Where to Look? Guide to Online Dating Sites

— -- Setting up a personal profile on a dating Web site can be a stressful, intimidating process. With so many sites to choose from, how can you tell which will help you best find a friendship or someone to date?

The mainstream sites allow you to search for singles in specific age ranges and geographic locations, but there are also plenty of sites catering to singles who share an ethnic background, a hobby or a sports interest. And if you decide to go online, give the subscription rates a careful glance. While many sites welcome you to post a profile at no charge, the free subscriptions offer limited services. You might be charged if you want to send messages and use more advanced functions on the site. Here's a sampling of some of the dating sites: