Are you single? Having hard time finding someone to spend some time with?

You need got get into online dating! This is the best time to start. Internet dating has actually become an "in" thing. Ask any of your friends today if they have tried online-dating and you will be surprised to see how many of the them say yes!

Any why shouldn't they? It's the fastest way to meet people who have similar interests as you. Online dating has made it quicker to find someone that you can gel with. According to Nielsen/NetRatings over 26 million people visited dating sites in January of 2005.

Where to start

There are thousands of dating sites on the internet. Every month there are hundreds more coming online. There are paid and free versions of online dating sites. For your benefit, we will focus on the FREE Online Dating sites. At least till you get the hang of it.

First thing first! You need to get your tools ready.

• Get a couple of nice pictures of yourself. A body shot photo and a face/profile photo. Make sure the pictures are clear and your face is visible. You want to give the best impression possible.
• Get a free e-mail address. If you have one already, create another one that you just use for online dating. Do not mix work and personal e-mails. You never know who is watching.
• Get yourself an account at a free online chat service. Preferably one of the following: Yahoo IM, MSN Instant Messenger or AOL Instant Messenger. If you want you can signup at all three.

Now that you have what you need, it's on to the sites. There are plenty of free sites out there. To help you get started quickly we listed a few below:

• Okcupid.com - This totally free online dating site is created by two Harvard math grads. The site is clean and fun to use. They are very serious about their free service. We give it two thumbs up.
• PlentyofFish.com - Another totally free online dating site. This site has tons of features and it also has it's own message board where you will get to interact with a lot of members. Two thumbs up here too!
• Craigslist - A twist on online dating. It's very easy. You just post a quick text message for what you are looking for and if you want a picture. You get to choose how long your ad will run and in what city. Quick, fast and very responsive. Get ready for a lot of e-mails from people near your area.

The Meetup

After you get to know someone online the next step would be the "meetup." There are a few guidelines that you should follow to make the "meetup" a comfortable and safe experience.

• Meet in a very public place. Busy restaurants, a local fair, amusement park, starbucks, shopping center or any other place where there are a lot of people around.
• Choose an activity that both of you will enjoy. This will keep the meet from heading into any boring periods. Try something that new that both of you have wanted to try. Since you will have spent a lot of time chatting already, it will be easy to find out what you guys can do.
• Let your friends and family know where you are going and who you are going to meet. Have a friend or family member casually chat with your new friend over the phone before the meet.
• Take a cell phone with you. Ask a friend or family member to call and check up on you.
• Since you will already be comfortable chatting with each other you will quickly find out how easy it is to talk after meeting online. Time will fly.
• Enjoy the date! and have lots of fun!

Online dating can be a very fun, exciting experience. Using free online dating services is one of the best ways to get your feet into the game. As you get more comfortable you might want to signup a subscription based service where you will have more options and features available to you.