As a single mom, it’s easy for dating to get pushed to the back burner—but remember that you need and deserve love, intimacy, and excitement in your life. A healthy relationship also provides you with the support, contentment, and overall improved well-being that helps you show up as an even better parent to your kids. And as couples’ therapist Kyle Zrenchik, Ph.D., LMFT, ACS, points out, the kids benefit too: “They can see love shared between two people, shared decision making, and even what healthy conflict looks like,” he tells mbg. Kids can still learn a lot about relationships, even if the relationship they observe is not between their biological parents. You’ll have to pay to access eharmony with prices ranging from $12/month to $60/month depending on your location and the plan you choose (six months, a year, or two years). While it’s one of the more expensive options on this list, the not-insignificant price ensures that everyone on the site is dedicated to looking for love. You have to pay to get anything worthwhile out of Match.com, although you can have a weeklong free trial with limited features to get a feel for the site before committing. There are different subscription options with prices ranging from about $16/month to $27/month. The basic version is free and works just fine for browsing and messaging. However, you can upgrade and pay $35 on a month-to-month basis or $17/month if you sign up for six months. One satisfied reviewer notes that she’s been married for nearly three years thanks to the site; she and her partner had a 91% compatibility rating according to OKCupid’s algorithm, and it seems like it was right! You’ll have to pay to be able to send messages, but at around $5/month for a six-month membership, it’s one of the most affordable choices out there. Bumble is therefore great for single moms who don’t have time to sit around waiting to see if their match will message them or not—it puts all the power in their hands. Since you get talking quicker, you can also get to the meeting-up stage quicker, so you won’t end up wasting time on matches that aren’t going anywhere. You can pay to unlock more features on Bumble, but the free version does everything you need. Bumble currently boasts a 4.2/5 rating on the App Store, which is based on over a million reviews. One reviewer says, “I completely loved this app…and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something serious.” In order to message people you’re interested in on the site, you must pay for a subscription. These range in price from around $42/month down to $20/month if you commit for half a year. Reviews note that Christian Mingle is by far the most popular site for Christians looking for love and that it attracts people who are serious about finding a proper relationship. This app really suits go-getter moms who are looking to forge real-life connections with people who are serious about finding love. Reviews note that CMB is great because it has a simple interface and premise, and it isn’t as frenzied as swipe-heavy apps like Tinder. The free version is more than adequate, but you can pay $35/month if you want to be able to unlock more of the features such as read receipts and profile boosts. However, she says, if you feel that someone’s words are less judgmental and more concerned, you can let them know you appreciate that concern but you’re fine. You know yourself best, and you deserve to prioritize yourself once in a while!
