Finding love after 50 is a lot different than finding love at 20—and often a lot better! After 50, you are much more sure about your likes and dislikes in a mate, you’ve had life experiences that shape exactly who you are, and you know what sorts of habits you can tolerate. Maybe you know your mate must be a pet lover or someone who will accept your unemployed child with no criticism. Whatever it is, you can spot the winners pretty quickly!
Online Love
You probably have a computer and access to the Internet. There are a variety of resources for finding love after 50 online. Dating sites will give you tips for creating a great online ad as well as tips on keeping safe when meeting someone new for the first time. All of the sites charge reasonable fees that generally start at around $20-$30 per month with discounts for multi-month sign-ups.
Sample dating sites include:
- Match.com. This is a very popular site with many users but it is not targeted directly to those over 50. You can, however, specify age ranges when searching for possible matches.
- OurTime.com. This site is geared toward senior singles over the age of 50 who are looking for all types of relationships, including marriage, travel companionship even pen pals.
- Mate1.com. This innovative site offers chat features so that you can get to know more about a possible mate before meeting them or even before talking to them on the phone, which, for many people, is often an awkward event.
Real Time Love
While searching for love online is a great, varied and easy option, don’t limit yourself to this exclusively for finding love after 50. You’ll want to get out there as well! Real life options are endless but here are some starter ideas:
- Join a community club. Nearly all communities have charitable clubs such as Rotary and Ruritan. Generally, there are several of these clubs near to you. By joining, you not only help your community but you widen your network of friends and possible mates.
- Volunteer. By volunteering at an organization where you have a passion such as the SPCA or a food bank, you will meet like-minded people. Often volunteers are older since they have more time to devote.
- Check out MeetUp.com. While some groups on this site are dedicated to age-specific singles, most are simply designed to create groups of people who have similar interests. You will find a wide variety of groups in your area—foodies, animal lovers, sports fans, and even very niche groups such as wiccans. And if you don’t find a group with your passion, you can create one.
The Old Timey Way
Back in our parents’ day, most people found love after 50 from their friends and family. That still holds true today. Be sure to let your family and friends know that you would be interested in meeting their single friends. After all, chances are that if you are all mutual friends, there is a value system you share. And that’s a lot of what finding love after 50 is all about: shared values.
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