Step #1: Make sure you're doing it for the right reasons

The first step, of course, is to gauge whether you can emotionally handle this sexual scenario. One easy way to do this is to imagine the aftermath. For example, if you sleep with someone and then the phone doesn't ring again, will you be shattered? "People sometimes believe they'll be fine with it, but then after the fact they think, 'Well, he should be calling me.' I say, 'Have a coffee, and wake up!'" says Paget. "If the only thing that is being presented is casual, that's what you're going to get." People who are generally impulsive might also want to hit pause and think about it before jumping in. "If you have a tendency towards falling quickly in love or experiencing post-fling guilt, it probably isn't for you," says Steve, 44.

Timing should also be a big factor in your decision-making, and many experts and single folk agree that people who've recently emerged from a breakup and who aren't ready for a commitment are prime candidates for casual encounters. As Deanne, 30, puts it, "Sometimes you want to be alone mentally, but with someone physically."