Lend Your Money, Turn a Profit

Your bank profits off money sitting in your savings account by lending it out at a higher rate than it returns to you.

So why not eliminate the middleman and lend your money to others yourself?

That's the proposition offered by financial Web sites ranging from Prosper.com and LendingClub.com to Zopa.com, which launched its U.S. site last week.

Though their models vary slightly, these social-lending sites aim to connect borrowers and lenders outside of traditional financial institutions. ...