5 tips for online dating on Craigslist
Yes, I used Craigslist for online dating, and YES you can find ANYTHING on there. Even a spouse. Craigslist yielded the most results, and they were all pretty normal people. Yes, they wanted sex and hookups. But frankly, no matter what site you're on, they're gonna be after that if they can get it.
I had no idea of the reputation of Craigslist before I got on it, maybe if I had I wouldn't have used it. But I did online dating via Craigslist for probably six years and went on maybe a couple hundred dates.
Here's my advice…
1. Don't go to casual encounters
If you want more than a hook-up, don't post under that section (duh). Although… I do have a friend in a long-term relationship where they initially met as a casual encounter. So maybe take that advice with a grain of salt.
2. I always led with my strongest differentiator
My problem was too many responses, either generic or horribly lonely. I wanted fewer better responses. So I was found a differentiator to screen as many people as possible out. Mine was "no TV," but yours can be anything!
3. Text is sufficient to determine if you want to meet that person
My sense of who people were from a brief text-only response was very good. If I caught a whiff of misogyny or conventional dating norms from a short email, or if I simply thought we were not alike, I was usually always right.
4. I never put up a picture
I never asked for one either, since I was unwilling to give one. When I was answering an ad, I figured I should meet his terms, so I would send one if asked. But I absolutely refused to post or send one if it was my own ad. It is just fucking coffee. You can live through one coffee with an "ugly" girl, if that's who I turn out to be.
5. Finally, go to brunch, my friends
I feel like brunch is the key to internet dating, from someone who went on hundreds of internet dates! Brunch will do you right. There's no question of spending the night. It ends, and you haven't wasted your whole day thinking about it. And it's always fun to eat brunch out! Go to brunch, it's a million times better than dinner or drinks.
Went on so many dates (and was generally shocked at how bad people were at putting their best foot forward). It took me a while to realize that my goal, on any particular occasion, was not to meet My Soulmate. My was just to meet people — because that was also progress. And because of that, I did finally meet someone! It may take a while, but if that's what you want, meeting a lot of people will very likely get you there. And Craigslist is as good a place as any, if you know how to use it.
More resource here: https://offbeathome.com/dating-on-craigslist/