Meeting people
How to start dating again at 40
The first step is just acknowledging that you’re ready. From there, decide how and where you want to try to meet people. Dating apps have existed for decades, meaning they are the norm and not a last resort.
You’ll also want to be direct with what you’re looking for.
As in any phase of life, dating takes time and patience. We spoke to Jennifer Frazier, a 46-year-old based in Indiana, who met someone awesome on Match. They went on a few dates, and she really liked him, but he was interested in dating a lot of women at the same time, and though Frazier enjoyed his company, she realized that kind of relationship wasn’t for her.
Dating in your 40s, 50s, 60s, or older can feel lonely when all your friends are married or in relationships. If you want to find a community of people experiencing the same things as you, we recommend visiting the subreddit
Problems you might run into when dating over 40
While Frazier says the stigma around dating sites with the over-40 crowd is mostly gone, she doesn’t think a lot of single men in her area are using these sites, so she’s experiencing fewer options. She also thinks location plays a big part in how successful dating apps will be for a person, and we agree. Typically, the bigger the city, the easier to find a date. Frazier, for example, has a smaller pool of people in Indiana than someone who lives in New York or Chicago.
“It’s hard to find a night off from cooking, driving kids, and all the other things we are responsible for.”
“I love the idea of Bumble because it gives women the power to send the first message,” Frazier says. “There were only about four men in my age range within 25 miles, though, so that was disappointing.”
Frazier also says having a family can get in the way of dating because you might have kids to care for, and taking time off from parent duty isn’t always easy.
“It’s hard to find a night off from cooking, driving kids, and all the other things we are responsible for,” she says. “I have faced pressure from men I have not even met who are being demanding of my time. I have enough demands without adding to it.”
By the way, if someone is demanding your time and pushing to meet up right away, we want to remind you that
Do dating apps really work?
While Frazier hasn’t had the most success with dating apps, she does know a lot of people who have — her sister-in-law met her boyfriend on Tinder. When doing research for this article, a couple of friends told me their mom, or uncle, or other family member met their significant other on a dating app.
According to
One thing to remember is to have patience. Finding a partner who ticks all (or most) of your boxes doesn’t happen overnight. Online dating or not, you’ll most likely go through some duds and have some bad dates, but hopefully, that will lead you to a healthy, happy relationship.
Which dating site is best for singles over 40?
The best dating site varies depending on what you’re looking for. If you want something serious,
Casual daters and people who don’t want to jump into anything too serious just yet should utilize
Most dating sites and apps have