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Sometimes it can feel a bit daunting dipping your toe in the waters of internet dating. The good news is that you are in excellent company. Millions of people across the world use internet dating to enhance their chances of meeting that special someone. The advantages of using a reputable site like ours is that we will make sure that you are treated with respect and that your safety and wellbeing are paramount in our minds. That is why we have developed Affinity, to help you find matches that are compatible with your personality and who share the same goals as you for future romance.
Getting the best out of Affinity
To ensure you feel really comfortable about joining our site and enjoy all the benefits we offer our members, here are some reassurances that will help you get the best out of your experience. First things first, you can relax abut your privacy. Your email address is only seen by our confidential account management team; we need it so that we can set up your account and contact you. We never pass on your email address to anyone else and members only contact each other on the site using the secure internal messaging system. Additionally, we ask you to create a special username, enabling members get to know each other using this name first, which gives you another degree of personal security. You then choose if and when you reveal your real name to your personally selected fellow members. Your photograph can only be viewed by other subscribers and even then you can choose to display it or not, perhaps preferring to allow a member to view your photo once you have made contact with them. Remember, you can always keep your photo hidden on your profile, it is up to you whether you show it.
If I have concerns can I contact someone?
Whenever someone subscribes to our site their profile is carefully screened by our moderation panel. This means that every photo and personal ad uploaded is checked carefully and if there is anything suspicious or inappropriate about the profile they are blocked and deleted. This helps to ensure that all the members you see on the site are people, like you, who want to go on dates and find a partner. There is a button on every profile which allows you to ‘alert the moderation team’ if you think there is something not quite right going on. Don’t worry; the team will anonymously investigate your concerns immediately. In the same way, there is also an ‘inappropriate message’ button on every email you receive, so again, if you have doubts or worries you can contact the team who will look into it for you. We want you to feel comfortable and secure at all times and will do our very best to make sure you get the best possible service that our team can provide. Remember that thousands of positive connections are made every day on our site. You too can be a part of this community with confidence that your safety, wellbeing and interests are at the top of our priority list.
When is the best time to meet for a date after connecting online?
It’s important to give yourself time to get to know someone on the site before you take the next step and arrange to meet. You can learn a lot about someone from their affinity test and the emails they send you. Are they friendly and accessible, well mannered and thoughtful? Do they let you know things about themselves and their lives that help you build up a picture of who they are and what they do? Are they interested in you and your life, or does it feel like you are doing all the work? Are they relaxed and unpressured in their approach to dating, or do you feel that they are rushing you too quickly? If so, do you feel you can ask them to slow down a bit so you can catch up?
Have a chat before you meet
Messaging isn’t a substitute for face to face meetings and it would be wise to have some telephone conversations before meeting up. This way you will learn more about your prospective date. Some more questions that might help you form a picture in your mind about who this person really is might include: Are they responsive, kind and attentive? Do they make you feel at ease, understood and comfortable? Do you feel listened to? Do they have a sense of humour and not take themselves too seriously? Do they leave the past where it belongs or do they want to talk about their exes all the time? All of these pointers will help you decide whether you want to meet up with them or not. Remember to trust your instincts and go with what feels right for you. Never put yourself in a position where you feel uncomfortable.
First date tips
If you have made a connection with someone and you like them enough to want to go on a date there are some other tips that will make you feel confidently secure and these are true for any new date you go on, whether it is through our site or not. Always tell someone, a friend or family member, that you are going out on a date with someone for the first time. Let them know where and when you will be meeting and the time you think you will probably be finished. You might want to arrange to call them to let them know when you have got home safely. On your first date arrange to meet in a public place, never at their home or somewhere secluded or out of the way. It is more sociable and relaxing to meet where other people are gathering, like a bar, restaurant or café. You should already have their full name and telephone number and if you don’t, make sure you get it before you leave for the date, in case you both get delayed. However much you might like them, it is a sensible precaution not to go home with them on a first date. You will want to get to know them better before becoming more intimate, so give yourself a chance to build a good relationship with them first before taking things further.