If you're like most Web users, you let Google,
Amazon and eBay dictate your online behavior. That's fine, but you
could do better. In our quest to make your life easier, here's a
round-up of 10 of the Web's most useful sites for women.
Whether
you're remodeling the kitchen, planning to start your own business or
suffering through bridesmaid duty for the umpteenth time, these online
destinations are worth adding to your virtual toolbox.
ASK PATTY
www.AskPatty.com
The
female answer to NPR's Click and Clack, Ask Patty delivers everything
you need to know about cars, from an advisory board of female
automotive experts. If you have a car-related question, submit it to
Ask Patty, and you'll get an answer within 24 hours.
BE JANE
www.BeJane.com
Founded
in 2003, Be Jane provides home-improvement advice for female
do-it-yourselfers. The site lets you sort through projects by mood, by
room, by topic and by life event (having a baby or becoming an
empty-nester, for example). There's also an online store that sells
cute tool belts and hard hats.
BRIDESMAID AID
www.BridesmaidAid.com
Any
20-something who has been roped into bridesmaid service will appreciate
a resource that acknowledges the existence of Bridezilla.
Bridesmaid
Aid offers tips for the gal who has to throw the shower, smooth the
train and suffer in the ugly dress, all written by a pair of women
who've done a combined 30 turns as bridesmaids.
COMPLAINTS
www.complaints.com
Whether
it's a product that went kaput or a company that doesn't know the
meaning of customer service, Complaints.com will let you know. The free
site, run by Sagacity Corp., features a searchable database of
first-hand consumer complaints.
EHOW
www.eHow.com
This
site isn't specifically for women, but it's incredibly helpful. You'll
find concise, step-by-step guides for doing just about anything, from
how to stock your emergency-gift closet to how to gain custody of the
family pet in a divorce.