Meetcha 'Get Back Out There Survey:' Adult Singles Are Dating, Seeking Relationships and More Sex, Not Necessarily Marriage

CHARLESTOWN, Mass., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Meetcha.com, a new social dating site, today released the results of its "Get Back Out There Dating, Sex and Romance Survey."  More than 400 adult singles* participated in the survey which explored their attitudes toward relationships today versus when they were younger, how satisfied they are with their sex lives, how they meet other singles and which dating scenarios they prefer.

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The survey revealed a key trend for adult daters: While the majority of adult singles are looking for a partner, they are not necessarily looking for marriage. Fifty three percent of divorcees and widowers want to find a partner but do not want to remarry. Thirty six percent of never-married singles shared this sentiment.  

Created by Jeff Taylor, founder of eons.com (the first baby boomer social network) and monster.com, Meetcha.com offers a more fun, less pressured way for singles to meet by combining one-on-one online matching with PODS – People Out Doing Stuff™, where groups with similar interests meet up at great places. Meetcha addresses the growing number of adults who are single – many newly single – who want to meet other like-minded people for dating, companionship or even love. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 37 million 40+ singles in the U.S.

"Meetcha is designed to help adult singles get back out there and meet others at a similar life stage who share their interests," says Taylor. "After age 40, our data shows that more singles gravitate toward online dating and singles'-oriented social activities, with less reliance on meeting others through family and friends. It's a big difference dating at this time of life versus your twenties when you're typically surrounded by single friends. Meetcha aims to help folks expand their single social network online and in-person with PODS."

Additional survey findings from Meetcha.com's "Get Back Out There Dating, Sex and Romance Survey" include:

The Challenge of Meeting Other Singles

• Finding singles their age is the number one challenge - 74 percent said what they like least about dating at this time is that it is hard to meet others their age. Women feel this most acutely (83 percent).
• Online is their top resource - More than half of singles over 40 are meeting other singles through online dating sites (55 percent), many more than at bars or restaurants (15 percent). Group social activities and friends and family follow as top ways to meet others.
• Blind dates are out - Only 4 percent of respondents chose a blind date as the most appealing dating scenario, while the majority (70 percent) preferred a one-on-one date with someone they already met online or offline.
• I'll take your baggage - 57 percent said they don't care about a partner's past. They just want to be with someone with whom they can enjoy themselves.

More Dating Confidence

• Age brings confidence - More singles rank their dating confidence as higher now than it was in their twenties. 80 percent ranked their current dating confidence as very, comfortably or somewhat confident compared to 77 percent who ranked their dating confidence in their twenties as very, comfortably or only somewhat confident.  Surprisingly, participants in their 70's are the most confident now.
• But sweaty palms are still a reality – While more confident, 57 percent still report a little case of the jitters right before a first date.

Sex and Romance

• No one is the last of the romantics - 61 percent said romance has always been important to them. Nineteen percent said romance mattered more when they were younger, while 17 percent said it matters more now.
• Appearance matters - 46 percent of respondents said appearance has always been important to them. Thirty eight percent said appearance mattered more when they were younger, while only seven percent said appearance matters more now.
• I'll have a bit more sex please - 69 percent of respondents wish that they were having more sex. No one wished they were having less sex.
• They want a lover with a slow hand - 53 percent of respondents like to move slowly and want to get to know someone before sex, reporting that five to 10 dates is appropriate. And if someone were to suggest sex on the first date, 53 percent of respondents said that would be their last date with this person.
• Cool attitude toward hot sex - 22 percent said sex is part of a relationship, but could take it or leave it.  Only 18 percent of respondents report that they LOVE their sex life.

Dating Etiquette

• Coffee, Tea or Me? - The most popular first date is to meet over coffee (47 percent), followed by dinner (16 percent), drinks (15 percent), or an activity (11 percent).
• Maybe chivalry isn't dead? - When asked who should pay on the first date, 40 percent of respondents said men, 29 percent said whoever asked for the date, 32 percent said to split the bill, and no respondents said women should pay.

Take the Pledge to Get Back Out There!

Meetcha is challenging singles across America to get back out there and is offering a special welcome rate of three months on Meetcha for $6. That's only $2 per month. Follow this link before September 30, 2010 to get the special offer: http://bit.ly/aGCsQK. Motivated singles can also make the pledge to get back out there by visiting the Meetcha Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Meetcha and entering the Meetcha sweepstakes by September 30, 2010 for a chance to win $100 toward a date of their choice and a free, premium Meetcha membership.

*Methodology

Meetcha.com's "Get Back Out There Dating, Sex and Romance Survey" was taken online by more than 400 adult singles ages 30 and over from August 11-September 10, 2010. Full survey results can be found at http://blog.meetcha.com/.

About Meetcha

Meetcha is a social dating site that puts a new twist on single. Meetcha offers adults one-on-one matching and PODS – People Out Doing Stuff™, where groups with similar interests meet up in great places. Founded in 2009, Meetcha is part of the Eons, Inc. family of sites created by Jeff Taylor, founder and former CEO of monster.com. Eons, Inc. specializes in the 40+ demographic and incubates innovative products and services that meet the needs of this audience. For more information, visit www.meetcha.com. We'll be glad to Meetcha.

SOURCE Meetcha