Like the idea of online dating but not quite sure where to start? Our resident expert has prepared this handy guide for first-timers!
TIP 1
Set yourself safeguarding boundaries when dating online. Chat at first and if they pass your ‘chat test’ and you like the sound of them, then share your profile.
TIP 2
Enlist the help of a sighted-friend; get them to check out your potential dates’ online profile. They can check for any obvious photoshopping and silly filters – trust me, it happens (some of the profiles on tinder are hilarious)!
TIP 3
Arrange to meet during the day. Especially if you don’t have any night vision.
TIP 4
Booze is a no-no. Well, it is for me; I would never drink alcohol so the meeting place would be at a coffee shop or somewhere I can just have a soft drink. I always take a friend with me at first and sometimes they sit on another table, spying for me!
TIP 5
Tell people where you’re going – I’d message friends in WhatsApp groups and let them know who I was meeting and where and what time I would expect to be home so they would know what was happening.
Final words: dating can be really fun but you’ve got to make sure you have your head screwed on and keep safe.
