Have you ever thought about using dating apps while traveling?
A lot of travelers like meeting new people while traveling so dating apps are getting more and more popular. While we’re traveling, we want fun and excitement, but it’s also important to be cautious, which is why I’m sharing with you my five tips to stay safe on dating apps while traveling.
I’m not going to give you tips on how to spice up your bio and pictures on dating apps. Instead, I’ll give you some mindset tips and safety advice you need to know when using dating apps while traveling.
Let’s dive in!
1. Ask yourself WHY you want to use dating apps while traveling (decide what you want)
“Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. What you mean when you do a thing will always determine the outcome.”
― Brenna Yovanoff
The first thing you need to do even before you start using dating apps while traveling is to decide what you want.
Whether you want a friendship, relationship, or maybe you just want a one-night stand – you need to know what it is that you want to get from the dating app experience.
There is no right or wrong intention. You set the rules and you need to decide what’s your desired outcome.
Simply ask yourself why you are on it. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your intention in your bio, you don’t have to.
Some people prefer to write ”looking for a friendship/looking for someone to show me around the city and grab a beer” so if that’s okay with you, you can add to your bio something like that.
But what’s most important is that you’re clear with yourself.
When you decide what you want, you can avoid potential frustration or disappointment if the other person is not on the same page as you.
For example, let’s say that you just want to meet someone who would show you around the city, and have a cup of coffee. And the person you’re texting thinks that you want a relationship. That way, you might get frustrated and the person might get disappointed because they got the impression that you wanted a partner.
In order to avoid that, you need to gain clarity on what it is that you want out of a dating app. What’s your intention with it?
Then you will know what approach to take. And when you realize that a conversation is heading in the opposite direction, you can stop it instead of wasting anyone’s time.
2. Make sure you actually want to meet the person before agreeing to go out with them
While you’re talking to someone on a dating app, you need to come to the point in the conversation where you are sure that the person is okay and that you really want to meet them.
Don’t agree to meet them until you have reached that point.
Why? Because what can happen is that during the conversation on a dating app you will get the feeling that the guy is awkward and that it’s somehow weird talking to him, but maybe you’re still going to say to yourself, ‘’You know what, I just want to have fun. I want to meet new people. I mean, that’s why I’m traveling. So what’s the harm?’’
However, if you decide to meet the person even though your gut is telling you to stop talking to him, it’s going to be even worse in person.
Because while you were texting each other, you didn’t get to the point in the conversation where you thought, ”Okay, this guy is cool. It’s nice talking to him and I want to meet him.”
Until you reach that point, don’t agree to meet them.
Again, do your best to avoid frustration and disappointment.
Make sure that the person you’re meeting is actually someone that you already feel is a nice person.
3. Don’t do sketchy things just because you’re traveling and want to have fun
I’ll say it again for the ones in the back – don’t do sketchy things just because you’re traveling and just because you want to have fun.
Especially if you’re traveling solo or you’re not meeting people all the time and you don’t have someone to spend the whole day with.
Maybe you want to have fun and make your trip more exciting so you want to say yes to things that don’t actually feel right.
But what can happen is that you accept some questionable invitation just because you’re thinking, ‘’Well, they invited me so… Why not? It’s Saturday night and I don’t have anything better to do so I’m just going to go.’’
If the invitation and the guy seem questionable and he’s telling you to meet him in some place that you can’t even find on Google Maps, then just don’t do it.
However, if the guy seems okay, but you don’t want to meet where he suggested because you’re uncomfortable with it, you could suggest that you meet in the center or some more popular location.
You’re going to feel safer in the center or in some location that you know of instead of going to places that don’t feel right.
Want more tips for traveling alone? Listen to episode 39 of my podcast: Building Confidence while Traveling Alone & Tips for Solo Budget Travel w/ Marisa Vogiatzi
SAVE FOR LATER 🙂
4. Have an excuse prepared in case you want to leave (& the best excuse to use)
Whether you’re using dating apps while traveling and the first date goes wrong or if you’re in some similar situation and you just want to leave – you need to have an excuse prepared.
Let’s say that you finally met the guy that you’ve been talking to on a dating app for the last few days. He seems nice and fun, and you’re really attracted to him, but…
30 minutes into the date and things just got weird. You’re thinking to yourself, ‘’Oh my God, I just want to go home. I’ll never use dating apps while traveling – ever again!’’
Just in case that date doesn’t turn out as you expected, you need to have an excuse prepared.
And when it comes to this, I want you to think about what’s one of the things that guys just don’t understand about women.
They don’t get it and they never will. They have read about it, they have heard about it but they just don’t understand it and they never will.
What comes to mind?
The answer is – our periods.
My advice is to just say that you got your period, and you have to go back to your accommodation because it’s really painful or you’re having period cramps (or something along those lines).
Don’t worry about how it sounds. You don’t want to see him ever again, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed.
When you say you got your period, a guy (most likely) won’t try to convince you to stay saying something like, ‘’No no no, it’s fine. Just stay.’’
No. He’ll be like, ‘’Okay, fine.’’
He’s not going to argue with that because he doesn’t understand it. If you say you don’t feel well, he’s going to accept it.
Therefore, my recommendation on what excuse to use when you just want to get out of a bad date is to just say that you got your period and you have to go back to your accommodation. You can add that you don’t feel well and you know… just disappear.
There’s no need to answer his messages anymore. You don’t have to contact him ever again. You can just disappear. That’s all.
Because, as I said in the first piece of advice that I shared, you set the rules.
Don’t do something that you don’t feel okay with just because you want to have fun, you want to have an exciting trip or you want to have a fun story to tell.
No. Just make sure that you are safe.
5. Set boundaries when using dating apps while traveling and respect yourself
“Evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of any relationship is your responsibility. You do not have to passively accept what is brought to you. You can choose.”
― Deborah Day
If you’re traveling alone or if you just started using dating apps, don’t be desperate.
Don’t start thinking, ‘’You know what? I’m just going to say yes to everything. I’m going to accept every invitation that I get because I just want to be adventurous. I just want to be spontaneous.’’
Don’t do that. Don’t accept whatever and whoever comes into your inbox. Respect yourself enough to not settle for less than what you want.
If your intuition is telling you that the person you’re texting is not right for you then listen to that. Listen to yourself.
If a guy is not treating you as you want and if he’s not respectful, then just get out of that. Set boundaries and respect yourself. Honestly, that’s my biggest advice to you.
If you want additional tips to stay safe as a solo female traveler, check out this post I wrote on that topic. I also shared some mistakes I made while traveling alone, so make sure to read the post before your next solo trip.
Want to learn how traveling can transform your life? And get some amazing tips to manifest your dream trip? Then listen to episode 38 of my podcast: Transformative Travel & Manifesting Travel Using Visualization w/ Maritza Chavez.
Until the next time,
Ivana
SAVE FOR LATER 🙂
It is an interesting article on an important subject. I’m already married and have kids, but my niece is a single young woman. So I am going to send her a link for this blog post.
It had never occurred to me that dating apps could be used to meet up with someone who would show you around the city…. what an interesting idea. Great tips though!