Jeff Cohen - About.com Dating Guide  From meeting someone new to getting serious, breaking up, or engagements, you'll find it all from your About.com Guide to Dating, Jeff Cohen. Jeff is also the author of the "30 Minute Guide to Online Dating" eBook. 

Below are several articles that cover a variety of dating and romance topics and offer useful dating tips, advice, ideas and resources for singles.

Don’t be a Turkey on Thanksgiving New
Every year on Thanksgiving families gather to carve the turkey, saver some cranberry sauce, scoop the stuffing, and feast on pumpkin pie. You probably have fond memories of spending year after year at your parent’s house or at a relative’s house.

Give Your Profile a Makeover New
Let’s say you joined an online dating site two or three years ago. At the beginning the prospects rolled in. Every time you checked your inbox it was flooded with new and exciting dating opportunities. Then the months went by, the first dates didn’t go as well as planned, and your dating pool has dried up.

End Your Long Distance Relationship New
You would be amazed how many questions I get about long distance relationships. Sometimes people are giving me details and asking if I think they’ll make it as a couple. Other times people know they’re in love but the distance between them is causing a strain in the relationship.

Don't Beleive the Hype New
If you’ve been anywhere near a television lately, or even a copy of People Magazine, then you can’t help but see or read about the TomKat wedding. Yes, it’s officially true, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes tied the knot in Italy. Looking at the photos released by the couple, they are a picture of marital bliss.

Relationships Require Dating New
Over the years I’ve provided dating coaching services for lots and lots of people. Would you believe that in approximately 50% of the cases, the person I’m working with is currently doing zero dating? Now, keep in mind that the overwhelming majority of people I work with want to meet that special someone to settle down. Granted, some folks are just looking for the casual relationship, but by and large this is not the case with my coaching clients.

Stop Lying in your Online Profile!
You’re sitting at your local Starbucks sipping on a mocha latte. Any minute your dating prospect should be walking in for the all-important first date. You mentally review their online profile one more time, smiling as you think about the possibilities. Could this person be too good to be true? Just the right height, the perfect age, complimentary hobbies, the same religion. According to the profile, this should be your soul mate.

Be Each Other’s Life Coaches
Do you remember your collegiate years when it was easy to have a workout partner for the gym? You were on a campus filled with people your age. All you had to do was find one person with similar fitness goals and you were off and running on a workout plan together. It was almost like having a personal trainer for free as each of you pushed the other to new workout heights.

Fight Above the Belt
Do you ever have one of those relationship moments with your partner where something small somehow escalates into an all-out fight? Let’s say you’re buying a new couch for the living room. You pop into a few stores looking for something that catches your eye. After three unsuccessful store visits, patience starts to dwindle. The next store you go into one of you points to a couch and say, “this will do, don’t you think?”

The Biological Clock that Does Not Click for Men 
So you’re a 33-year-old woman in a relationship with a 36-year-old man. You definitely love each other but for some reason the relationship has hit this coasting phase. Talk of engagement has fizzled amidst busy days working and even busier nights out with friends. You’ve been together about two years but really have no idea where this relationship is headed.

I’d Love You If You Could Just Fix This One Big Thing
You look at your partner and you see so much potential. You think “I could spend a lifetime with this person.” Unfortunately, there’s this one big thing that’s preventing you from fully letting yourself dive into the relationship.

Should You Risk the Friendship for a Chance at a Relationship?
You’ve been friends for years. You do everything together… movies, dinners, even weddings. Over the years there’s been some harmless flirting, a few awkward moments, and even hints of relationship possibilities. But you’ve never officially crossed the line from friendship to relationship.

I Love You But There’s Someone Else in the Picture New
Let’s say everything is going great in your relationship. You’ve been together for almost two years and the engagement, moving-in, and marriage conversation has begun. You’re thrilled at the stability that lies ahead but one thing keeps nagging at you. There is this other person you can’t get out of your mind.

Language of Love – Part 2
When out on a date, nerves are often on edge and you may even find yourself at a loss for words. Knowing a few choice phrases from the romance languages including French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian just might save the day. You could always try to break the ice with an interesting phrase from another language. You could go with anything from telling them how great they look to asking for a dance. Check out some of these common dating phrases that you can pull out of your proverbial hat at your next romantic rendezvous.

Seven Reasons to Join MySpace
Admit it… you’ve heard about MySpace. You’ve thought about joining. You’re intrigued by the networking possibilities. But is MySpace really right for you? How about a little help with that question? Here are the top seven situations that MySpace is perfect for joining. If one or more of these situations sound like you, then sign up now and let MySpace work for you!

MySpace People to Avoid
MySpace is clearly one of the most popular websites around. Consistently ranked in the top ten, it boasts millions of members. While most people have noble intentions, there are always a few bad seeds that can spoil it for everyone.

Maximize MySpace to Maximize Your Connections
MySpace.com is the hottest thing to happen to the internet in a really long time. The web site itself is ranked in the top ten every week for number of visitors to the site. People of all ages are finding out that MySpace.com is the ultimate networking destination. The site appeals to friends who want to stay in touch, singles who want to mingle, and families who need to stay connected. The site even appeals to business people hoping to set up career networks and classmates trying to find long lost pals. Once you’ve officially decided to take the plunge and create your own profile, you’ll need the necessary tools to get started.

What’s Your Dating Horoscope?
Have you ever found yourself wondering if this whole dating thing is kind of out of your hands? Maybe after all that searching, it’s as simple as an astrological formula. Based on the traits of your sign and those of your potential date, you could be dealing with the wrong sign altogether. However, if you hit it right, you just might have a match. Check out this list and you’ll be better prepared the next time someone at a bar asks you, “Hey baby, what’s your sign?”

The Languages of Love
When it comes to the language of love, sometimes all it takes is a few choice phrases. Four of the most popular “romance languages” as they are called include French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Find yourself wondering how to ask someone out on a date in those very languages? What about telling them that you love them in 60 different languages? Now you’ll have all the information needed to impress your next date…provided you’ve researched their heritage!

Make MySpace Work For You
If you feel like you’ve tried just about every online dating site and haven’t really had much success, it might be time to start thinking outside of the box. The good news is that you don’t even have to leave your comfortable couch to do it. All you need is internet access and some creativity. Posting a profile on MySpace.com can do more than just help you to connect with your friends and old classmates. It just might help you to land your next date.

The Perfect First Kiss
You’ve just gotten through a great date with someone you really like and you think you might want to kiss them for the first time. All the nervous energy in your body is building up as you consider making the move and breaking the physical ice. There are so many facets involved in taking the leap into that first kiss. How do you know when the timing is right and what do you do once it happens? Read on for all the juicy information on the perfect first kiss.

Did You Just Break Up by Mistake?
Are you right in the middle of that emotional moment after a breakup? That moment when you and your partner just can’t take it anymore and choose to walk away? Maybe you even had a dramatic moment with one of you driving off or slamming the door shut. Or maybe the breakup was full of tears and emotion as one of you pleaded for one more chance.

How To Be a Memorable First Date
What makes someone come home from a first date and tell their friends, “Wow, my date was awesome! I had such a great time getting to know this person and can’t wait to see them again.” While it might have been the revealing outfit they wore or maybe even their cologne, it was most likely something more than that. Things that make a first date truly memorable are often found in the mental more than the physical connections.

Meet More New People Than Ever Before
How often do you think to yourself, “it’s so hard to meet new people” or “where do people in relationships find these great catches.” If your dating life is currently moving in slow motion then this is the article for you. By looking at common activities and interests in a whole new light you can dramatically boost your love life.

Tell-Tale First Date Questions
It’s your first date and you really want to get to know the new person sitting across from you at the table. You want to ask all the right questions, but you don’t want it to seem like you’re interrogating them. How do you know what to ask them without getting too personal too soon? Asking these subtle questions and then really paying attention to the answers should help to clue you in a little better.

Battling the Serious Issues
Let’s get one thing straight. In this article, we’re not talking about leaving the toilet seat up, a different taste in music, or a homebody versus a party animal. No, this article is about serious issues. We’re talking drug addiction, alcohol problems, and depression. These are serious issues that can sidetrack even the strongest relationship.

Does Your Relationship Have a Future?
So you’ve been dating this guy for a few months now and you’re still in that early evaluation phase. You haven’t formally had the talk yet and are still unsure of exactly where you stand. You’re probably trying to decide if it’s worth it to continue dating in the hopes of it working out long term or if you should cut your losses now and move on to the next guy. Do you feel like you’re dating Mr. Right or just Mr. Right Now? How can you be sure if it’s worth sticking around to see if this relationship could potentially have a future?

The Vacation Test
Some people think that taking a vacation with the person that you’re dating can be the true test of a relationship. Whether you’ve been together 3 months or 3 years, it can sometimes be a make or break deciding factor for both of you. If it goes perfectly, that can be a good sign for possible future cohabitation. However, if it goes badly, it can be quite destructive to the state of your union. Find out how to read the clues from your vacation to see if the two of you will last.

Trust Your Instincts
When someone says that they have a gut feeling about something, they usually turn out to be right. Gut instincts can come from deep within and are often rooted somewhere logical. If you learn to listen to your instincts when it comes to dating, you’ll find things working out better than you’d ever imagined.

Connecting with an Old Flame
Do you find yourself thinking about someone special from your past and wondering where they are today? Maybe they’re even single and you secretly still carry a torch for them? With today’s technology, there is no reason to wonder any longer. With the simple click of a mouse, you can be on your way to reconnecting to that special someone. Just remember to be prepared for anything, because you never know what you might find out in cyberspace.

Are You Dealing With a Commitment - Phobe?
Everyone loves to throw around the term “fear of commitment”, but do they ever stop to think about what might be behind it? For years, men have been labeled with this badge of dishonor by scorned women everywhere. If a guy doesn’t want to make the move to the next level of commitment in a relationship, women are quick to label them “afraid”, when it could be much deeper than that.

Fighting Over Money
Money, money, money. For many couples, it’s the #1 cause of stress and tension in the relationship. From how much you earn to how much you spend, finances can be a difficult balancing act for even the healthiest couple.  If you and your partner are constantly battling about money, consider these five financial tips. Pretty soon you’ll be on the same financial page and no longer arguing about dollars and cents.

The Wager of Love
From the NCAA College Basketball Tournament to the NFL SuperBowl, big bucks change hands every year from sports wagers. However, money is not the only thing worth wagering when it comes to sporting events.  If you and your loved one are looking to add a little spice to the next big sports championship, try any of these ten wagers of love. You’ll never look at a baseball, basketball, or football game the same way again.

Are You Dateable?  How can you tell if you qualify as a great first date? Are you a good listener and do you give off positive vibes? While it’s unlikely that anyone will ever take the time to give you the feedback, you can try and decipher it for yourself. Ask yourself these six questions and see if you are in fact great first date material.

Valentine’s Day Gifts Under $20 This Valentine’s Day, let your partner know how special they are to you without breaking the bank. If the goal is to keep your budget as well as your sanity intact, you’re in luck. Here are five creative and original gift ideas under $20 that are sure to please.

Cupid’s Creative Date Ideas  With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the pressure is on to come up with a great date idea. While dinner and a movie is always a tried and true route, sometimes it’s fun to venture out into new territories. Whether you’re looking for a fresh idea for Valentine’s Day or just any other Friday night, these tips should inspire your creativity and help lead you in the right direction.

Subtle Signs of a Wandering Eye  While you might think that you know all of the tell-tale signs associated with infidelity, you could be wrong. There are the obvious things such as a new perfume or cologne, sudden interest in the gym, and of course lipstick on the collar. Unfortunately, the signals aren’t always that loud and clear. Here are five not so obvious signs that will help clue you in.

Do’s and Don’ts of Hollywood Couples, Part II  Back by popular demand, here’s the latest new on the hottest Hollywood couples. By the time you’re done with this article, you’ll be up to speed on the latest celebrity breakups, makeups, and babies on the way. You’ll also know how you can apply the trials and tribulations of celebrity couples to your own love life.

Do’s and Don’ts of Hollywood Couples, Part III  If you just can’t get enough of celebrity couples in the news, here are three that have been in the tabloids for months. This is your chance to get up to speed on celebrity romance while learning a thing or two about your own relationships.

Make Him Feel Special You might assume that the guy you’re dating knows exactly how you feel about him. Believe it or not, you might be totally wrong. It’s one thing to tell him he’s the best and it’s another to go ahead and show it. Regardless of how long the two of you have been dating, everyone likes to feel appreciated. Here are nine fresh and creative ideas on how to make that important guy in your life feel extra special!

Gift Ideas for That Special Someone  When it comes to birthday, anniversary, and holiday shopping for that special someone it’s easy to end up at the mall wandering around aimlessly. Finding the perfect gift for your partner can be quite the challenge. Whether you’ve been together for six weeks, six months, or six years, these tips should help get you started. Good luck and happy shopping!

Do’s and Don’ts of Hollywood Couples Just because you don’t walk the red carpet regularly, it doesn’t mean you can’t learn a thing or two from Hollywood couples. Check out these do’s and don’ts based on the ups and downs of celebrity romance.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do If Ken and Barbie can call it quits after 43 blissful years together, that means it can happen to just about anyone. The keys to maintaining your sanity in the midst of a breakup are quite simple. First, Stop focusing on what could have, should have, or might have been. What's done is done at this point and there's nowhere to look but ahead.

Dates Outside the Box Whether you only have an hour or an entire afternoon to devote to your next date, there's always something fun to do just around the corner. Here are three new and interesting date ideas that you might not have otherwise considered. Get ready to think outside of the box and have fun!

Big Dates on a Small Budget If you find yourself strapped for cash, but still want to have a fun date, check out these five budget friendly ideas. With a little originality and less than $40, you and your date will be having a grand old time!

How Can You Tell if He’s the One?   You’re in a great relationship. You’ve both said “I love you” and are talking about the future. All of a sudden you start to get nervous. You ask yourself those tough questions, like “Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with this person?” and “Can I see this guy as the father of my children?”

Six Creative Ways to Meet Someone New   So you want to meet someone new but feel like your current strategies aren’t paying dividends. Here’s six creative ways you could meet a new boyfriend or girlfriend. Try even a few of these and you’ll be on your way to improving your odds of dating success.

How to Tell If He’s Just Not That Into You    He’s Just Not That Into You! Thanks to Sex and the City and the best selling book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, it’s a phrase uttered by singles everywhere. But how can you really tell if you’re dating a quality guy or if it’s time to move on?

Spice Up Your Online Profile to Get Noticed    With hundreds of online dating sites and thousands of singles surfing for dates, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. How can you find that special someone with so much competition out there? Spicing up your online profile is a great way to get noticed, land more dates, and hopefully find the right person for you.

How to Find the Time for Online Dating  We all know finding Mr. or Mrs. Right can be a time consuming process. You might have to go on a handful or even hundreds of dates before the right partner emerges. While online dating speeds up the process of finding prospects, you may still feel you’re too busy to invest the time in joining and actively participating in online dating.

How to Get Noticed Online  With millions of singles searching for dates online, your odds of getting noticed can feel overwhelming. You may be a real catch but how can you get that special someone to notice you? Don’t get discouraged. Instead, check out this list of the top ten ways to stand out from the online crowd. Pretty soon you’ll be landing more dates than you can handle. That’s a great problem to have, isn’t it?

Which Dating Site is Right for Me?  With over 700 online dating sites in the US alone and new ones cropping up every week, choosing the right site can seem overwhelming. How are you supposed to know which site will best meet your needs and land you that special someone?

The Three Don’ts of a First Date  Congratulations! You’ve done the work and found someone online that sparks your interest. You’re ready to convert from online emails and late-night phone chats to an offline encounter. You’ve chosen the date, picked a location, and are ready to see if the online spark translates into an offline dating relationship.

How Many People Have You Slept With?  The relationship is progressing. You’re feeling like there’s real potential. You’re actually getting excited for your next date. You can’t remember the last time you felt this way about anyone. All of a sudden, your partner drops that fateful question, “How many people have you slept with?”

Introducing the Children to Your Partner  Single parents of young children know it can be difficult to introduce a new mother or father figure into their lives. In many cases, children don’t want to “share” their single parent with anyone, particularly a replacement mother or father. So what’s the best way to introduce a date to your kids and when is it appropriate to do so? Here’s everything you need to know to make a smooth introduction and give your children the best possible chances of accepting the new romantic person in your life.

Is it Time to Move in Together?  Your relationship is going great. You can just feel the momentum building with each date you share together. Sooner or later, the big question comes up, should you live together? While no longer carrying two rents or mortgages can seem enticing, there are some issues you need to resolve before taking the plunge.

Is Your Partner Cheating?  We all believe in our hearts that our partners will be faithful. After all, isn’t cheating supposed to be reserved for Hollywood movies? Still, sometimes you find yourself in a relationship where your partner’s behavior becomes suspicious. You don’t have any hard evidence, but something in your gut tells you your partner is up to no good.

Should You Break Up?  Does this relationship have a future or not? If only you knew for sure. We all wish we could answer that question with utmost certainty. We spend hours agonizing over the break up decision, thinking the answer will somehow come to us in a flash.

Five Dating Tips for Single Moms  If you’re a single mom and you’re dating or thinking about dating, then you know it can get confusing at times, especially with your kids. You may ask yourself many questions. Can you, your date, and children all sleep over in the same house? Is it okay to take vacations together? How much time should your date be spending with your kids?

Long Distance Relationship Success  While the ability to expand your dating reach is a great benefit of online dating, you also need to know the rules to make a long distance relationship last. Here are three things you can do if you’re in a long distance relationship to give you and your partner the best possible odds at making it last.

Five Secrets to Overcoming a Break Up  Sooner or later you’ll be on the wrong end of a break up. It would be nice if all break ups were mutual or you were the one ending things. But odds are your heart will be broken by someone. If and when it happens you can choose to drop the shades, curl up on the couch, and watch old movies for six months. Or you can learn these five secrets to getting your life back together, moving on, and hopefully finding someone new.

Safety First, Intimacy Second  Online dating is all about finding romance in cyberspace. Whether you’re looking for a casual relationship, something more serious, or even marriage, the end goal is to make a romantic connection.

Should You Give an Ultimatum in a Relationship?  If you’ve been in enough relationships then you’ve dealt with fear of commitment. If you’ve dealt with the commitment issue then you’ve probably pondered the ultimatum. What is an ultimatum you ask? It’s when you say to your partner, commit or I’m out of here. It’s definitely a strategy that forces some action, but how do you know if it’s the right approach for you? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of delivering the ultimatum.

How to Build Relationships Online  Online dating can be fun, exciting, even addictive. Let’s face it. There’s nothing like coming home after a long day of work to find three new emails from men or women who find you attractive. It’s an ego boost. You’ve put yourself out there with a profile and total strangers are impressed enough to send you an email.

Five First Date Topics to Avoid  You’ve probably read many articles providing tips on what to say and do during this all important first date. But did you realize that it’s also important to avoid certain subjects and topics that can end a relationship before it even begins?

What Kind of Relationship Do You Want?  It can be exciting to jump into the world of online dating. You’ll quickly see loads of interesting photos and profiles from people around the corner and around the world. But before you start instant messaging and emailing prospective dates, be sure you know what kind of relationship you’re seeking. Depending on the site, you can often search for pen pals, friends, activity partners, casual dating, long-term partners, or even discreet intimate encounters.

How to Write an Online Profile that Gets Noticed  In case you didn’t know, your online dating profile is the equivalent of a first impression in cyberspace. Take the time to write an interesting and engaging profile and you’ll be off and running in the world of online dating. But how do you stand out from the crowd? Here are six tips to make the most of your online profile.

Top Three Tips for Online Dating Success  With millions of singles surfing online dating sites you might be tempted to think meeting your soulmate is a game of chance. Nothing could be further from the truth. While many online daters choose not to follow a game plan, those who know the keys to online dating success find the best matches in cyberspace.

Take a Free Online Dating Test Drive  Admit it. You’re curious about online dating. Maybe you’ve even thought about signing up and beginning your journey in dating cyberspace. So what’s stopped you? Is it the cost? Did you know that many online dating sites give you a free test drive before you pay the monthly, quarterly, or annual subscription fee? Similar to test driving a new car, you can take an online dating site for a spin before you make the financial commitment.

Why You Should Choose Online Versus Offline Dating  Until recently, the majority of people met their boyfriends and girlfriends through traditional means. Back in 1995, the most popular ways to meet someone included blind dates, setups, meeting through friends and colleagues, and of course bar and club hopping. By 2000, online dating was on the scene and growing rapidly. Still, many people lacked internet access and therefore were unable to take advantage of the technology. Today, online dating is a $300 million industry in the US alone and rapidly expanding worldwide.

Six Signs of Quality Online Dating Sites  With over 700 online dating sites in the United States alone and new sites cropping up weekly, it can be difficult to choose the right site for you. The vast choices available can overwhelm even the most proactive dater.

Jeff Cohen is the author of the e-book, 30 Minute Guide to Online Dating.  It's a must-read for anyone looking to master the art of online dating without wasting hours of valuable time.  To learn more about the e-book and purchase a copy, please visit Online Dating eBook.