We've all heard people run down the list of excuses for why they don't have a date. Too little time, nobody interesting . Well, how about thirty good excuses for why you should have a date. We've come up with thirty things you can do that might make the dating scene a whole lot easier. Take them for a test spin and see what you come up with.

1. Go out with that person your friend has been bugging you about for months. Worst case, it's lame, in which case you're right back where you started. Best case, it's amazing, and you wont need the other 29 tips on this list.
2. Make a list of all the things about people you haven't enjoyed dating in the past and commit it to memory. Then, do a mental checklist every time you meet someone interesting.
3. Stop in at that bar you always pass on the way home from work for happy hour. It's always good to get a change of scene once in a while.
4. Stop clinging to your partnered friends-it's tough on the spirit to always be the only single one in the room.
5. Consider trying online profiles and phone chat. The days of conventional dating are long gone, and you never know who you might meet.
6. Ask friends if they know any single people-friends whose taste you trust that is. You want a date, not a disaster.
7. Haircuts, shopping trips and a stop off at the spa go a long way in making you feel more attractive.
8. Have a friend write your online profile for you. Think of it as a letter of recommendation, but instead of a job, you get a date in the end.
9. Stop comparing yourself to other people and how often they date. You're you.
10. Go out on a date with someone who's totally not your "type," because chances are if you're frequently single, your "type" hasn't been cutting it in the past.
11. Make sure office mates, people in your Yoga class, book group, etc . all know you're single. Not so they pity you-so they think of you when they meet someone available.
12. Stop dreading the idea of a date. Think of it as fun, getting to know people, an hour out of your life. Taking the pressure off of this being "the one" will make dating seem better all around.
13. There's a difference between dating and hooking up. Know where to draw the line.
14. Change your online profile and pictures often. Think of it like a car wash-doesn't your car look nicer and a bit more interesting every time you spruce it up?
15. Ask friends how they met the people they're dating. It's always good to get a reminder of the many possibilities out there.
16.  Cyber chat. Fine. Online profiles. Great. But once you agree to meet the person, pick up the phone and call. Text messaging as a half assed attempt at saying, 'I'm interested.'
17. Go on a date with a friend. It wont be the same thing, but it will remind you how it feels to be taken out or to take someone out.
18. Remember that you don't have to wait to be asked. This is 2007. Guys AND girls do the asking now.
19. If you want your dates to be successful, try chatting with these people for a few weeks online before you agree to meet them.
20. Online dating is fine, but make sure you get out from behind the computer every so often. Getting out and meeting people is healthy.
21. Speed dating may seem to make a game of it, but if for no other reason, it gives you a better idea of what you're looking for.
22. Take your online profile and accentuate the positive. Speaking highly of oneself is something some folks do well, and others .
23. Taking the attitude that your worth dating will get you a lot further than walking around with the idea that nobody wants to date you.
24. Never ask yourself what you did wrong after a date, because truth be told, you could be there all day guessing. Instead, ask what you did right, then do more of that next time.
25. Join groups and clubs where you're likely to meet other people interested in dating.
26. Surround yourself with friends and family members who are encouraging, and the ones who make you feel bad about your dating (or lack thereof)-cut them loose for a while.
27. Play around with different types of profiles . some painting you as fun, some as smart, some as commitment focused. It'll be interesting to see who you attract.
28. Ask someone out you've always had an interest in but never have the guts to talk to. Making that move will be a major confidence boost, even if they say no, because you'll know you survived.
29. Use online profiles and phone profiles as a way of playing up that part of your personality you're nervous to showcase in person.
30. If experience is life's best teacher, live by the mantra that the more dates you go on, the better you'll be at dating.