Month: February 2024

How much money do you think you’ve spent when it comes to your search for love? When you think about it all those app subscriptions, date outfits and haircuts you shell out for, it might be more than you think. Don’t forget the cocktails, food, and activities you pay for when it comes to the date itself. Due to the cost-of-living increasing, a night out with a potential love interest can soon add up and do some serious damage to your wallet. 

A recent study by Novuna Personal Finance found the average single UK adult spends £1,652 on dating with the average single person going on 15 dates before meeting somebody special. The cost of an individual date is around £60. Bobby Seagull, an author, teacher, TV presenter, and Indian Matchmaking contestant, recently wrote a column about the economics of dating for the i Paper. He worked out that the 129 first dates he has been on must add up to £7,740, based on the Novuna figures. Another survey in the US found singles are spending 40% more on their dating lives than a decade ago. 

When a search for love isn’t going well, it can be tempting to plough more money into paying for dating apps to widen the pool of people you might potentially match with. However, subscriptions might not seem that pricey initially, but they can add up quickly. It can also be tempting to pay for ‘boosts’ to increase the visibility of your profile.

The problem is you don’t know in advance whether a date is going to go well, which can make it an expensive mistake to commit to a pricey meal and drinks with somebody you don’t go on to see again. Many daters are finding it makes sense to plan low-stakes first dates such as meeting for a walk or grabbing a coffee to judge whether somebody has potential before planning more expensive nights out. 

Modern-day dating is time consuming 

Not only is it costly to fill your month with a packed schedule of dates, but it can be time consuming as well. Often before a date is arranged you’ve spent hours chatting back and forwards, getting to know each other a little better. Then there is the time it takes to get prepared and go on a series of dates with somebody you might end up deciding is not right for you. 

Matchmaking can be a good alternative to the time-consuming nature of modern-day dating. Our matchmakers work hard to headhunt on their client’s behalf, meaning you can sit back and relax while they find you compatible matches. Your dedicated matchmaker will gain a good understanding of who you are and what you are looking for in a relationship. That way they can ensure they are only introducing you to people you’ll enjoy meeting. 

Cost can be a hurdle when it comes to joining a matchmaking agency and some may feel unsure about making an investment in their love life. But when you consider how much money can be spent on dating without any idea of whether the people you meet will go on to be right for you, it can be worth looking seriously at more personalised options. Instead of hoping you meet the right person organically or through intense swiping for matches, you can team up with the professionals who’ll use their considerable experience, extensive private network, and expertise to introduce you to potential partners. We really appreciate what makes you tick, and we select finely tuned matches based on your specific preferences and lifestyle aspirations.

Think about what suits you 

It’s always worth thinking carefully about your budget when it comes to dating. There’s no need to overstretch yourself if you can’t afford the expensive night out your date is suggesting. Many people are open to a more wallet-friendly first meeting and may be relieved you’ve suggested something that doesn’t cost a lot of money. If you are taking a bigger picture approach to your dating journey, or you’re fed up with a string of dates that have led you nowhere, it’s always worth looking at whether matchmaking is an option you should consider. Get in touch today if you’d like more information about how our bespoke matchmaking service works!   

Are you looking for somebody special who will truly understand you and share your values, life goals and aspirations? Your dedicated matchmaker is waiting to introduce you to some truly amazing people. Get in touch today to find out how we can help you with a safe and enjoyable search for love.

Are you single and looking for love? You may have some knowledge of matchmaking, but you may not be entirely sure what is involved. Here at Ignite Dating we know it’s a big decision to make an investment in your love life, so we’ve outlined all the benefits of working with a matchmaker. We’ve also explained our process so you can understand exactly what’s involved in joining our elite dating agency.   

The benefits of working with a matchmaker

Dating can be an incredibly time-consuming experience. Think about all the hours you spend swiping on dating apps and chatting to people before you even get to the point of meeting. Hours of preparation can go into a date only to be left disappointed when the person isn’t who you were hoping for, or they go on to ghost you. Sadly, there’s a lot of bad behaviour that goes on in the dating world which can leave daters wary about meeting new people and frustrated with the whole experience. 

Working with a matchmaker can save you time. Our expert team work hard on your behalf to find you compatible matches so you can just sit back and relax while we find you amazing people to meet. We offer a safer way to date as everybody we introduce you to will have been ID and digital footprint checked. They also go through a rigorous interview process, and we ensure they are who they say they are. 

Your dedicated matchmaker will become like a trusted friend, navigating you through every step of your dating journey and being on hand to lend their support. Many clients are surprised what they learn about themselves along the way as they work with their matchmaker to carefully consider what’s important to them in a relationship. 

A stress-free dating experience 

There are a few easy steps we need to take to on-board you as a client. 

After your initial enquiry, we’ll make an appointment with one of our dating consultants who will meet with you in person to gather more information for the matching process. They have many years of experience in the dating industry, have professional, industry-related qualifications and will spend the time really getting to know you. This relaxed and informal discussion will help us understand what you need in a partner, and we’ll also learn more about what makes you tick.  

Once you’ve selected a matchmaking package that suits you, we’ll arrange for a dating profile to be curated by our qualified copywriting and PR specialists.

You’ll be introduced to your dedicated matchmaker who will spend time learning all about you. They will arrange a relaxed professional photo shoot at a location convenient to you providing you with a set of dating profile images you are proud of. We offer a discreet service with no need for an online presence, your pictures and profile won’t be shared online, and we anonymise your profile, to protect your identity.

Once an introduction has been selected and agreed to, your matchmaker will tell you more about them and discuss the upcoming first conversation you’ll have with your match. Once you’ve met, your matchmaker will follow up with you to see how the date went and if this person wasn’t right for you, they will get to work finding you a subsequent match. 

While we want all our clients to feel safe, secure, and empowered when working with us, we do also want to do all we can to bring out the best in them. Sometimes, that means asking hard questions or encouraging them to address issues and obstacles that stand in the way of their goals. This is always done in the most supportive and nurturing way possible, but it also means our clients trust we are always being direct and open with them and have their best interests at heart.

The best element about matchmaking is that you can enjoy a stress-free dating journey. Just sit back and relax, knowing somebody is working hard on your behalf to find you the perfect match. Our highly skilled and globally trained matchmaking team specialise in offering a dating journey that will leave you feeling confident, energised, and safe.
Find out more about our award-winning matchmaking services here.

Do opposites attract? It seems to be a subject of great debate with plenty of articles dedicated to examining both sides of the argument.  

Lots of people believe in the notion of a couple being compatible because they have nothing in common and wildly different tastes. The old adage that “opposites attract” refers to a long-standing belief that polar opposites often spark a romantic attraction. But is it true? 

According to the Guardian, recent research found partners were often remarkably similar when it comes to the traits they share. The study found between 82% and 89% of traits examined were similar among partners, with only 3% ranking as substantially different. The areas where people tend to be similar were wide ranging and included their religious views, levels of education, political leanings, some measures of IQ and how likely a person was to drink or smoke. 

How similar you are to a partner may have some bearing on whether the relationship goes on to be long-lasting. The Daily Mail cited an analysis of eHarmony’s Compatibility Matching System that found similarity was the key to making a relationship last, even though opposites may be attracted to each other at first. The article points out that dating somebody who is very different to you may seem attractive at first, but eventually tensions show as the differences come between a couple. While differences may seem exciting and intriguing in the honeymoon phase of a relationship, they can soon turn into obstacles and disagreements. There’s even stronger evidence that opposites don’t attract when you consider a review of 313 studies with more than 35,000 participants found that similarity was a strong predictor of attraction in early stages of a relationship. 

An article in Women’s Health points out that many people aren’t actually dating their opposites, even though it might initially seem that way. The piece points out how you may appear to be different to your partner in many ways when it comes to your tastes, but you’re probably more alike than you realise. The concept of opposites attracting may have endured purely because people don’t realise the person they are with isn’t as different to them as they might have first believed. While you may love spicy food while a partner despises it, or you both have totally different tastes in film and music, you may find you are more similar than you expect when it comes to the bigger things like values, communication styles, temperaments, and attitudes. People who may seem like opposites on the face of it could in fact have similar core values.

The tools we use to find people may also play a part in connecting us with people who are similar personality types. As the BBC points out, the online networks and sites many of us use to find friends and dates are nudging us towards people who may think similarly to us.  There are even dating apps that cater for people with specific views. The article also points out that there is evidence that opposites repel, especially when it comes to values and views. 

There’s nothing wrong with having different tastes though, with a recent survey finding more than 70% believe having different interests can lead to more diverse and enriching conversations. There’s no need to be alike in all areas, with many couples having totally different taste in clothes, food, TV, and the like. It can keep things interesting to be introduced to new habits and activities, however, deep down it is likely you are more alike than you’d expect at face value.

All relationships evolve and, and this article on Medium points out, a couple may begin as quite similar but find ways to differentiate themselves. Couples can develop complementary roles, such as one half of the partnership being the “funny one” while the other is the “serious one”. It does not mean the pair are opposites, but they are indeed becoming more complementary within the relationship. 

It’s an interesting debate and we’d love to hear your views on the matter. Share your thoughts over on Facebook and Instagram! 

Take the next steps to finding your perfect partner today – get in touch with our friendly team!