Move over, Match.com, new sites like Cheek’d and FlipMe! have taken online dating to a whole new level–the somewhat social one. Imagine strolling around the streets of SoHo on a lazy Saturday afternoon when suddenly, you see the cutest guy sitting outside an Italian restaurant, sipping his sparkling water while waiting for his food to come. You want to get his number so bad, but you’re too shy to make such a bold move. Well, you could just walk over casually, slip him one of your small black cards, and continue making your way down the street, despite your heart feeling like it’s going to burst.

Well, that can actually be reality with the new services that Cheek’d and FlipMe! provide.

For $25, you get a pack of 50 black cards and a one-month subscription to Cheek’d, where users can exchange information about themselves like a regular dating service. Each black card has a cute catchphrase ranging from “I am totally cooler than your date” to “I am hitting on you,” coupled with an identification code so recipients can send a message to their secret admirer.

For a penny less, at $24.99, you get 30 red cards and a 3-month subscription to FlipMe! Although each FlipMe! card has the same phrase, it sufficiently sums up the whole process: “I’ve said ‘what if’ too many times … not this time.”

Personally, I applaud the direction our society’s going. Slowly but surely, we’re starting to move away from the comfort of our computer screen and actually venturing out into the dating wilderness.

Source: New York Times