the feeling of being complete with the presence of another person by my side. A
companion to which we share our most inner feelings; of happiness, and sadness; our hopes and desires. And most of all our darkest inner secrets. How many hoops and hurdles a person has to get through to fill that void, and at what price?
In my 2 year quest to find my own hearts desire of a partner (and the sake of research…hehehe) I opened my mind to the idea, my heart to the options, and my wallet to the fees I was about to incur. I had many Online Date sites at my disposal but which to choose? They all claimed to have the highest in members registered. They all claimed you would find true love. So, what makes one stand out the most from others? I found some winning sites.
I had gone through Tru.com. The MOST expensive of the bunch I had joined membership to. I had been given choices, yes; but the majority was all from another state. There were not very many people to choose from here in my state much less my city. When I called to cancel my membership after the trial the customer service rep wasn’t going to let me go so easily. They are the pushiest group that I even had to loose my temper. After my cancellation my bank card was charged for another month. When I called Tru.com they were trying to get me to keep the extra membership instead of doing a refund. I had told them that they made a very big mistake and that I was a freelance writer doing a piece on “Online Date Sites” and boy, did my card get refund quickly with many apologies.
My next attemped site was Match.com. A moderately priced membership fee and hads a friendlier and less pushy type customer service department. There were many choices of members in my state and few more choices in my general area than with Tru.com. The only thing that made me close the membership was tha fact that not enough members were joining up from my area; so after my options were over, I realized I was paying to keep a membership that wasn’t really meeting my dating needs. When I called to cancel, they did apologize and did cancel my membership no questions asked and were curteous about the whole thing. They also reminded me that should I want to return that they would be happy to reinstate my membership as well.
Then there was one I tried that has a lower membership fee than Tru.com and Match.com was Gaydating.com. They have a lot more of member choices for my state, as well my general vicinity. I was very happy. However, it came down to like on Match.com; not enough people were joining and so it was the same members each month, so it eneded being like Match.com. To cancel call memberships, call in only permitted, no emails of cancellation. I learned the hard way.
Now here is where it gets really intersting. What I like to call, “Nickle and Dimer” Online Date Sites. These would include your sites such as; Zoosk, Do You Like, Flirt, etc. Not only do you pay a monthly membership fee, but if you want to stand out over your regular “Joe”, they have all these bells and whistles to add to your membership that can “Help” you stand out above the rest. If you have a plain and simple membership without them, your profile is the least seen. So, to make your profile top competitor you’re “Nickle & Dimed” to death in adding features. Which when I kept track, I spent more than in the previous three online sties of “Monthly Membership-ONLY” sites.
Last but NOT least; your Freebie Online Date Sites. (lmao…No judging…lol.) There is a lot to be said about the freebie sites. Yes you do get your ocassional hook-up only person, or the wants to be married that same day person, or your fetish from hell person, but that’s what DELETE option is for. Of the freebie sites I have tried Adam4Adam.com, and Plentyoffish.com. Overall, contacts are made easily and without paying a monthly membership. Adam4Adam does have ads of pornsites through each page but I have learned to tune them out after so long. I must say, I have made many online friends on there and continue to do so. I thought in general that every person I would come into contact with would be only out for the stereotypical “BOOTY CALL”; but that’s not the case. There are quite many members who just want to chat and be friends. I found it refreshing and gave me hope. Plentyoffish.com is totally free and no restrictions for contact. There are many members to my state and a good many in general vicinity. I have made some friends on there as well.
So, I hope this little experiment helps others contemplating dating through online services. Check the fee’s, (if possible) check to see how many members to your area before comitting to membership, check to see it’s not a “Nickle & Dime” operation (it could be more costly), don’t be afraid to use DELETE button, and by all means… read cancellation requirements, your bankcard may take another charge if you don’t cancel membership correctly.
Happy DATING!
