Plenty of Fish

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2007
Plenty of Fish
14
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 9:34am

Hi all,

Does anyone have experience with Plenty of Fish, the free online dating service?

I'm over 50 and have been actively been pursuing OLD for about a month with less than satisfactory results. Had a few email exchanges, a couple of almost meets, and a bit of frustration. I like to be optimistic about this for a woman my age. I live in the Washington, DC area, so you'd think there'd be somewhat of an interesting pool of men who would actually like to follow up and actually meet and date. Am I dreaming?

Anyone have suggestions for other good dating sites to try? I've been doing Yahoo, Matchmaker and Perfectmatch (not working at all well).

Thanks!

Judy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2006
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 11:19am

Hi,

I'm in the same age bracket, and I haven't had much success either. I would agree with you that the DC area ought to have a lot of options, but my impression is that most guys our age either have big issues or are looking for younger women, or both. I get a fair number of greetings from 60-somethings who are looking for someone to retire with, but most of them have clearly not read my profile.

I checked out plenty-of-fish and it didn't seem to have much for my age in my area, but it may be different for you. I have met a few guys through Match and Yahoo, all decent guys but not for me for some reason or other. The only guy I am dating right now I met through a local matches site. I'm not too hopeful about him.

I just keep reminding myself that this is better than bar hopping (which I'd be terrible at) and at least it provides some entertainment.

Elsa

Avatar for mhash
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 12:23pm

I'm a 53 yr old man. The most success I have had in meeting women has been on MySpace (see my posting on my current experience).

I have been on Friendster and met several women from there but that is not very popular, i.e. not too many people on it and people are not active in checking back on it. I have been on eHarmony, Match, Matchmaker, GreenSingles, SpiritualSingles, and Yahoo will mixed success. I check out Craigslist but don't post there.

I have seen the same women on Match when I was first started looking 4-5 years ago (of course *I* would be in the same boat too). I have used PlentyOfFish and found that to be most unsatisfactory.

With that said, I think it is not so much the dating website but the region you are in. I am only interested in meeting someone within a 15 mile radius (20 mile max).

Check out MeetIn.org. Washington DC has the largest chapter (where it originated). I found that there are social things to get out to do every day of the month. This is not a singles group but more of an activity group. However what better way to meet people and increase your chances?

Good luck,
Mark

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2007
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 5:25pm

Thanks for responding, Elsa

It's good to know--if you can call it good--that someone living in this area, like you, is experiencing some of the same thing. I'm reluctant to generalize about situtations, but I've been hearing more and more that the DC area just not a good place to find dateable men over 45. My experiences, so far at least, seem to back that up.

Well, I'm not about to move any time soon, so I'll just keep trying OLD and other options.

Judy

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2007
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 5:31pm

Thanks for the good suggestions, Mark.

I think you're right about it not being the dating website, but the region where one lives. I will definitely look into the Meetup activites, because the truth is, I really don't know a lot of other single women or men my age. It would be good to broaden by social circle in that regard.

Judy

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2006
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 6:04pm
I don't think there is any good place to find men over 45. :) The demographics are against us. I like Mark's idea of some kind of "meet to do things" club and will probably look for one in my area one of these days.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2003
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 6:21pm

I am 53 and am having the same luck as you others over 50. I do think it is a demographics issue as I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where you would think there would be a lot of men our ages. Just read the profiles of men you are interested in. Many that I would be interested in are hoping to meet women 15 to 20 years younger than them. If they are good looking and have bucks, maybe they will luck out, although I think the rest are just dreaming.

I belong to an activity group and it is a great social outlet, but again, most are married and the few who are single are single for life and you know it. I guess lately I have been leading my life as if no man will ever show up and then hope for the best. I am ready to give up on OLD but keep hanging in there with it hoping for 'just one'.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2006
Sun, 01-28-2007 - 11:36pm

I've only been divorced for about a year, so I haven't been "looking" all that long. I'm not sure I want to find "the one," but I would like to have a little bit of social life.

I need to try to locate an activity club. All the volunteer things I do seem to involve a lot of women or married men.

OLD is very unsatisfying, but so is not dating at all.

I keep reminding myself that it's not easy when you are in your 20's either.

Hang in there.

Elsa

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-29-2007
Mon, 01-29-2007 - 3:32pm
greetings
I am a Network Engineer more than 25 years in the business and I have YET to find a Dating site that I would use. I'm currently checking out iVillage and so far, although I only joined today, it seems harmless and may have some potential to continue to explore it. Have you been a member very long? What are your thoughts on iVillage so far?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-17-2002
Mon, 01-29-2007 - 3:59pm

Welcome!

I think the main thing to know is that iVillage is really an information site, not a dating site. Even this message board is intended to let people talk and get advice about online dating, not to find a relationship (although we had two former regular posters meet up and they are now together!). However, there are a lot of women here (being primarily a women's information site) so you'll probably find a lot of insight into the female mind. We love to have male posters to get their point of view so post away.

But if you're out here looking for it to be an OLD site, it's really not. So I wanted to make sure your expectations were where they should be! :-)

131.gif image by y_baros th5K.gif image by jade_simo

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-19-2004
Mon, 01-29-2007 - 4:31pm

Hi there, Penlady -

I too live in the DC area and it's tough out there. Though I moved from Boston four years ago and it was tough there too! I've done match and yahoo, had better luck on match but I wouldn't do either again. The one I've had the most luck with lately is Craigs List, though I'm currently on a dating hiatus :) I always thought CL was for youngsters (I'm 45) so I avoided it but I (and others on this board) get lots of responses when we place an ad there. Granted, there are the usual freaks and looneytunes, but I got those dudes on match and yahoo as well! (Maybe it's me.) At least CL is free. I perused POF awhile ago, but didn't see many men in this area so I didn't bother with it.

I think meetup.org is a great idea. I also have been thinking in terms of just being more social, making friends. That too is not easy to do in DC.

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