New site ensures New Year Resolutions are kept

 

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By Tim Danton

Posted on 30 Dec 2006 at 12:20

Built in the mould established by FriendsReunited.com, a new site promises to get you off the sofa and onto the playing fields. Just the fillip some people will need, it hopes, to fulfil their New Year Resolutions.

The idea behind MotivatingMates.com is simple enough. In the process of signing up, you give details of your postcode (first three or four digits only), your interests and your skill levels in each sport. Then hope that other people with similar interests and skills sign up in your area.

Sign up is free for the basic account, but this crucially doesn't allow you to contact people. Instead, you must wait for people to contact you.

"MotivatingMates.com works in a similar way to Friends Reunited," said company spokesperson Nicola Morgan, "if you decide to contact a member there is a charge of £7.50 for one year regardless of how many members you contact."

This fee upgrades your account to Gold status, which adds other benefits such as the ability to instant message other members who are currently online.

The other aspect of the site - and what justifies the name - is that it encourages members to motivate others. In Ebay-style, you're then rated by people you've motivated and given a star rating out of five.