Do you ever wonder what casual dating is? To some, it is still a quite ambiguous term and while to others, it is just another fancy word for sleeping around. However, casual dating goes beyond just sex—as many thrive without it.

According to Everyday Health, "Casual dating is all about keeping your options open and playing the field so that you can figure out what type of person you are most compatible with. It is about having a good time and enjoying someone’s company, all the while keeping things light and easygoing."

Unlike exclusive relationships, casual dating eliminates the need for commitments as 'it isn't anything serious.' Therefore, there are no strings attached and no risks of heartbreaks, as long as both parties place within the rules.

Casual dating is basically just having fun and moving at a really slow pace—maybe until you can figure out what you truly want in a relationship.

However, to ensure that you're on the right track, here are some few rules you need to know about when it comes to casual dating.

1. Experiment by keeping your options open

The reason why most people decide to engage in casual relationships is to find the right person for them eventually. However, to achieve this, you must always remember that you're a free agent, one who shouldn't be tied down to anyone.

Experiment by dating different people with different looks, personalities and from all works of life. It turns out you just might surprise yourself and find exactly what you’ve been searching for.

Platforms like Fwbdr can also help you broaden your horizons and connect you to thousands of people willing to engage in a casual relationship.

It is very important to keep your options open and if you meet one or two people you like and would like to know more about them, don't shy away. The whole idea of casual dating is to have fun with as many people as you can meet and not take dating too seriously by subjecting yourself to one person.

Doing this means, you not only learn more about yourself but also you also learn more about other people.

2. Be completely honest

The number one rule in casual dating is being completely honest about your intentions from the beginning.

Irrespective of who you end up dating, it is necessary to let them know that you aren’t looking for anything serious, even before you accept a date.

Leading them on, by making them believe that you’re looking for a serious relationship when in reality you're not would only lead to complications.  When you are honest from the beginning, people are aware of what they are getting themselves into and can decide to either opt for it or decline.

Additionally, if you start a casual relationship with honesty, there's very little chance of anyone ever "catching feelings."

3. Always play it safe

Casual dating is the near opposite of exclusive dating. Therefore, it is not necessary to spend a lot of time with the people you're dating.

Besides, spending an enormous amount of time with someone could spark feelings between each other. So, it's important to play safe by hanging out periodically and mostly at public places.

Except you plan on taking the relationship to the next level, having intimate or romantic dates is highly discouraged. However, places like the mall, going dancing, a not-too-romantic dinner date, or going to the movies, should be your most likely choice.

While sex isn't a necessity in a casual relationship, if you plan on having sex with your partners, it is important to always practice safe sex.

Being that you both may most likely be dating more than one person, it is necessary to protect yourself.

Remember, casual dating isn't synonymous with sex but has to be agreed or disagreed on by both parties before engaging in the relationship.

4. Respect your date

There's the tendency for disrespect to creep into a casual relationship due to the lack of commitment. But it is important to note that, despite dating multiple people, they are all humans with human emotions and should be accorded with due respect.

Thus, always ensure that you respect each other's privacy—especially if you both are dating other people simultaneously. For some people, however, they tend to keep the fact that they're seeing other people as well just to avoid any form of envy—particularly if your partner has started getting too attached to you or if you’re getting attracted to someone else.

Regardless of how you go about it, one rule of thumb is to treat people exactly how you'd want to be treated.

Never belittle anyone or act rudely towards them for expressing their feelings towards you.

5. Don’t fall in love

One of the golden rules to casual dating is to never catch the love bug.

Casual dating isn't suited to those looking for love but it's all about meeting new people, having fun and enjoying the single life.

Falling in love can with a casual date can lead to a lot of complication, especially when you're not sure if you want a serious relationship or not.

So, guard yourself and play it safe. Remember, casual dating is not exclusive dating.

6. Create some time for yourself

Casual dating requires a lot of energy, especially when you are talking to more than one person at a time.

However, you don't need to get overwhelmed by it and therefore, you need to reserve some time to yourself to relax every once and awhile.

Turn off your phone if you must and take yourself shopping, read a nice book, or do whatever you need to do asides dating.

This not only gives you a break from all the frenzy involved in dating, but it also affords you sometime to evaluate yourself.

7. Set specific goals

It is necessary to define clearly what you want out of casual dating. Do you want to end up in a serious relationship? How long do you intend to casual date for and with how many people?

These questions are important questions you need to ask before and while casual dating.

The essence of setting specific goals beforehand is to ensure that your expectations are clear and there's no confusion as to what you want. When you can achieve this, it becomes easier to stick to your initial game plan and not deviate from it.

Typically, casual dating has a short lifespan and you may eventually want to stop it. So, create a plan you can stick to that would ensure you make the most out of it.

8. Be honest with yourself if ever gets serious

Casual dating doesn't rule out the possibilities of either one of you catching feelings. However, if this does happen and the relationship begins to get serious, it's best not to panic.