Finding a great guy is never easy at any age or stage of your life. Enlist some new guy-meeting tactics to meet up with your soul mate. Dating pros offer advice to shake up your old routine and find available men whether you are in your 20s, 30s, or beyond.
20’s: Friends of Friends
The best way to meet great guys is the old way—through friends—but with a new twist. Most likely you’re still in touch with friends from school and you’re meeting new friends at work. Browse through your friends’ friends on Facebook and see if you spy a cute guy who is single. If his profile is private, ask your mutual friend whether he is single and available.
Solicit the mutual’s thoughts about Mr. Possible. When they give you the green light, ask them to introduce you. “Because Facebook isn’t an official online dating site, the pressure is off,” says Rachel Greenwald, author of Why He Didn’t Call You Back: 1,000 Guys Reveal What They REALLY Thought … “You can get to know each other first as friends and go from there.”
30s: Primetime for Marriage and Babies
Women who are interested in marriage and biological babies find their 30s is prime time to figure out what they really need love life,” says dating coach Neely Steinberg, author of Skin in the Game. Focus on finding the most highly-datable options in the least amount of time, says Steinberg. Your 30s is the time to look for guys who are likely looking for legit, long-term relationships. Identify early and often non-starters with zero potential.
“Don’t spend years, or even months, with guys who are clearly commitment-phobic, wish-washy or emotionally unavailable,” says Steinberg. The time you‘d waste on a relationship that’s going nowhere could be invested in a guy who could be a winner.
Steinberg says get out there at events and activities where you’re likely to meet people. Go online or if you’re already using online dating, take it seriously. Read profiles as if you’re researching for husband material.
40s: Add New Blood to Your Old Gang
You’ve probably settled in with familiar, comfortable faces by this stage of your life. Enlarge your circle and find some new blood.
Throw a party and tell everybody you invite to bring someone who is a stranger to your old gang. You’ll enlarge your circle with brand-new people who already have passed muster with your closest friends. Go to as a plus-one to your buddy’s company picnic. They can act as your tour guide to the single men. Self-development lectures, conferences, and seminars offer great opportunities to meet someone who is actively seeking a more positive and meaningful life.
Take up golfing. If you’re golfing as a single and completing a foursome, you’ll be meeting three new people. Most likely they are men. If you go with a foursome of women, you can hang out at the clubhouse after your round and scout out the male golfers.
50s: Find Them Where They Live.
Men have to eat, too. And they love tools. It’s easy to ask the men at a wine shop tasting about their favorite vintages. Dining at the bar at a restaurant is a great way to ask the man sitting next to you about what he ordered to eat. Looking for Japanese sweet potatoes at the grocery? Ask the man scanning the produce section if he’s spotted them.
Never underestimate the lure of tools. Hardware stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s are crowded with men, especially on the weekend. Seek their help in picking out the perfect wrench for your own home project.
