Dating Services Reviews

Craigslist.org is a website designed to allow people around the world to post free classified ads that other users can reply to. There are more websites specializing in online dating than ever before, but more and more people are switching to Craigslist to find a match. The most appealing aspect of Craigslist is the fact that it is offered for free. Although this can attract many users and save you some money, it can also lead to a lot of problems. While it does have issues with identity and scams, Craigslist does offer a very efficient and affordable ways for people all around the world to connect and possibly grow relationships.

Signing Up
While most dating sites today charge a fee in one form or another for their services, Craigslist.org provides their system of classified personal ads for free. Signing up for an account on Craigslist is as simple as providing an email address and logging in with the information they send to that email address. From there, you will have the ability to respond to the Craigslist.org personals, as well as the many other sections of Craigslist.

How it Works
If you are visiting Craigslist primarily for the opportunity to meet someone special, you should be aware that profiles are not featured. One of the most appealing aspects of Craigslist to many people is the anonymity you receive when using it. To learn about somebody you have met through Craigslist, you must ask them questions and find out personal information directly from them. Although it can be nice to view profiles that outline people's basic personality traits and interests, some people enjoy the freedom of anonymously using Craigslist and posting ads for romance.

Once you have created a free account at Craigslist.org, you are ready to begin finding someone that interests you. As mentioned above, the concept of Craigslist Personals revolves around posting classified ads. You have the option to either post an ad describing what you are looking for in hopes of receiving a response from somebody, or you can read through the posted ads other people have created in order to choose an interesting person to contact.

This process will completely keep your identity and personal information safe and out of harms way simply because you are never required to provide it. When you create an ad, a temporary Craigslist email address will show up on the ad. When someone sees your ad and replies to that email address, their message will be relayed through Craigslist and to your actual, personal email account. This way, you can post an ad and receive email responses without giving away your personal contact information, such as your email address. It also works the other way around; when you find an ad that interests you and you want to send them a message, you will have to send it to a temporary Craigslist email address. If that person decides to reply to you, then you will be able to exchange actual contact information.

Features
Craigslist essentially provides a free forum for anyone to post classified advertisements in order to acquire or find something. The Craigslist Personals section, naturally, is also a place to freely post classified ads. Although it might seem simplified and ineffective, the website actually gives you many subtle features.

The first feature to note does not involve the Personals section directly, but Craigslist in general. Each and every city and state in the US, as well as cities and countries around the world, have their own Craigslist pages. By breaking up the system by location, it allows the people using Craigslist to focus on the object they are looking for instead of worrying about whether or not the item will be available in a reasonable location. This feature of Craigslist seriously improves the Personals sections because, when browsing through the classified ads, you already know their general location.

The Craigslist Personals section is broken up into nine categories, each one offering a different form of personal connection. The categories offered in the personals sections include: Strictly Platonic, women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, men seeking men, miscellaneous romance, casual encounters, missed connections, and rants and raves. Each section, as you can see, can provide you with a different kind of personal encounter.

The Missed Connections section of Craigslist's personals section is one of its most unique and exciting features. The Missed Connections section is a place for people to post descriptions of an interaction they had with someone but was separated from. The posts are aimed at finding those people and reconnecting them. For example, say you take the subway to work. Just before the subway car arrives at your stop, you begin having a conversation with an attractive person. You suddenly realize you must exit the train and accidentally leave without getting their name or contact information. For the rest of the day, you simply can't stop thinking about that person you met on the train. Luckily, with the Craigslist Missed Connections section, you can post a description of your encounter in hopes that the other person will find the ad and reply. Although it is most likely to be unsuccessful, it is worth a try; the other person will find your ad if it was truly meant to be.

The Strictly Platonic section of the Craigslist Personals also stood out. With so many dating sites out there these days, it is surprising that there are not more of them with a focus on simply platonic relationships. Every person online is not looking for romance or sex. Internet users who are just looking to meet friendly, like-minded people can visit the Strictly Platonic section at Craigslist.org and meet people in their area. The also have a section for Casual Encounters where people who are looking just for sex can find others seeking the same.

Pricing
Quite possibly the most appealing aspect of using Craigslist Personals for finding a compatible romantic partner is the price tag: Free. With so many other online dating services charging hefty amounts of money, it is no wonder that people have steadily flocked more and more to Craigslist in order to find love. The lack of a price tag, however, does bring up complications. Because anybody can create a Craigslist account anonymously, it is constantly subject to scammers and illegal activity. Dating sites that charge big joining fees tend to sift out the inappropriate and shady profiles much more consistently and thoroughly than sites that offer their services for free.

Problems
Because Craigslist can be accessed so anonymously and it is available to people all over the world, it is bound to have some problems. Using Craigslist Personals, whether you are looking for a platonic friend, a life-long romance, or a casual affair, is done so at your own risk. Using any online service, for that matter, is taking chance. Unlike other dating services, Craigslist Personals does not require a background check, photographs, or even personal information. When you see an advertisement for a gorgeous, kind-hearted twenty-three year old woman looking for a casual sexual friend, the ad could actually have been posted by a retired sixty year-old man. That muscular, thirty-something hunk who said he was so heftily "blessed" could end up being a fourteen year-old boy and his school pal having fun. No matter what you are seeking online, particularly with dating, it is important to thoroughly investigate the person you find interest in until you have proof that they are who they say they are and are not dangerous for one reason or another.

Conclusion
While it is true that most of the ads posted to the Craigslist Personals section are either based on illegal activity or are some kind of spam, it is also true that people can find real love and relationships there. Part of its mass appeal is that anyone, no matter what kind of sexual preference or lifestyle they live, can search through what is available in their area and possibly find exactly what they are looking for.

Other dating sites can offer you what Craigslist provides in safer, more controlled environments, but they will also charge you for their services. Even though Craigslist does provide well-made tools that can be used to find a mate, it is simply not designed to bring people together. When two intelligent people seeking romance use Craigslist in a responsible and logical manner, they can definitely find each other. However, the likelihood of finding a compatible partner on Craigslist is pretty slim. The amount of fake ads and spam posted there makes it difficult to find legitimate matches. For someone seeking a casual dating experience, Craigslist can work well if proper safety guidelines and precautions are followed. If you are someone who is seriously searching for the love of your life, avoid Craigslist.org. Do some research and choose the most suitable online dating site that provides features that appeal to you. Even though it might cost some money, it is well worth the time you will save by avoiding the run-around at Craigslist.