How to (Safely!) Use Craigslist Personal Ads to Find a Date

If you've been on the dating scene for a while, you're probably tired of the bars and nightclubs. Maybe you tried the church singles club, or an expensive local singles outing group. Maybe you're a single parent who doesn't have time to get out and find someone. You're not alone. Online dating websites abound and are fast becoming the method of choice for finding and screening appropriate dating partners.

Many online dating sites start out as free, or offer only a limited amount of their services to non-paying customers. Some sites charge over $50 a month, making finding that special someone an expensive proposition. Also, while these sites don't require that you post a picture of yourself, you're far less likely to receive any kind of response with no picture posted. Many people do not want their picture posted on a website that can be accessed by the public because, let's face it: most people do not want their classmates, coworkers, or relatives to see them on a dating website.

Craigslist, a free website commonly used to buy and sell items locally, also features personal ads. Whether you're gay or straight, male or female, Craigslist has an area for your ad. In addition, it has an area called "Casual Encounters" for those who are looking for a "no strings attached" type of relationship, and an area called "Missed Connections" for people who are trying to connect or reconnect with people. If you just want to find a local friend, try the "Strictly Platonic" section.

When used to find potential dating partners, Craigslist offers a number of benefits and drawbacks. As far as benefits, if you're a woman, you have a lot of men to choose from. Men advertising on Craigslist personals outnumber women by a considerable amount. Another benefit is that Craigslist is completely free. The best benefit by far, though, is the fact that no one expects you to post a picture of yourself on Craigslist.