There once was a time when a bar or nightclub was the place to be to pick up a guy or girl for dating. But, ever since the Internet has hit, online dating sites are becoming more and more "the place" to be for meeting others. Over time different dating fads have come into play such as newspaper and magazine personal ads, television dating shows, speed dating, video dating, etc…. Now there is online dating, which combines all the factors of the aforementioned and brings potential partners to you in the touch of a fingertip! Since the inception of the Internet, which happens to be the human race's favorite mode of communication these days. Everyone has an e-mail, instant messenger and is a member of one or more social networking sites. All communication is at the tip of our fingertips in an instant. We are n a world where we want things done ASAP. The youth of today have no idea how it was back in the seventies and eighties, and before that, before the existence of the Internet and the computer age. We used to have to physically write a letter and drop it in a blue mailbox that sat on the corner in our neighborhood, or even, pick up a telephone and call someone, instead of text messaging or electronically e-mailing them. Even though, personally, I didn't meet my significant other through online dating, I did meet him on a social network. He had been on my friend's list for over a year and we casually made comments to each other. At one time we had both been in relationships at the same time. We did have a lot of mutual friends and one day, we just chatted on instant messenger on the social networking site and everything else fell into place. He lived two hours from me, so it was long distance for awhile, but we made it work. And with the information and tips I am going to share with you, you too can find happiness through world wide web. Given the many options available to you in online dating sites, you should have no problem finding a generic one or even one that caters to your lifestyle. Whether it is music, sexual orientation or hobby driven, there is an abundance of online dating sites out there that will help you find your perfect mate and partner in life, just by filling out a profile and putting up at least one photo of yourself. When you are done doing that, then you are free to browse the many potential partners available to you. Most online dating sites have a filter where you can choose the specifications of what you are looking for in someone and physical appearance traits. Some sites are free and some charge on a monthly basis. There are some online dating sites that will give you a discount if you sign up for a year and there are some that will give you a free trial to test out the site. You just have to do some research to find the right site or sites for you to participate on. I know that there are some of you who are skeptical about the whole online dating concept and even for those of you who are beginners, there might be some sort of fear in meeting a complete stranger online and even someone perhaps in a different country or state.