Silver surfers, listen up. Online dating isn’t just a newfangled invention for the under 30s; it’s a tool to be used by anybody, of any age. If you’re longing to find a companion or lover and would rather not throw yourself in at the deep end with speed dating or blind dates, taking to the web could be the best way to find someone new.
The rules
Despite what other blog posts would have you believe there are no rules for dating after a certain age; why shouldn’t a person in their 50s and beyond have the same fun as a singleton in their 20s? Whether you’re looking for fun, companionship, or something more serious, everybody deserves to be happy, so never let anyone tell you you’re ‘too old’ for this dating business. That said, it does pay to be cautious. Don’t assume that your age will protect you from anyone wanting to take advantage of your single status; indeed, daters over 50 are sometimes viewed as being more vulnerable than their younger counterparts. Keep personal details to a minimum for the time being, and only ever meet a match when you’re ready.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself
Online dating is your opportunity to introduce yourself to millions of potential matches, and to be whoever you want to be – within reason! There’s a common misconception that life should slow down at some point, and that those of a certain vintage should show a little more restraint when it comes to love, dating, and having a good time. Says who?! If you love nothing more than heading to a rock concert, raving, or motor-biking across the roughest terrain you can find, then tell people; you’ll never find those who share your hobbies, desires, and lust for life if you shy away from being yourself online.
Where to start
Unless you’ve ventured onto a website that represents a particular desire or fetish that you definitely don’t share, or have managed to find one of the handful of sites dedicated to younger daters, feel free to create a profile on any of the most popular dating sites; very few discriminate by age, leaving you free to enjoy the potential companionship of millions of other users – of all ages. We would urge restraint, though. It would be very easy to sign up to half a dozen dating websites in order to widen your net, but in reality all you’ll cause yourself is confusion. Besides, it might be harder to make more meaningful connections if you’re pinging messages on numerous websites.
Specialist dating services
If you would feel more comfortable using a site dedicated to those in your age bracket, there are plenty of those too. We are living longer, and continuing to look for love well into our twilight years now, after all. Some of the most popular dating sites for the silver surfer include Love Generation, Saga Dating, MatureLove, Just Senior Singles, Mature Encounters, Silverfriends, Wise Owl Dating, and Fifty and Single. Each of these caters to the more mature singleton, and will match you with similarly minded daters your own age. There’s even a site called My Lovely Parent, the over 50s equivalent to My Single Friend. If you’ve never written a dating profile before, and have been blessed with children from a previous relationship who would be happy to introduce you online, this could be the least intimidating way to begin your quest for a companion.
We hope to have allayed any of the fears you may have had regarding online dating; love and friendship have no age restriction, and there’s certainly no reason why you shouldn’t share n the fun that online dating can provide.
