Eharmony isn't free!  The initial part is free, but if you wanna contact a person or vice-versa, it's time to lay down the cash!  Craigslist is good for a laugh, but steer clear of casual encounters.  That's traumatizing!

I'm supposed to go out with some friends for dinner after work tomorrow night, and hopefully the snack bar cutie will be there.  I know she's not interested, but she's definately fun to look at, and sweeeeeet! 

OK, I didn't word that right, either, I know they aren't free, what I meant was charging THAT much money for a dating service.
I haven't looked myself but when my cuz was on match she was only laying out like $20-25 for the service, even if its twice that, that is a far cry from a few grand or even a few hundred.
And if what you are looking for is an SO, I have known many people that have had success with those services.
In fact my sister recently started dating a guy she met on myspace, things are going great and that didn't cost her anything.