If you are interested in free dating websites, you aren't necessarily looking for a long-term commitment or a trip down the aisle. One of the primary misconceptions people have about online dating is that everyone is either looking to cheat on a spouse or looking for marriage. That's not always the case. In fact, you can use free dating websites to find many different types of relationships.

Friendships

Sometimes even making a platonic relationship can be a challenge in the modern world, especially if you don't have a lot of connections to other people through your job. With more and more people working in the home or through telecommuting, those job-based friendships are becoming fewer and farther between. And outside of work, there aren't many places to make friends with other adults once you finish your education.

Thankfully, free dating websites can also help you connect with people for friendships. In fact, you might find that some of your closest online friends are people with whom there was no romantic spark but with whom you share common interests.

Casual Dating

One of the advantages of free dating websites is that you can keep things casual if you choose, especially if you don't live too far apart from one another. There's no reason you have to make a serious commitment to someone just because you met through free dating websites. Instead, you can make plans to go out on the weekend while also dating other people – maybe even people you've met through the same sites. Obviously, the big advantage to this approach is you can meet more people and test the waters to see if any of them might be good material for a more long-lasting relationship, if that's something you want to consider for the future.

Commitment

Of course, there are people using free dating websites who are primarily looking for someone to spend the rest of their lives with. Some of these folks have been in serious relationships in the past which ended badly. Others are tired of casual dating and want something more solid. You'll find all ages of people looking for committed relationships, too. And not all of these people want marriage necessarily. Sometimes they would just be happy to live together or to be exclusive.

Same Sex

Free dating websites have also made it easier for people of the same sex to find one another. Not knowing the sexual preference of other people can make it difficult to know who to approach with one's feelings in the offline world but in the online sphere more people are open about what they are looking for in a partner and this can make the process easier and less threatening for both parties.

Regardless of what you are looking for in a relationship, you owe it to the other members of the free dating websites to be upfront and honest about those desires. Otherwise, you could end up sending the wrong messages to people and causing some people to get hurt unnecessarily.