Community banking may develop a different meaning on the Internet.

A number of Web sites have debuted in the last year that combine personal financial management and social networking, allowing people to not only track their balances and spending, but to do so in a somewhat public forum. While not wide-open like a MySpace or Facebook social network — user profiles and pages are mostly kept private — they do allow users to join groups and chat with other members about intimate financial details.

The sites range in purpose and depth, and typically have a specific focus, such as investing, debt reduction, or money management. Some of the sites will automatically upload transactions from the user's computer or a bank Web site, while others require users to manually enter or upload their transactions.

The attraction of these sites is that people can have conversations about money that they do not feel comfortable having with their friends and family, said Jason Knight, the co-founder and chief executive officer for one of the oldest sites, the year-old Wesabe (www.wesabe.com). It also allows them to find people facing the same money quandaries, whether it be a serious issue like spiraling credit card debt or a practical financial step, such as ideas for bringing lunch from home.

"It's nice to find a more anonymous place where someone can go to get financial information," Knight said. "After seeing where the money in your budget is going, you can then find groups in the community who are facing the same type of things."

Social networks built around investing represent a smaller step than those for personal finance, because people have been swapping ideas, stock tips and investing strategies on Internet message boards for years. The problem with those boards, said Steve Carpenter, co-founder and CEO of Cake Financial (www.cakefinancial.com), is that there is a need for blind trust. His Web site, however, allows people to see the holdings and transactions of those with whom they are communicating.

The user portfolios are based around percentages of gain or loss, not money, which Carpenter said is a better measurement for users. Because they are actual portfolios, users also avoid the "big fish" stories they might encounter at other outlets.

For example, if a member starts recommending a specific stock for either buying or selling, other users can check the person's portfolio to see if they have followed their own advice. Also, they can see if the person's recommendations should carry any weight, based on their previous success.