Some of you ladies tell me on a regular that your online dating experiences have been a mixed bag. Some of you stick your hands in the bag and grab on to gems, others of you reach in and get out slimy, stinky turd-balls. So I talked to my friend, Candy Tolentino, founder of MarryMeAlready, an online service that connects the marriage minded to the marriage minded, gave me her tried-and-true tips for meeting Mr. Right online. Some of her rules might surprise you at first, but once you think about it, it’s makes a lot of sense.

No coffee dates: At first blush, a coffee date seems like a no-pressure, short term interaction that can help a couple decide if they jibe. But that’s a no-no in Candy’s book. “You’re a quality person. The guy can pay for a decent date!” she says. Want a compromise? You can have coffee at the restaurant he offers to take you to.

Don’t date illiterates!: Candy says to stay clear of men who can’t spell, write in all caps and in illegible abbreviations, for obvious reasons.

Embrace the “Skype Date”: Reduce the change of a humongous disappointment when face doesn’t match profile picture by having a Skype date. The advantages of Skype dates are endless, not the least of which is the ability to dress nicely from only the waist up. Waist down, you can be in holey, smelly sweat pants and fuzzy bunny slippers and none would know the wiser. Speaking of pictures, make sure you see Mr. Potential in a variety of poses and engaged in a variety of activities. DELETE and move on if he has any photos within the proximity of a bathroom.

Don’t give out your number right away: Candy says to hold off on giving the digits after the you’ve gotten a four to five email exchanges going first. That way, you’re saved if all he talks about is hot monkey sex.

How about it ladies, any other rules online daters can use to field out the trolls, frogs, ogres, and vermin?