You are single and over 50, so what do you do? You get back out there to find someone to hang out with and have some fun. Life is too short to just sit in your home wishing you had companionship. No matter what your age you need to get out there and meet new people. We are going to look at some dating tips for all of you who are over 50 and single.
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Old school dating
What is old school dating? It is where you find dates using the old way back before the internet. A long time ago there were no internet or fancy apps to find a date. Back then you actually had to go out in public and talk with someone to see if there is a connection. If there is a connection you ask the person out on a date to get to know them better. There are so many ways to meet people without using the internet. Here are a few:
- Social clubs
- Bingo night
- Fairs or festivals
- Have friends set you up
- Go on a blind date
- Church is a good place to meet people
- Work or job
- Volunteer in the community
- Grocery store
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Online dating
Meeting people offline is still a great way to meet someone to possibly date or go out with for fun. But we are in the age of the internet and to ignore online dating you may miss that someone special. There are plenty of websites that actually cater to people over 50. You also have dating apps that you can use to meet singles. The process to get online, register, fill out your profile and start connecting is pretty easy. You may want to read our article 10 tips on how to date online to help you get going. Here are a few sites that you might like:
- ChristianCafe
- SeniorPeopleMeet
- SilverSingles
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The numbers
The numbers refer to the number of women still living compared to men as you get older. Women tend to live longer than men so as you age there will be fewer women than men. That means if you are a woman, you may have to ask guys out instead of waiting for them to ask you out. Back in the old days. I know you waited for a man to come calling, but that is no longer the case. If you are interested in someone, it’s time to be assertive and ask him out!
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Numbers game
This is actually not just a 50 and older, this tip happens to be true for all daters. You will often need to go on several dates with different people before finding someone you connect with. Meeting Mr. or Mrs. right on the first date is not likely. You will need to go out with several people to truly find that special someone that sticks. The average number of people to date before finding the right one is 8. Just look at it as 8 new adventures in meeting someone new. The 50 and older group may take less time because most older people have a better idea of knowing what they want in a partner.
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What do you want
When dating, you need to ask yourself what exactly you are looking for in a person? The answers can vary from looking for love, marriage or just finding companionship. You really need to spell out what you want before you start dating so you can be successful in your search.
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Being picky
It is ok to be picky because you deserve to find someone who is a good fit for you. Don’t compromise, and you surely do not want someone mean, violent, rude or abusive. You should be picky when choosing who you want to date. On the flip side, you should not be too picky because that will limit your pool of people to choose from. You may think you will only enjoy certain people, but you need to open your perspective a bit more. You might be surprised to find someone you like if you do. Being too picky includes things like:
- I only date blondes
- They need to be over 6 foot tall
- The date needs to be super attractive or handsome
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Profile online dating
The key to online dating is your profile. You need to make sure that this is totally filled out with as much detail as possible. The more detail the better chance of landing a good match to connect with online. When people look at your picture then decide to read your profile, if nothing is in the profile, daters will not send you an invite. People want to see what interests you have and the type of person you are. If the profile is not filled out, they will know nothing about you and will not send you a request to connect.
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Picture online dating
Your picture needs to be current on your profile online. Having an older picture that shows you younger will not work. When you finally decide to meet out for a date they will notice the picture and real life are different. Use a current photo that you can have done by a friend for little cost. You want to avoid goofy pictures or photos that make you look bad. The better the photo the more chances you have of getting noticed and people reaching out to you.
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Have fun
Meeting new people is all about having fun. Do not be a grump or negative on a date. This will ruin the date with both of you going home in a negative mood. You want to go out to have fun so keep any negativity away from the date. Enjoy the time you have and learn about this new person you have met. Always look at it as a new experience to embrace, because time is limited for us here on earth.
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Get into shape
I know being in shape can be challenging, but it is a great first step to improving your health. It can be difficult to stay fit, but not only will exercise increase your energy and health, it will increase your quality of life. A simple work out program is all you need to keep in decent shape. There are so many activities you can do to get into shape that are enjoyable, such as biking, walking, running, weightlifting and more. The better shape you are in the more likely it is you can attract people online and offline.
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Around the block
If you are over 50 then you have been around the block. You should know what you want in a mate. Dating should be easier for you in the sense that you are wiser and understand what you are looking for in another person. You have seen many things so use that wisdom when dating and those you date will have the same perspective too.
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No games
Older people do not like playing games when dating. Most people will go out and if they think there is no connection will let the other person know. There are no games or messing around with people because time is precious when you are older so the over 50 crowd will try not to waste it. I am not saying that everyone will be like this, but most do not get into the head games younger dating couples do.
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Confident
People over 50 have been around long enough to be confident in who they are. Being confident will help when looking for someone to date. The life lessons have made it so you know you can get through most anything. Finding another person to date or looking for a soul mate will add to your life’s experience. Since at this age you have lived through all kinds of different situations, dating others will be an added bonus to your life. Most people over 50 feel more secure in their skin because of this approach.
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No time limit
When you are younger you have a certain amount of time to get married and have children. Once you are past those stages in life it is all about taking your time to find the right person to date. You are not in a hurry to find someone because there is no timetable. The only reason you may be in a hurry to find someone is if you have a personality that hates to be alone. Loneliness can be a big motivator to find someone quickly.
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Small things
No need to sweat the small things once you are over 50. Your life has hopefully mellowed and you have realized the small things are just that small. This is a healthy perspective that most young people don’t understand yet.
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Knowing relationships
You have been in relationships all your life for 50 plus years. You know how to do this unless you just happened to marry the first person you dated in high school. Then your experience in relationships may be limited. Most people should have enough experience to be comfortable with dating and getting into a relationship. You will also know what you are looking for in a relationship.
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You know when to say “No way!”
When dating someone for the first time, there may be immediate deal breakers. An example would be- You start dating someone and you find out they smoke which you hate, so that would be a deal breaker. Another deal breaker could be someone who still has kids and you are no longer wishing to raise kids since yours are grown. It’s alright to be this way and have specific things that you do not want to do or be around. You are old enough to know what you want and don’t want at your age.
You are over 50 and with that comes many life lessons. Your experiences should help shape your dating habits. You know yourself well and you know what you want in a date. Hope these tips find you well and on the road to happy dating.