Feel the Chill? Old Man Winter Ushers in 2008 National Break-Up Season

Yahoo! Personals Research Finds Winter Is #1 Break-Up Season;
Offers Tools to Help You Weather the Emotional Storm
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--While mid-February might call for clear skies on the relationship
front, the preceding months show rough conditions ahead. Research
conducted by Yahoo! Personals shows that we are now in National
Break-Up Season, the period between the start of winter and
Valentine's Day, when half of respondents said they are most likely to
re-assess their relationships.

Statistics indicate that the season started a few weeks earlier
than in 2007, which may be a result of a new found independence felt
by respondents. When asked if they have ever stayed in a relationship
just to have a partner during the holidays or special occasion, 84
percent of respondents said "no." In addition, "needing a date for an
upcoming event or party" was the least popular reason that survey
respondents would stay in a relationship they knew would not last.

"Winter storms have arrived and, with them, so has National
Break-Up Season," said Kristen Sasser, Yahoo! Personals' online dating
expert. "It's always tough to weather a break-up, but it also presents
an opportunity to get back out there to explore new activities and
meet new people."

The survey revealed some major faux pas to avoid when it comes to
breaking up, as well as tips for grieving and then moving on:

The Act - Make a Clean Break

-- Digital Don'ts - Nearly half of the respondents selected
"sending a text or instant message" or "through e-mail" as the
worst methods for breaking up (28 percent and 18 percent,
respectively). An almost additional quarter of respondents
felt that "having a friend or family member tell them" would
be the next worst way to break up with someone.

-- Get a Case of the Mondays - Monday is considered the best day
of the week to break up with someone (19 percent of
respondents selected Monday).

-- Do it in Private - 37 percent of respondents selected "a
public place" as the worst location to break up, while 25
percent said they'd hate to be broken up with at work.

-- Preparing to "drop the bomb"? Take some time for yourself -
"Avoiding the other person" and "exercise" were the top
selections for what respondents would definitely or very
likely do just before breaking up with someone (43 percent and
42 percent, respectively).

The Aftermath - Surviving the Split

-- It's OK to be upset at work - Almost half of respondents
confided in a co-worker after a break up and over one-third
have cried at work as a result.

-- Be productive, or take some time to relax - "Immerse yourself
in your work" and "go on vacation" were the top selections for
what respondents would definitely or very likely do just after
being broken up with (59 percent and 45 percent,
respectively).

-- Seek solace in a sundae - Chocolate and ice cream received
over 50 percent of the votes as the kind of comfort foods that
would be sought out by respondents as the result of a breakup.

A complete National Break-Up Season survival guide can be found
online at http://personals.yahoo.com/breakup.

Methodology: National Break-Up Season Survey

Data is a result of an Opinion Research Corporation CARAVAN survey
conducted on behalf of Yahoo! Personals June 28-July 2, 2007 among
2,070 adults 18 years old and older, and a follow-up survey conducted
July 7-July 11, 2007 among 1,017 respondents.

About Yahoo! Personals

Yahoo! Personals was first introduced in the U.S. in 1997 and is
one of the leading and most popular online dating services available.
The service offers a large, dynamic dating scene where users can
search for, meet and communicate with a variety of people. For more
information, visit http://personals.yahoo.com.

Yahoo!, Inc.
Melissa Rische, 408-349-7722
melissar@yahoo-inc.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008