Online dating and personals sites are great ways to meet a variety of people all over the world, but with such convenience it's easy to lose control. I bring to you 10 helpful tips that you can use to help and protect yourself.

Tip #1: Beware of "100% Free" Personals Sites
I realize that many people are on a budget; but in my opinion anything that has "100% free" attached to it sounds fishy. Let's face it; all companies needs some type of revenue to operate. If they do not generate revenue from membership subscriptions, they need to generate it from third-party advertising or selling your personal information. Unless you are reading the Privacy Policy and Disclaimers on these sites in detail, be aware that your personal information can be sold to third parties making you another marketing target.

Tip #2: Use an Alternate E-Mail Address
Getting a free email account on the internet is extremely easy. I recommend that you get a second email account that you use strictly for your online dating endeavors. Do not under any circumstance use your first or last name in the email address; think of a creative name to use. By getting a second email account, you will protect your personal inbox from getting bombarded with emails from dating sites. You'll also see if those dating sites are selling your email address to other companies that are marketing directly to you via email. The less junk mail you get, the better!

Tip #3: Be Goal Oriented
When choosing site to join; choose one that falls in line with what you want to achieve with online dating. If you're a devout Christian and wish to meet others like you, you should choose a site that is dedicated to your faith. If you are interested in penpals, choose a social oriented site that has multi-person chat rooms. Whatever your goal is, be sure that the site you join caters it.

Tip #4: Free Trials Expire (at a cost)
Almost all of the premium dating sites will offer you a free trial as long as you provide your credit card number. The industry standard seems to be 7 days, which is more then enough time to see if you like what the site has to offer. Once this trial period expires, most dating sites will "automatically" turn you into a subscribing customer and charge your credit card the monthly fee required. By the 5th day of the trial if you are not happy with the site, we recommend cancelling your membership so you are not charged. If you forget to do this, you'll be surprised at the end of the month when you get your credit card bill and see that you've been charged for one month of service that you never used. This will only cause aggravation for you as you now have to cancel the account and hope that you are refunded for the charge.

Tip #5: If It's All Pay and No Play - Move On
If you've joined a dating site but haven't found met anyone good within one month; move on. There are plenty of dating sites on the internet and each one has it's own unique membership base. If after one month you don't find anything that catches your attention you should focus on choosing a new site to join.

Tip #6: If You Can't See It, Don't Believe It
Every dating site on the internet allows users to post their pictures for other users to see. Profiles with pictures get more attention, so you should use it to your advantage. If you have your picture posted and you are being contacted by someone without a picture, kindly request that they return the favor by posting their picture. If they don't, then it might not be worth your time. Many people may just be interested in you, while you may have no interest in them and that would be a waste of time for both of you.

Tip #7: Sharing Is Not Always Caring
Don't share your personal information such as your last name, email address, mailing address, phone number, or external Instant Messenger ID with someone unless you have communicated with them for at least one month. Even sharing the name of the company you work for can lead to more information that someone needs to know. There are some people who may not share the same goals as you. If they pressure you to meet up or talk on the phone too quickly, their intentions may not be inline with yours. Use the online communication features of the dating site until you are comfortable that the person you are dealing with is genuine and worth pursuing futher.

Tip #8: Don't Lie
It can be extremely easy to exaggerate and lie when you're dealing with people online. If you want to be true to yourself and others, be as honest as you could when filling out your profile and communicating with others. If you make yourself out to be something you're not, you're lying to yourself more then others.

Tip #9: The First Date
When you finally feel that you are ready to meet someone in person for the first time, always mutually agree to a public meeting place where other people are. Never pick someone up or let them pick you up, if things don't go your way, the other person knows more about you then they need to. Some suggestions on places to meet are: Shopping Malls, Bars & Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Movie Theatres, and other busy establishments. Don't meet up at a location that is closed for business, or a location where you can disappear from the view of others such as a park. You want to be safe and know that there are others around you should something go wrong. Always remember to let another person know where you are going, and bring your cell phone so they can check up on you!

Tip #10: Just Have Fun!
Our last tip to you is to have fun! Meeting new people is a fun and exciting part of everyone's life. Enjoy yourself as you learn more about others and more about yourself. Use common sense, tell stories, and forget about the disappointing things in life. The last thing someone wants to hear are your sob stories. Don't cry for attention; instead get attention by showing how free-spirited and outgoing you are!

I hope you find these tips useful and wish you success in your dating journey!

Kathy Valentine is an avid writer who maintains a dating and relationship column on http://www.localdatingsites.com