Find Singles Now: A Fool-proof Dating Guide

Doublelist Team

February 21, 2023 7 minutes read
Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious!


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Have you been striking out on your dating search? Are you fumbling to find singles who are ready to mingle? Stop your stressing and endless searching. DoubleList’s dating and relationship experts have your back. This is your one-stop shop for finding compatible matches, whether you’re feeling a fling or a long-term thing.

We’re covering how to discover singles near you, long-distance options, and online dating recommendations. But first, let’s start with the question on everyone’s mind.

Why Is It So Hard To Find Singles?

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It’s hard to find singles because, in general, modern dating is hard.According to the Pew Research Center, half of Americans think dating is harder now than it was 10 years ago. So what’s making it so difficult to find a potential match these days? Here are the three top culprits:

  1. Technology. On the one hand, technology makes it easier than ever before to find unattached people. But at the same time, daters now have more choices. It seems counterintuitive, but having so many options overwhelms daters. They’re less likely to make a move because they don’t know who to choose.

  2. Safety. Many people feel less safe than they did 10 years ago. Women and queer folks, in particular, worry about potentially dangerous in-person encounters. Now those same vulnerable groups have to be extra cautious when online. Traffickers and scammers flock to the internet in droves. Additionally, the pandemic caused many people to think about health safety more seriously. Especially during 2020 and 2021, daters were more hesitant about meeting matches IRL.

  3. Lifestyle. Modern life is busier and less focused on romantic relationships. Think about the expectations your parents had when they were on the dating scene. Now, more individuals prioritize their careers and self-improvement over dates. Dating these days skews more casual than it did even a few years ago.

Let’s be clear. We didn’t bring up these factors to bum you out about dating. But it’s important to understand dating challenges to face them head-on. Now, let’s dive into what to do about it.

How To Find Singles Near Me

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One of the most common questions daters ask is, “How to find singles near me.” Honestly, we get it. Who doesn’t love a convenient way to find quality singles? If you’re just looking for a hookup, you can go from horny to sex ASAP. Or, if you want a relationship, a nearby partner makes spending time together a breeze.

Here’s another upside to looking for local singles: it’s easier to find them. Most online dating sites and apps cater to location-based matches. If you prefer in-person dating, you don’t want to make it a huge commute. Keep reading for our deep dive into the best online and IRL methods.

Find Singles Near You Online

The easiest way to find singles near you is online. You have your pick of straight and gay dating platforms to choose from. Apps and websites are your friends. How do you know which to pick? If you prefer mobile dating and looking at profile photos over long bios, go with dating apps. The best apps for hookups near you are Tinder and Grindr. Both allow you to put in a match radius to keep your dates nearby. For singles seeking true love, try Hinge. This app still lets you filter by location but has more in-depth profiles and questions.

If you’d rather sit at a desktop and privately peruse dates, visit a dating site. Personal ad sites like DoubleList work for casual encounters and committed relationship seekers. You get to write what you want on a partner and stay anonymous.

In-person Ways To Find Singles Near You

Not everyone wants to use the world wide web find singles in their area. If you’re all about the old-fashioned “meet cute,” we’ve got advice for you too. Here are the best in-person ways to meet a quality match:

  1. Lean into your hobbies. Social activities are an excellent way to go from single to swept-up. Get involved with your community and find groups that align with your interests. Do you love sports? Join a rec league. Love music? Go to a record swap. As a bonus, if you meet someone this way, you’ll already have something in common.

  2. Check out the nightlife. If you love dressing up and cutting a rug, by all means, hit the clubs. But nightlife doesn’t have to mean blaring EDM music and pricey shots if that’s not your thing. Grab a group and check out a local trivia night. Or go to a bar with live music and converse with someone cute.

  3. Ask your friends. Do you know how you network when job hunting? Apply the same logic here. Talk with your friends and find out if they know anyone else who’s single. Even if no one comes to mind immediately, try hanging out with others they know. Eventually, someone will know someone who will lead to a date.

Long-distance Ways To Find Singles

Not everyone is in a position to find singles in their area. Maybe you’re in a place with a small population or one outside your dating demographic. Or perhaps you’ll only be living somewhere temporarily. In that case, you may want to find someone at a more permanent location. In your case, dating’s even more complex. However, none of these roadblocks should mean you miss out on the fun. Here’s how to find singles the long-distance way.

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Find Single Women and Men With Dating Sites

Whether you want heterosexual matches or LGBTQ+ love, you can find single women and men. How? With dating sites. Because dating sites go deep, you have room to explain your location situation and desires. You can also broaden your search range to include people worldwide or by country. Two fantastic options for this are eHarmony and Reddit.

On eHarmony, you can choose whether you want local matches only or not. The site also uses identity verification to keep users safe while chatting. Need another option? Check out the r/r4r section on Reddit to write personal ad-style posts that anyone can see. With either service, you’ll find singles in no time.

Find Singles With Apps

The best app for long-distance dating is Zoosk. Since 2007, Zoosk has helped singles connect all across the globe. The app operates in over 80 countries. This ups your chances of finding a match anywhere in the world. You can toggle your settings to select specific regions or zip codes as well. Like many dating apps, Zoosk is free to download and to use core features. But for unlimited messages to match or other premium options.

Find Free Local Singles With Doublelist

What else makes it challenging to find singles? Money. Think about the in-person options. To go to a club or bar, you have to pay up. And what about online? Many dating platforms start free but ask you to pay after a trial period or to access certain content. Depending on your circumstances, you might pay to connect with other available people. But if you want to find free local singles, check out DoubleList.

DoubleList is a personal ad dating site that brings like-minded locals together. To use the site, just create an account with a verified email. Then, create a username and password to protect your privacy. Similar to the old Craigslist personals section, DoubleList has different forums for different cities. Just click on your town and chat with local singles like you. Sign up for your free account today!

Unlock your wildest fantasies and connect with locals today!

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