Anyone who says online dating is painless and easy never tried it; between the slew of online dating sites, filtering through potential daters' profiles and flirting with perfect strangers via IM and e-mail, things can get a little hairy.

On the plus side, you've got hundreds of possible love interests right at your fingertips, so don't give up!

“I used the name Calamity Jane when I set up my profile,” says Suzy Black.

Simply save the image, go to Google Images and drag and drop the photo into the search box.Our generation now seeks to fend for themselves and mostly resort to meeting people in the virtual world.Sometimes it's strange when people emerge out of your screens and have coffee with you, but it can also turn out to be fun and fruitful, if you know the right way to go about it.“I joined a site that’s linked to the newspaper I read,” says Gaby Blaine.“That way I knew that people I met would have similar outlooks to me.” Think about your interests, your hobbies, religion, age group, the kind of relationship you’re after, anything that helps define who you are, then find a site that matches you best. Aside from privacy issues, using your real name is a missed opportunity to let your personality shine.