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October 2, 2024
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Dating is not just for the young. In fact, a profile composed by Pew Research Center showed that 36 percent of Americans 65 and older identify as single, a larger percentage than those in their thirties.
For this growing number of single seniors, the idea of online dating may seem a bit complicated; however, there are many options to explore that are safe, easy to use, and affordable. Looking for love can be difficult at any age, but for those over the age of 50, a dating service geared toward seniors may be a good place to start.
FYI: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, loneliness and social isolation can lead to an increased risk for a range of health problems, including dementia, anxiety, and heart disease.
OurTime is a dating site that caters specifically to seniors. Advertising itself as a service that understands what it’s like to be over 50, OurTime emphasizes solid human connection for those in their golden years.
Owned by the same company as Match.com, OurTime does not require members to be 50+ years old to sign up for the service. With that said, they do make it clear on their website that they’re dedicated to helping seniors find love. Their site also features the success stories of the many happy couples who have found each other through OurTime.
The cool thing about OurTime is not only that it is geared specifically for seniors, but that it isn’t exclusively for dating. In the sign-up process, users indicate what kinds of connections they may want. While these sites are often used to find romantic connections, OurTime users can put themselves on the market for friendship, travel companions, or even just pen pals. The service then matches users with others that have specified that they are looking for the same kind of connection.
Like other dating sites, such as eHarmony, signing up for OurTime is free, but to get the full range of services offered by the site, you’ll need to pay for a subscription.
How To Sign Up for OurTime
To sign up for OurTime, you’ll want to start by visiting their website. This page is easy to navigate. In addition to getting a rundown of the service, you will see a link to register. This will take you to a page that asks you to indicate the country where you live. Once you’ve provided this information, you click on “Keep Going.”
The next page asks for some more general information: ZIP code, first name, and a password. The service will also ask for a birthday. Remember that members do not have to be 50+ to register, so this step does not prohibit anyone from continuing the process. They also require an email address for verification.
You are then given the opportunity to upload photos of yourself and connect your OurTime account to your Facebook profile. Neither of these steps is required, and bypassing them is as easy as clicking on the “skip this step” button. The next page asks for an introduction to who you are as a person: a short snippet that will allow others to know a little bit about you. This step is required.
The next part of this process can actually be kind of fun. On OurTime’s “This or That” page, you are asked about your preferences. You complete this step by choosing which of two options you like better. For instance, when I worked my way through the registration, I was asked if I liked the Beatles or Elvis more and then was given the option to provide a short story about my answer. This allows OurTime to fill out a member’s profile with interesting tidbits without sharing overly personal information.
Once you have completed this section (I was asked three different sets of questions), you will be directed to a subscription page. This can be skipped; it is easy to go back and change from a free to a paid account at a later time. Skipping the subscription process will direct you to a verification page. This requires a mobile phone number, which the site will send a text to, making sure it is valid.
This is the final step to setting up a free account. Once you have verified your cell phone number, you will be directed to the OurTime homepage. This page shows you potential matches, allows you to see information about potential matches (age, location, what they are looking for, ethnicity, height, field of work), and clicking on another person’s profile will let you view more about them before deciding if you would like to connect with them.
It is important to note that with a free account you can read messages sent from paid subscribers but you must purchase a subscription to connect with other users that have free accounts.
If you decide that you would like access to all of the features offered by OurTime, you will want to explore the different levels of subscription and decide which best fits your needs. OurTime offers three different options for paid memberships.
OurTime Membership Options
| Plan | Cost | Ideal For | Features |
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| Best Value Plan *six months |
$119.76 | For those ready to be social and meet someone new. |
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| Standard Plan
*six months |
$95.76 | For those looking for casual dates. |
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| Full Price
*one month |
$34.96 | For those who are ready to dip their toes into online dating. |
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| Free Account | $0.00 | For those who are just looking around. |
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It is important to note that while the OurTime website breaks down the above prices to show how much this service costs per week with each plan, there is no way to sign up for OurTime on a weekly basis.
FYI: There is no option to pay weekly for an OurTime subscription. The full amount for the subscription is due upfront.
Features
In addition to sending and receiving messages from any other OurTime user, paid subscriptions to OurTime include some helpful features:
- Send a Flirt: Flirts are notifications that you are interested in someone. They allow you to show another user your interest in them without the stressful process of figuring out what to say in a message. Think of it as a virtual wave.
- See who viewed your profile: This lets you look at which members have visited your profile. Nonpaying users won’t know who views their profile.
- My Match emails: OurTime allows you to request daily emails containing a list of members that you may be interested in based on your search criteria.
Echo: When two users have both indicated that they are interested in each other, each receives a notification from OurTime alerting them to the match. - ConnectMe: This is a pretty cool tool that allows users to call each other on the phone without sharing personal contact information. Once two people have decided they would like to meet, ConnectMe generates a phone number that each party is given. This number connects them to each other without either having to provide their personal mobile or home phone number. This tool also allows a user to keep a contact list and works as an answering machine (allowing users to leave each other voicemails).
The Best Value Subscription includes some additional features:
- Highlighted messages: This feature changes the color of the messages you send to other users so they see them clearly and easily in their message list. This helps draw attention to the messages you send.
- Highlighted profile: Similar to highlighted messages, this feature highlights your profile when you appear in searches, increasing the likelihood of someone viewing your profile.
- Notifications for read messages: This feature allows you to see when a message you sent has been read by the recipient.
OurTime also provides message ideas for those who may be new to online dating and would like some tips on how to start a conversation. This service is available to everyone, whether or not they are paying for a subscription.
FYI: AARP has a list of tips for first dates specifically aimed at those over fifty getting back into the dating scene.
OurTime Safety
As OurTime is specifically geared toward seniors, they are dedicated to providing a safe way for users to develop connections. They provide a clear, easy to understand list of tips for personal safety while exploring the world of online dating: both to keep yourself safe online as well as when meeting in person. Some of these include suggestions on how to keep personal information secure on the internet, where to meet for the first time, and transportation advice.
OurTime also has a strict list of community guidelines. Any user that breaks the rules can be reported and will be removed from the site. You can also block users that may not be breaking the rules but are making you uncomfortable in other ways.
How OurTime Stacks Up
The online dating world has only continued to grow with advances in technology. There are a wide array of online dating services to consider when figuring out the right fit for you. Some of these are geared specifically for seniors, while others have a wider range of membership.
Most of these services do cost something, especially for full access to premium features. However, for those that are not sure about jumping into the online dating scene, there are some free options to consider. As with many other dating services, OurTime offers a way for an interested person to explore some of the features without providing payment. With most other services, though, many of the most useful features are reserved for members with a paid subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does paying for an OurTime subscription require providing a credit card?
There are a variety of choices when it comes to payment options. In addition to using a credit or debit card, OurTime also accepts payment through PayPal or through the mail in the form of a check or money order.
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Is there a mobile app for OurTime?
The OurTime mobile app is available on Google Play for Android and on the App Store for iPhone. The App Store advertises it as the number one app for singles over 50.
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How can I cancel my OurTime subscription if I am no longer using it?
Your subscription will automatically renew if you do not cancel it. This can be done by going to your account settings on the website.
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Is OurTime only for dating?
OurTime offers a range of possibilities. When setting up a profile, a person can decide what they are looking for with the service. Options include friendships, serious relationships, travel companions, and pen-pals. You can filter matches to see only individuals looking for the same kind of social interaction.
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Is everyone on OurTime at least 50 years of age?
A person only has to be 18 years old to sign up for an account on OurTime. However, it is a service geared towards singles 50 years of age and older, so most of the users will fall in this range. It is also possible to filter out younger users by setting parameters on preferences.