Internet dating, or online dating, has become the norm rather than the exception. Whereas years ago we may have placed an ad in the personals column of our local newspaper, and kept quiet about it, today's singles (and all too often the not quite yet single and the definitely married but looking to stray) are clicks away from accessing hundreds of available dating websites.

A simple Google search will bring up pages and pages of sites for you to choose from. So how do you make a decision on which site or sites to join?

The biggest decision you'll have to make is whether to join a paid site or a free site. Paid sites can be very pricey, and I don't know about you but I'd rather keep that $30 plus per month in my own pocket and spend it on a couple of bottles of wine for an intimate evening in with a hot guy.

There's also the issue of having to hand over credit card information to a bunch of strangers. I'm just not at all comfortable with that. To add to that, I'm just not a fan in general of automatic billing to my credit card having had a couple of very bad experiences that were only resolved when I took the drastic step of canceling my card and having a new one issued. Yes, there are companies out there that take your security very seriously, but why take a chance? If, after careful consideration, you decide to join a paid dating site, start with a one month subscription to see if you like what you dollars buy.

Free dating sites are just that...FREE, and who doesn't like getting something for nothing?? You get all the benefits of a paid site without having to hand over any money, and in my book (particularly my checkbook) that's a good thing!

Moreover, your anonymity is secure until YOU decide to hand over any of your personal information. In the past, free sites may have had terrible customer service, but in most cases, that is no longer an issue. A free dating site is still a business, and as such, has to put you, the customer, first and treat you like the king or queen that you are!

If, for example, it takes too long to get a response from customer support, or the site is not pleasing to view and difficult to navigate, keep looking. There are some terrific free sites out there, so save your money for the date, the looking is free!