Dating Over 50: Discovering New Love Later on Down the Road

The idea of dating over 50 can be a bit daunting to some. Whether you’re just coming back into the dating pool after some time or entering a new phase of your dating life, it can come with its own unique set of challenges and options. However, you’re not alone, you’re among a staggering 37.4 million singles over 50 in the U.S. alone¹, we take a look at which advantages offline venues and dating sites for people over 50 offer and how eharmony can help you meet just the right person.

Three challenges of dating after 50

Let’s explore some of the issues and misconceptions many people dating over 50 tend to experience.

We tend to carry forward experiences from our previous relationships

By the time you reach 50, you’ve likely experienced quite a few different relationships of varying lengths. This can leave you with certain outlooks and expectations that you carry forward into your subsequent relationships, affecting those both positively and negatively as well. In certain cases, it can leave some of us pessimistic about romance or our chances of finding true compatibility. 

You can feel disconnected from dating scene

Being in the dating pool can be bewildering, not just for people dating after 50 but at any age. It’s difficult to know where to start and what approach to use. In general, dating over 50 has stayed relatively the same, it’s just the diversity of ways in which we can meet people that has continued to evolve.

Compromise can be more difficult

Younger singles tend to be more flexible in their lifestyle, as they’re still establishing structures in their life and figuring out what works for them. This is something more senior singles have already gone through, so they tend to come off as set in their ways and more guarded about changing their habits and lifestyle.   

How to meet singles over 50

Bevor heading over to senior dating sites, let’s take a look at some of the methods and activities you can explore to get in touch with others in your area. 

Join a fitness group

Hiking, running, and walking groups are a great way to encounter people from all parts of life while staying healthy. Dating over 50 bring up a big advantage within these groups as they combine exercise with sightseeing while providing group security. Whether it’s challenging mountain trails or some relaxed urban exploration, there are groups that cater to all interests and fitness levels.  

Be more open to new connections

People dating over 50 tend to have less interest in or access to the more conventional ways modern younger singles interact, such as bars, concerts, and other nightlife. However, people are still eager to connect. Try being more open to these opportunities when they come up in your everyday life. Perhaps start a conversation while waiting in line, when you’re both browsing the same bookstore section or while walking your dog in the park.  

Try a group meet-up service

Based on your interest and hobbies, there are numerous group meetup services you can try out to meet like-minded singles over 50 as well as build new friendships. Beyond the various over 50 dating apps, your local community center or library will also host local meet-up events throughout the year. These groups provide a more casual, pressure-free environment to get to know other like-minded singles.

Dating over 50: Why eharmony is the place to be

Dating sites and apps for those over 50 have become an attractive option in this modern era. Online dating over 50 tends to yield the best results for your efforts, and it lets you explore your options from the safety of your own home. If you’re looking for a happy, meaningful relationship, here’s how eharmony can make your online dating experience even more simple and effective.

1. Find people based on your personality

When you join, we first get you to complete our Compatibility Quiz. This simple quiz gives us a chance to get to know you better and what you’re looking for in a relationship. From this, we’ll fill out your profile with some relevant information about you and generate your custom Personality Profile. This Personality Profile goes on to form the foundation for how our Compatibility Matching System matches you with other members. So, you know that the people in your Match List are already people you’d have a good chance of forming a successful connection with.

2. Our filters let you seek out the ideal partner

Unlike many specialized services, such as dating sites for those over 50 specifically, eharmony offers the relationship and technological expertise of an industry-leading dating service. One that is particularly useful to people dating over 50 is our advanced filters. These let you further refine your Match List based on a variety of things that may be important to you when looking for a new relationship, including:

• Age
• Whether they have children
• If they’re a smoker
• Education
• Religion
• Income level
• And more! 

3. Dating after 50 is simple with our versatile communication features

Sometimes, getting things started is the hardest part. As a result, on top of your standard text messaging, eharmony offer a whole bunch of different ways to ensure lively conversation that keeps going 50+ dating, including:

• Smiles – Send your match a friendly opener.
• Icebreaker – Get to know the person while comparing your interests and sentiments with an Icebreaker, which asks you both your preference of various sets of paired images. For example, a table with a dazzling urban vista versus one cozily tucked away in a beautiful, lush garden.
• Video Date – If the conversation’s flowing but you’re still not sure if you want to meet in person yet, then you can try a video date, offered securely from inside our platform.

Dating Sites Over 50: Free Features Available on eharmony

• Register for free on our dating site or app
• Complete our Compatibility Quiz to learn more about yourself and what’s most important for you in a relationship
• Create a dating profile so that members can get to know you
• Meet millions of relationship-minded people in a safe and trusted environment
• Get new matches and connect with singles over 50
• Access to several of our filters to narrow down your matches
• Get support and tips from our Customer Care team and dating experts

Our Basic Membership provides singles dating over 50 with a variety of features to easily connect with other daters looking for real love, including:

• Unlimited matches
• Respond to a first message
• Filter matches by age, location and more
• Talk to members all over the world
• Send and receive Smiles, Icebreakers, & Greetings
• Browse anonymously and see recent visitors to your profile and more

If you are looking for a dating site over 50, try the free features on eharmony. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with our platform, you can switch to our Premium Membership that offers you full access to all features and unlimited messaging. We know it can take time to find the right person, which is why we offer our Premium Membership in 6, 12, or 24-month plans.

How to re-start over dating over 50? Top Tips

1. Treat the relationship as if it’s your first: When you’re married or in a relationship for a long time, you get into a certain rhythm and develop habits that support it. But dating over 50 is different. It takes time to develop that level of intimacy. People who are used to being in a relationship easily fall into the Relationship Mindset when dating someone new, and that can quickly be a turn off for many people. Try to adopt an attitude of “I’m interested to see if I’m interested,” and approach each date with a sense of openness and curiosity
2. Let your dating journey be natural: Each message received on over 50 dating sites and each first date can mean everything to you. Dating may seem like you need to get to the point, but let conversations and communication with singles over 50 unfold. Enjoy the journey of flirting and feeling the passion in a dating relationship. Find opportunities to laugh, connect, and create new memories. Flirt with the world! Be open to exploring new people, activities, and even fears. Try new things, and start more conversations. Remember the expansive dynamics of who you are, highlighting different sides of your personality.
3. Don’t compare everyone to your ex: You may have been with your ex for a long time, and they may even be the parent of your children, but when you re-start dating over 50 you can’t compare your former partner to your next. Many people memorialize the idea of their ex, not the truth of them. Regardless of who broke up with who, chances are that your memory of the relationship is much more romantic and fantastic than the reality. Your ex is not your next. It’s time to reset. This is a new budding relationship with a new person. Before your date, close your eyes and imagine the excitement of meeting someone new. See yourself saying “hi” for the first time, talking, laughing and flirting. Daydream about all the possibilities in your future.
4. Say no to the wrong people more quickly: Consider yourself a gift that you are giving to others, even the gift of your presence and your time. You choose who you give of yourself to. If you don’t want to spend any more of your time talking to someone, you can say, “Well, it was really nice talking with you, have a great day!” You don’t have to make up any excuses or lie, just be nice and make your exit.

Experience true companionship on 50+ dating sites with eharmony

From overcoming your preconceptions from previous relationships to chance meetings in line at a grocery store, the road to finding true happiness for singles over 50 may not always be a straight one but it is one that can still be filled with life and exuberance and color. Let eharmony join you on your relationship journey, support you and ensure that who you end up with is the best possible person for the real you. Sign up for a free account now!