Whether you like it or not, there are plenty of ways to gauge someone’s socioeconomic status before you ask them on a date.

The internet has made it easier than ever to find love, sex and companionship. This is largely thanks to a proliferation of niche and mainstream dating apps that cater to basically everyone.

The only downside is that you now need to keep tabs on digital dating slang, which is constantly changing. Here are some popular emerging phrases to get your head around - from 'benching' (stringing along a romantic partner for potential substitution) to 'hatfishing' (purposely hiding a bald patch in your profile pics!)

Dating’s hard as it is. For those in recovery from substance abuse, or simply don’t drink, it can be even harder. It’s not an easy conversation to have on a first date, after all, and it can complicate those first few outings when the option of having a date at a bar is out of the question.

So, you’ve been rejected. Maybe someone turned you down, maybe you got dumped, maybe your partner asked for “space”. How do you win them back? Don’t.

So it’s finally happened. You’ve met someone great. They’re smart, they’re attractive, they have a job — and they’re perfect for your needlessly picky friend. We’ve all been there, you have one friend who’d be great for another and you’re positive they’d hit it off. But setting them up is easier said than done, unlike a rom-com meet-cute on a busy subway platform or at a wedding reception.

"This is like... date night", I said to my husband as we were sitting in the bleachers, watching our four-year-old at her weekly evening swim class. Maybe that realisation should have made depressed — with so much going on, I couldn't remember the last time we had a proper date night — but it didn't. We were nestled hip to hip, talking about our days, with no child asking us to adjust her sock or turn on PJ Masks or spoon-feed her because she lost her arms.

Have you been wondering why you're not getting any matches on Tinder? We think of these apps as being just about the photos, but if you're not having any luck, consider your bio. It might need an update.

This week we have a guy who keeps jumping from relationship to relationship, but he's been dying to see what the single life is like. Will he figure out how to live it up solo? Or will he realise there isn't always a right way to do everything?

This week we have a lady who can't stand it when her boyfriend gawks at other women. Will she finally tell him how it makes her feel and get the respect she deserves? Or will he be too busy staring at other girls to see her walking away for good?

Nobody enjoys being with someone who is always passive aggressive. If you're not sure what that looks like, here's an excellent, and funny, demonstration.

There's no magic bullet or divine secret to maintaining a romantic relationship - every couple is different. But if there's one thing that's almost always guaranteed to help, it's more communication. And yes, even the silly, superfluous kind will do.

This week we have a man that met the girl of his dreams, but work got in the way before romance could blossom. Is there a good way to contact the one that got away and rekindle the magic?

Some people have problems that require delicate advice from a qualified professional. Others just need a random a guy on the internet to kick 'em in the teeth (with honesty, that is). I'm the latter. Welcome back to Tough Love.

Some people have problems that require delicate advice from a qualified professional. Others just need a random a guy on the internet to kick 'em in the teeth (with honesty, that is). I'm the latter. Welcome back to Tough Love.

What is love (baby don't hurt me)? It's a tough question to answer and people have been asking it since the dawn of civilisation. Perhaps the best way to identify love is to learn what it's not. This beyond-hokey instructional video from 1950 actually helps draw a clearer line between love and infatuation.

You have problems, I have advice. This advice isn't sugar-coated - in fact, it's sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love.

Love is a complex and powerful force, one that plays out in a number of emotional, cognitive and social ways. According to the late psychologist John Alan Lee, there are six broad styles of love: Agape, Ludus, Storge, Eros, Mania and Pragma. We look at each in turn to help you determine the type of lover you are and the type of lover you need.

If you've been on the dating scene for what feels like forever and you're starting to feel frustrated and disillusioned with it all, it might be time to take a step back and do a little re-calibrating. We project how we feel to others; people can sense your negative outlook from a mile away, which ruins any chance of things working out. It seems counter-intuitive, but the more you act like things are never going to work out, the longer you'll probably be alone.

You have problems, I have advice. This advice isn't sugar-coated - in fact, it's sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love.