Web Smarts

www.ivillage.com

WHAT: A Web-based "community" site aimed primarily at women looking for an intelligent exchange of ideas.

BEST POINTS: Not surprisingly, the voluntary gender question on the site's registration form lists the F-for-female option first. Yet much of the site is gender neutral - and laden with pretty decent advice and forums.

One component with real seasonal utility: a holiday-budget-planning tool - probably not the only one of its kind - that lets you create a gift-giver's database. It keeps a running tally of expenses by category (travel, gifts, entertainment) and leaves room for notes.

In theory, partners with a shared logon could use it to keep one another informed on the status of the family shopping list - and the corresponding damage to the monthly budget.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Dive straight to the bottom of the home page when you hit the site. The "Holiday Budget Planner" appears in small brown text under the "Holiday Helper" section. Do you have Web access via a portable wireless device? This could be the site to use from the parking lot at the mall.

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