Tips for Surviving Online Dating from Someone Who Found Love

March 21^st will mark my four year wedding anniversary. It is an event that may never have happened if it weren't for the invention of online dating a few years ago.

I am happy to say I'm a success story. My wedding band and two-year-old daughter prove that. However, I know for every story like mine, there are many others who not only fail to find love but have a horror story to share.

Using the Internet to meet people, to me, isn't really much more dangerous than meeting a stranger at a bar. And, it does have its advantages, such as meeting new people you may never have met using more traditional means. For example, my wife lived more than an hour away from me and we would probably never have crossed paths if we wouldn't have met online.

And, you shouldn't assume that everyone using the Internet is desperate. In my case, I had just moved to a new state and didn't know anyone. And my wife lived in a town of about 100 people who were all related to each other. There are legitimate, decent people who are just looking to find that someone special and you have a good chance of meeting that person who makes you happy the rest of your life. You just need to find them.

However, it does take some commitment and a lot of common sense.

First and, most important rule I tell people when they attempt to meet people over the Internet; if you are going to join a dating site, join one that you have to pay for. The more expensive you can afford the better.

The reason I offer this advice first is it will eliminate some of the issues you run across with online dating. Free sites are decent, but there is nothing to prevent people from signing up their friends without their knowledge, or joining as a joke, etc.

On a site that charges a fee, married men or women won't be able to post an ad pretending to be single without their spouse noticing the credit card bill. And, the need to pay also serves as a deterrent for sex offenders since a credit card gives too much personal information, including their address.

Also, if you're looking for someone who is financially stable, you'll know they make at least as much money as you do if they can afford to join the site.