Choosing a dating site - Here's How:

1. Establish a budget.
Decide how much money you want to devote to online dating, and set a budget. Some sites charge one-time membership fees, others automatically charge recurring monthly fees to your credit card.

2. Seek recommendations.
Talk to trusted friends, colleagues, and family to see if anyone they know has had a positive experience with a particular online dating website. If you need more information, you can always check out an online dating guide.

3. Research available sites.
Book time to check your favorite search engines for popular dating websites. Try searching terms like "find a date online", "meet someone new online", or "online personals" to generate lists of potential online sites for you.

4. Consider specialized sites.
Determine if you have any special interests or unique situations that might require a more specialized online dating website. Some online dating sites cater to customized audiences including political affiliations, sexual preferences, race, religion, etc.

5. Determine pros and cons.
Narrow down the list of potential online sites to your top three and compare them to determine pros and cons of each. Pay particular attention to monthly/yearly cost, free versus fee services, and number of website members.

6. Take a free test run.
See if your chosen website offers free trials. Look for sites that allow you to search the database for potential matches before you pay any membership fees. This allows you to fully understand the array of potential mates already signed up with the service.

7. Diversify your portfolio.
Don't be afraid to sign-up for multiple websites services or change services midstream if you are not satisfied. The goal is to meet new people and land dates. If a particular site is not meeting your needs move on before you invest more money in an ineffective dating strategy.