11 Rules for Writing the Perfect Online Dating Profile

Spellcheck is your friend. Photoshop, not so much.

Since both men and women are waiting longer to get married, it's become harder to find people using traditional methods such as marrying your high school or college sweetheart. Once out in the world and working full time, opportunities for meeting people begin to diminish. Between the responsibilities of work and the reality of your friends getting married and having their own kids, meeting and greeting people in the dating world has become more difficult. With the realities of dating in the new millennium, online dating sites happen to be one of the best ways to get to know new people. A recent study shows that one third of Americans now meet their spouses through online dating sites, and that the number of people using these sites has increased dramatically over the last decade. Fifty million people in the U.S. use some form of online dating; 40 million stay on the dating sites for an extended period of time. With this latest trend in mind, here are some guidelines for writing an online dating profile that will really help you stand out in the crowd.

Living Together Before Marriage: A Good Idea?

Why some cohabitating couples thrive while others crash and burn.

Living together is a steadily growing trend that is now the norm for 60 percent of today’s unmarried couples. Cohabitation no longer carries the stigma that it did in years past: In the 1960s, only 10 percent of couples reported living together pre-marriage. Research shows that one out of four women will live with a man by age 20 and three out of four women will live with a man by age 30. As far as divorce rates go, couples who live together but are committed in terms of an engagement and future wedding date have a higher chance of staying married as opposed to those who live together uncommitted prior to getting married. So how does one decide whether to take this step or not with their significant other?

Catch Your Husband Cheating? Here’s What To Do

A scorned wife’s action plan.

When we think of steakhouses, we imagine expensive food, lush booths and men in business suits. But it turns out these restaurants are not just for customers who want fine dining but are a favorite place to take your mistress.

9 Rules for Introducing Your New Love to Your Kids

For everyone’s sake, curb the PDA.

Fifty percent of first marriages end in divorce. The average length of a first marriage is eight years, with the average age of those who are getting married landing at 30, prime child bearing years. One would think that second or third marriages would show better stats, as men and women would learn from their mistakes. But that's NOT true. Sixty percent of second marriages and 73 percent of third marriages will end in divorce. And so a challenge for many couples embarking on getting remarried is how to successfully meld each of their children into the mix.

Spring Cleaning Your Love Life

How to clear out those dusty old habits that are messing up your happiness.

As we get ready for the warmer months by cleaning out our closets, and happily discarding those horrid cargo pants, we need to also use the same critical eye when assessing our relationships. Staying with the same person can be your go-to move because it's scary to look for someone new. What if you're alone for a while or you never fall in love again? Is it worth staying in a rut?

Seven Ways to Beat the Seven-Year Itch

One hint: Have sex.

Dear Monica,

 

After reading your recent column on infidelity, I wanted to get your thoughts on the legendary seven year itch. Is it really a trying time in marriages? —P.L., Radnor 

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