With Online Dating sites averaging over 20 million unique visitors a month, online dating has now become commonplace and accepted among adults.  And it’s not free. Monthly prices can range from $30 to over $60 per month for the respectable sites. Some of the biggest are eHarmony, Match.com and Yahoo Personals. There are also specific sites depending upon your ethnicity, religion or other type of segmentation – JDate focuses on the Jewish Community; there is an Asia Friend Finder; an Indian Friend Finder and Muslima site. There are Single Parents Dating sites, Sexy Single sites and so on. There are also some free sites which can result in a better experience because you know that every listing is active as opposed to merely listings put up by non-paying members. Basically, there is a site for anyone who is looking for that perfect match.

The good news is, although tricky, tiring, frustrating and expensive - online dating does have is successes. Accordingly to eHarmony, around 2% of marriages in the US are as a result of couples meeting through that online dating site. 

The expense is when you find someone with whom you want to connect. You can become a member of some sites, without actually paying a fee, and create a profile. Then you are allowed to browse other profiles on the site. When you find someone who looks interesting and you want to “meet” them you have to pay a membership fee. One of the snags consumers run into is that if they find a candidate who looks interesting, pay the fee to connect and then reach out, it might be that the specific listing is not a full paying member and therefore unable to respond. 

Don’t take it personally! Only about 15% of the profiles are full paying subscribers. 

Free sites might be the best way to go.