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Nine Tips for Staying Safe for Your First Offline Date

Online dating might be fun and convenient, but it is not without its downsides. One of the biggest concerns many people, especially women, have about online dating is that you are essentially letting a stranger into your life. The person on the other end of the internet connection could be misrepresenting themselves in any way imaginable, and although the vast majority of offline dates that have been arranged via online dating sites end without a love connection at worst, there have been a few incidents that should give you pause. That doesn’t mean you have to skip online dating completely, of course. It simply means that is a good idea to keeps these nine safety tips in mind to make sure you are protected.

Tip number one is a one of the most important ones – make plans to meet your date at your destination. The last thing you should do is hand out your home address to a complete stranger over the Internet, and you certainly don’t want to invite a stranger into your home where the two of you are alone. Wait until you get to know the person a little better before you let them that far into your world.

The second tip is an extension of the first one. When you arrange to meet a date, make sure you are meeting at a busy, public place. You certainly wouldn’t meet a new person and head off into the wilderness with them five minutes later in the real world, and no matter how long you spend online chatting with someone, you should never do that with an online date either. There is safety in numbers and if you have a problem, you can ask for help from other people around you.

Tip number three hammers home the importance of location in protecting your safety. Just as you shouldn’t have your date pick you up, you shouldn’t spill the beans about where you live when you are out on the first date. Play your cards closer to your vest until you get to know someone.

Your behavior on the date can really impact your safety, and that is where tip four comes into play. One drink may be fine. Several drinks may impair you to the point where your date could take advantage of you if they wanted to. Getting intoxicated with a stranger is never a good idea. If it is a love match, you will have plenty of time for throwing caution to the wind when drinking in the future.

If you do decide to drink, remember tip number five. Keep a watchful eye on that drink. All it would take for things to go downhill very quickly is a few seconds for your date to slip something in your cup. Don’t let your drink out of your site on date number one.

Tip number six is for the ladies especially. Offer to pay your own way throughout the date. Some people think that if they buy your dinner, you are obligated to show your gratitude later. Avoid any confusion by covering your own expenses.

Tips seven and eight related to your cell phone. Keep it handy during the date, and make sure to give your date that number to contact you instead of your home number. Your home phone can easily be traced to your address – and you’re back to tip one again.

Last but not least, tip number nine is to listen to your instincts. If someone gives you a bad vibe pay attention to the feeling. If you listen to it and you’re wrong, the worst that happens is that you are a little embarrassed. If you don’t listen and you’re right, the stakes are way too high to pay.