How To Not Date A Douchebag: 4 Tips To Avoid Getting Played

Your new fella's got a past and notched up a bit of a rep as a player. Reckon you're the one who's tamed him? These four dating tips will help you suss out his intentions...

Couple on a date

1. Keep him guessing

Heard the saying “treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen’? Don’t let that guy get too comfortable, ladypal. Letting him do a little bit of the running is a great way to see where his intentions lie. Pull back to see if he’s happy to make plans, text first and put in the effort. If he’s keen to step up to the mark then he’s worth your time in our eyes.

2. Have a worthwhile conversation

Is he great at the deep and meaningfuls or does all his chat revolve around football, sex and nights out with lads? We love a little idle banter as much as the next person, but if he’s unable and unwilling to chat about the important stuff with you, we reckon he’s probably pretty shallow and you should give him the heave ho.

3. Don’t ignore his faults

It’s inevitable that he’s going to have some flaws, but it all depends how bad they are. Is he narcissistic, cocky, selfish or rude? Be sure that you’re not magnifying his good parts and ignoring his bad ones. Get real, take off those rose-tined specs and see him for what he really is.

4. Ask yourself how he treat others

Be mindful of how he interacts with other people, too. Sure, he’s been saying and doing all the rights things with you, but what about his friends and family? Looking at the way he treats others is a surefire way to see his true colours. If he acts like a gobshite with his mates, or is rude to his mum then we say kick him to the curb. You deserve so much better.

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