A study published by the National Academy of Sciences reported that one-third of marriages that took place 2005 to 2015 in the U.S. were the result of relationships that started online. It's normal. No matter how busy you are, you need to get your online dating started off on the right foot. You have a better chance of success when you are honest from the beginning. You also need to ensure your safety and avoid the dangers that lurk behind Mr. Perfect’s profile.

Write an Honest Dating Profile

As women, we like to shave a few pounds off our weight when we get a new driver’s license. The government does not care about a five-pound difference. Your picture looks like a mug shot anyway. When it comes to creating your online profile, a pound or two is okay; 30 pounds is not. Be honest; you want a date who likes you for who you are, not for your creative writing talent.

This same rule applies to everything else about your profile. If you post a picture, make it a recent one. The one from your high school graduation works only if you just graduated. If you absolutely hate dogs or are allergic, be upfront about it. Just because you think Mr. Wonderful loves dogs does not mean you should lie.

Look for Red Flags in His Profile

Keep your expectations real. For starters, while you can hope that your potential date is using a recent picture and is honest in his profile, expect the unexpected. Remember that a talented writer can create an amazing written persona; learn to read between the lines. If he posts a lot of photos with his shirt off, he might have intentions other than a sincere relationship. If he goes into too much detail about what his ideal woman looks like, he's too focused on looks.

If you have young children at home, do not hide that fact. While you should not allow your children to meet Mr. Possible until he becomes Mr. Really Sure, he needs to know about them. If his profile says that he hates kids, keep moving. Even the most perfect children on the planet will not change his mind.

Protect Your Privacy

You know not to give out your personal info in mail or email correspondence, but it's worth repeating. Be careful not to reveal where you work, where you live, where you bank and other sensitive information until you are comfortable sharing that information with him. Save the personal details for the second or third date, and hold onto financial information until you are ready to walk down the aisle.

The first few times you meet your date, arrange for the date to be in a very public place. Always let someone else know where you are going and when you expect to return. Do not go somewhere else with your date on a whim; stick to the plan. There will be plenty of time for spontaneity later.

With that in mind, you can arrange for a backup plan if you need to quickly end your first date because you've seen too many red flags. Have a friend call you after a set time, perhaps one hour or so. If your date is going perfectly, you can continue. If it is not, you can excuse yourself politely because a crisis occurred at work, your child is having a tantrum or the cat ate the goldfish.