Dating apps - Are you on one? Have you ever been? Did you have any luck? Which one is the best? Do you have any dating app stories?

[saboodles78]

I was single for about a year, had been in a bad relationship for 3 before that, so really enjoyed being single and dating, finding what I liked and didn't etc... decided in May 2014, I would move to the UK for a bit(cousin lives with his wife in Northern England so was gonna crash with them for a bit), no ties in Ireland (other than family and friends obviously) and women(or at least the women that I was attracting lol) were starting to drain me, had been made redundant so had a few quid. Was popping over one weekend to check out the area, spend a bit of time with them and have a general chat about things. Before I went I deleted the usual apps, tinder, pof and dattch (think it's called HER now) off my iphone. never thought that they'd downloaded to my ipad so took that out and low and behold I had two messages on Dattch (HER), couldn't tell you who the second message was from, read the first one, got chatting all weekend, met her the following week, I still went to England for a bit, but came back. Proposed to her in 2015, we bought a home in 2017 and got married in 2018.
Will always be thankful for the ipad my ex bought me LOL

 

[Frankensooze]

I can thoroughly recommend twitter, which is actually a dating site for sociopaths.
If you can't get a fella/woman/whatever on twitter, give up.

 

[Donutlover]

I think POF is a waste of time, full of time wasters. Also didn't think much of Match. Tinder for me was the best believe it or not. Quick and easy to use, went on a few dates and even met my husband!
Good luck!

 

[Sarahjane2290]

I met my partner of 5 years on POF, I clicked on him by accident and POF gives you a notification when someone views your profile. He messaged me and I thought he seemed nice enough so we met up and now 5 years later we are engaged and getting married next year. I did eventually tell him I'd clicked on him by accident

 

[yankydoo]

Im 33 and have been single for a year.

I prefer Bumble. I think the quality of men (I am a woman) on there are better. I went all out with the dating and have been on so many dates over the last year that I've lost count!

It's easy to fish out the men who want fun and the ones who appear to want something a bit more serious. I have also made a couple of friends on there! I am good friends with a guy and we go to exercise classes together. I am friends with a guy who is from a strict religious background and wants to meet someone from the same religion. We have met up a few times and share dating stories.

If you ask me honestly, I am not sure I will find someone for the long term on there. I feel the mentality of those on the apps is that they will meet you and move on to the next as it's so easy to do. It's very fickle world!! Who knows though, part of me thinks it's a numbers game and if I keep it up then the odds are I will meet someone suitable.

Hinge is ok. Generally people are serious on there and both men and woman can instigate a chat.

Inner Circle was awful for me. So many strange people!

My advice is to take it with a pinch of salt, set low expectations (I have got carried away so many times thinking I've met someone amazing only for them to disappear!), and have fun with it. It is a great way to meet new people and try new places and things!

 

[Yel]

Agree the paid ones aren't necessarily any better. Although you can pay on tinder, I hardly think giving someone a superlike is going to get anyone's attention.

The big problem I find with all of them is it seems to make people instantly disposable, many are thinking is this it or could I get more. Only a swipe away. I'm sure the amount of affairs has sky rocketed since online dating.

 

[MissP]

Tried Match thinking it would eliminate the time wasters and weirdos because you have to pay for it... nope. Freak central. Went on a fair few dates, most of whom were just complete dickheads who lied about themselves (job, smokers etc.)

I went for a drink with one guy who told me The Shawshank Redemption was his favourite film because it reminds him of when he did time. Needless to say, I made my excuses and left.

I’ve had friends on Plenty of Fish who have had lots of disasters but have never used it personally.

That being said, I met my husband on Tinder and we’ve been together four years and are very happy.

 

[under the ivy]

It is tempting to sign up but I think many people will have thought that during lockdown. I don’t think I’d use one again but I don’t judge anyone for using them!

I rebuke this claim as I met my now boyfriend on Hinge and he’s the absolute best Had to go on a few dates and kiss some frogs mind

 

[Pinkflamingo19]

I met my boyfriend on tinder 5 years ago. We’re now engaged and getting married next year! Have faith. There are some good ones on there

 

[LLJ]

A girl I worked with (NHS medical secretaries) met her now husband on a dating app. He was a doctor and he had to move to Edinburgh for work (we live in the South). She ended up moving with him and now doesn't really need to work but she just works in a little bakery which she loves!

 

[leoladyxo]

I’m in a long term relationship now with a man I met at work but in the past I have used PoF and Tinder. Both apps were a bit cringy in their own ways - cheesy chat up lines etc and why do men always post a photo of them with a big fish?!

Not exactly the same but I have also used Seeking when sugar dating to supplement some income. I didn’t feel good about myself doing it long term though and realised that the guys on there weren’t ever looking to settle down. I needed to find a way to pay my rent (as my circumstances changed) and that happened to be it for a short period of time.

My friend has been using Bumble and has had quite an experience! She met a guy four weeks ago on there and in that timeframe they’ve been having a relationship of sorts in fastforward speed. In that time they’ve been out for dinner, to the zoo, met each other’s families and have been sleeping together and regularly staying round each other’s places. On their first date he serenaded her with the pina colada song in front of a whole bar of people - massive cringe. Obviously worked on her though! He also would text her to ask if she “wanted to go for a drive”, which is a bit strange to me, I would have asked him to make a proper plan with me for another day. He even came to her birthday dinner, which was a week or so ago, so as her friends we have now met him.

Anyway, Valentine’s Day rolls around and bearing in mind that it’s a new “relationship” I think she thought that he might send her a card or flowers. Nothing happens all day - not even a text message. I think she got involved too quickly and he was love bombing her. It gave me a lot of red flags as to how quickly it was all going and so I wasn’t particularly surprised that had avoided Valentine’s Day. He messaged her the day after Valentine’s Day to break things off by saying he “needed some space”. So, there’s a cautionary tale!

 

[anything at all]

I was on plenty of fish yearssss ago before I got with my husband (didn’t meet him there, met him through a friend). Never tried any other dating websites/apps.

I had a few dates from pof and eventually a long relationship that lasted almost 2 years but we eventually agreed that it felt more like a friendship than it being anything more.

I always felt like people would want to meet like after one simple message like they would only say something like ‘hey you look cute wanna go for a drink’ and not even try to get to know you a little more first. And idk if it’s just me but I like to know if we’ve got stuff in common or if the conversation is gonna dry out fast when we meet in person.

My first date from there was awful, I went for a drink with this guy and the whole time he talked about his ex girlfriend. Every time I tried to change the conversation he would find some way to direct it back to her. I eventually made an excuse that I had to leave and got out of there. Never spoke to him again.

 

[Thereceiptsxo]

I feel like a tinder veteran I’ve been on it that long now , I don’t know if I’ve become more fussy or it’s just slim pickings nowadays but I feel like I swipe right on about 1% of the people I see.

I actually prefer hinge in that you can see who has liked you without having to pay, I tend to just go through the people that have liked me and either match or don’t, as opposed to going through all the guys on there and ‘shooting my shot’ first with a like. It’s easier because I know that anyone I think looks decent has already liked me so there’s no awkward ‘will they/won’t they’ waiting around for them to match back with you.

I’d love to say in the time I’ve been on tinder/hinge (probably about 5/6 years.. o m g), I’ve at least had 1 serious relationship out of it but the only semi serious one I had ended up working abroad & I found out he had a new bird when he posted it on his story!

I’m finding it especially tough with lockdown, there’s only so many walks you can go on & I had a bit of an iffy experience last week which has put me off. Think I’m gonna put it on the back burner until the bars are open again as it’s much safer meeting people in a busy public place!

 

[Peggy5]

I met my boyfriend on Tinder in 2015, we have a 3 year old daughter now and are v.happy
There are lots of frogs to swipe through but there’s definitely good ones to find

 

[Dizzy]

When I was single I used Match, Tinder and PoF and IME they're all much of a muchness. You also see the same faces on various apps. I hated the process, the same conversations and questions soon get really old. I met some nice guys but noone who I really liked and found it a bit soul destroying, especially if you get your hopes up that the person you're meeting will tick your box (so to speak!). Several of my friends have used online dating, none with any success however it seems to be quite popular with my younger work colleagues so maybe it's an age thing (my friends and I are in our 40s). I would say approach it with limited expectations, make it very clear your don't want ONS (unless you do!) and be prepared for people to lie, A LOT. Before you go on dates, always ask their surnames and do some online research to make sure you're not meeting up with Jack the Ripper. Good luck!

 

[hehehe]

Only ever tried Bumble and that was summer last year.

First Bumble BFF where I swiped right on a few women (10+) and only 2 matched - one didn't reply to my message, the other was giving one word answers so I gave up. I left that and switched to the dating side.

Swiped left on around 25 men before I found the first one to swipe right. Tragic selection, but then I live in the arsehole of Glasgow. They kept appearing fatter and uglier the more I swiped left as if Bumble was punishing me. I matched with a handful of dudes I swiped right on. I sent Bumble ice-breaker questions to 2 guys who responded, seemed nice, but because we were deep in the pandemic I didn't see myself meeting anyone so I didn't talk to them. Overall I swiped right on less than 10 men and swiped left on more than 50 men. Deleted it.

 

[bubbletea123]

I was on Tinder years ago, only went on two dates from it. My second date is now my fiance.

 

[Twinkle485]

I met my partner of 5 years on POF, I clicked on him by accident and POF gives you a notification when someone views your profile. He messaged me and I thought he seemed nice enough so we met up and now 5 years later we are engaged and getting married next year. I did eventually tell him I'd clicked on him by accident

The accidental husband

 

[tskiry56]

I tried dating apps for years as I always thought nights out you meet the same time of people and I think it became weird to meet people in 'real life'.
I met my ex in 2012 on pof and we split in 2017 after years of lies and abuse.
After that I didnt even want to think about dating but found tinder, bumble etc all hard work with many just wanting one thing.
I even spoke to one person who then decided he was gay. I found no one really wanted to commit.
I did end up meeting my current partner on tinder but that was after I completely given up hope and didnt even know I had swiped him until he spoke to me. We have been together 7 months and he is completely different to anyone I've met before.
With online dating you need to not let it consume your life and just be happy with yourself then the right person will come along.

 

[Bluefox]

Met my hubby on POF in 2011. Been married almost 7 years.

Had some absolute shockers while I was at uni. Not proud of my life back then. It's scary how much I put myself at risk.