Everyone does it. White lies when you’re talking about yourself just happen. Often, they’re not even intentional. You might know that you’re a quarter inch shorter than you say you are, but it’s just easier to say a round number than it is to bog someone down with a difference most people wouldn’t even notice. These are justified little fibs that just make life smoother. However, with online profiles the trend is split: people either lie outrageously (if you’re not still the weight you were in high school, you know that you’re not, don’t fib), or they are too brutally honest. When people are telling grim facts about themselves they never see the positive spin, and they end up talking themselves out of dates. Here are some white lies that you should be telling in your profile. Keep it small, and you’ll give yourself the wiggle room you need to see yourself in a positive light.

How Many Hours a Week You Spend Online

Does watching TV online count as being online? Does checking my email on my phone count as being online? People get caught up in the details of this, and end up giving a really big answer to this question. Even if you’re meeting someone online, there’s still a perception in this culture that spending a lot of time online means that you’re not living your life. For the best results, you should take whatever accurate number you have (not counting Netflix binges, which should be “how many hours do you spend watching TV”) and cut it down by about a third. When you have a woman to take out, you won’t be ignoring her to check your email. That number’s in flux anyway.

How Many Friends You Have

It doesn’t matter whether you’re the life of every party, with a dozen new friends around every corner. It also doesn’t matter if you do most of your socializing at work and only go out every now and then. When it comes to your social life, aim for the middle ground. Say you have a fairly close group of friends and a ring of acquaintances, but you don’t have to keep a phone book to keep track of them all. Social butterflies don’t do well on dating sites; after all, why you would need help meeting women if you already know so many people? And, well, the sad truth is that people without friends tend to stay that way. Aim for a busy but not bursting social calendar and you’ll be the most approachable.

You’re Creative

Say you’re writing a novel. Lots of people are, and most people never finish one. This is fine. It’s expected. But men who are perceived as creative get a lot more messages than ones who admit that there’s no deeper mystery in their souls. Just slap together a basic idea so you can answer her questions. “It’s about a father-son wilderness survival trip after their canoe is attacked by bears!” Then just laugh and tell her that it’s better than it sounds. You’ll seem like a creative catch with a modest sense of humor.

Everyone fibs a little bit. The trick here is to use these white lies to put the best spin on yourself that you can.