This year Halloween falls on a Saturday night, which means there will be parties galore to attend. From organized events sponsored by local organizations to in-home parties put together by friends or co-workers, there are plenty of options for singles to have tons of Halloween fun.

If you’re just in the early stages of dating someone, look for a party that’s sponsored by a local organization of some kind. Radio stations are famous for hosting Halloween bashes, and so are other organizations like churches, bars and restaurants, non-profit charities, and the like. Each of these parties is going to have a slightly different atmosphere so pick the one that’s going to be most comfortable for you and your date.

Radio station parties – Usually loud and crowded; lots of dancing and often an assortment of games and other activities (with prizes) throughout the night

Bars and restaurants – Can also be loud and crowded, depending on the size of the place and the type of crowd it attracts; may or may not have dancing, games, and other activities; nearly always has specials on food, drinks, appetizers, and the like

Churches – These are often family-style events where parents and kids participate equally; many larger churches, though, also sponsor singles parties and/or adult parties for a safe and fun Halloween. Likely to be more sedate than other parties, in an atmosphere that is more focused on social interaction

It’s a good idea to talk with your potential date in advance about what kind of party he or she would be most comfortable attending. Choosing the right party is a great way to spend time with someone new and be assured there will be plenty of activity to keep you occupied throughout the evening!

Dating Essentials Halloween, Holidays, Party

Oh, the money to be made from online dating!

You can be sure the business world is well aware of how much money can be made by operating an online dating service; that’s why there are so very many of them out there, all competing for your “dating dollar”. They put a great deal of effort into positioning themselves as your friend, your confidante, and your best choice for finding love, but never for a moment forget that none of that stuff is “real”.

Online dating is a business, first and foremost, and every paid dating service is going to do everything they can to squeeze every dollar possible out of you. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing if they succeed in matching you with someone special. But you can never know at the beginning if you’re going to have this kind of success, so you have to go into it with your eyes wide open and with a budget in mind of what you’re willing to spend.

I don’t have anything against paid online dating sites; in fact, they can be quite good for many people. I do think, though, that it’s a good idea to use some of the free sites as well, especially those based on social networking concepts. Think of it as you would a financial investment; you wouldn’t put all of your money into just one kind of financial tool, and so you shouldn’t put all of your money (and effort) into just one online dating site.

Online dating may be big business and generate millions of dollars in profit each day, but it is still something very personal for you as the user. It pays to keep this in mind when you’re choosing which online service(s) to use and how much of your hard earned money to put into their offerings.

Dating Essentials Dating Business, Dating Websites, Free vs. Pay Dating, Money

You’ve got to love technology! Add to the hundreds and hundreds of useful (and sometimes not so useful) applications for your iPhone a brand new one that lets you do a fast background check on someone with just a few clicks. Called DateCheck, this ingenious little piece of software lets you put in a person’s name, phone number, or email address, and it will search a variety of web resources to quickly give you a snapshot of the person’s background and life.

DateCheck does this by using the information you plug into it to conduct a web search of multiple sources such as social networking sites, public records, and the like. And boy, does it ever come back with plenty of information! From criminal records to property assets to allowing you to submit ratings for a particular person, DateCheck makes it easy to, well, check someone out.

I really like the way DateCheck categorizes the information it finds, too. The first category is the Sleaze Detector, which is where you will find information about DUIs, sexual offenses, or other criminal issues. Next up is Compatibility, matching their zodiac sign to yours (okay, this one is not very scientific), followed by Net Worth, Living Situation, and Interests. It’s so effective at checking out these categories that if a person owns a home, for instance, you stand a decent chance of being able to tell its number of bedrooms and square footage.

Unfortunately, DateCheck is only available for the iPhone right now, so if you have another kind of mobile phone you’re out of luck. But look on the bright side – if you’ve been looking for an excuse to buy an iPhone this neat little application might just be the reason you need!

Dating Essentials Background Checks, Crime, iPhone, Mobile, Online Safety