Target is doing a special promotion for their optical service. It could end any time but will definitely end no later than April 29th..

Children 12 and under can get a free pair of glasses.

They need to bring in a valid prescription for glasses from their doctor and Target will let the child pick from about 40 different frames. They will place their best lenses in the frames which are non-glare and scratch resistant and normally sell for $200.00. There are no income guidelines. Any child 12 or under is eligible.

You can find stores with optical departments at www.target.com to confirm they are participating before making a trip to their store.

Please pass this information on to anyone who can benefit from this promotional offer. If you know someone with lost or broken glasses please share this information with them ASAP, as the promotion could end at any time. They would like families to come in as soon as they can.

If you are ready to get your yard ready, but you feel compelled to do it cheaply…or free, here are some ideas that can get you going in the right direction:

1. Golf Shoes - Put on a pair of golf shoes and take a stroll around your yard for 15-20 minutes.  Make sure you get into the corners and that you follow a pattern so you can hit every part of the yard.  In the spring, you should core aerate your yard.  If you don’t want to rent an aerator, golf shoes will do an OK job and won’t cost you any money.
2. Overseeding – I can’t help you with this one, other than to say that you should reduce the size of your yard by setting up a garden.  This will reduce the amount of seed you need to purchase.  You can also just skip overseeding and let your yard thicken naturally.  This will take years, though so be prepared to have some patience while your neighbor spends hundreds of dollars to make you look bad.
3. Fertilizer – YES, you can make your own fertilizer.  Instead of wasting two more sentences talking about something I know nothing about, here are some links where you can find out more:
   • Make your own fertilizer
   • You can make your own fertilizers
   • How to Make Your Own Fertilizer
4. Catch the Rain -  If you want to water your yard and not have to pay a fortune, you can catch the rain water.  This is something I am going to try this year.  It’s somewhat difficult if you live in an area that has a lot of mosquitos because they breed in water.  You can’t have an open-top rain catcher.  Here are some links to some ways to make your own rain catcher.
   • How to Make Your Own Rain Barrel
   • How To Build A Rain Barrel
   • Make A Rain Barrel

I hope this information helps you save some money and get your yard ready for spring.

If there is one thing that you can be sure of regarding the economy it is this: it will change. Like most other things in life the economy goes through cycles and while you may not be able to predict when things will improve or decline you can bet that they will. As families struggle through the current recession it is important to remember that this is not the first nor the last time that the economy will take a turn for the worse. In knowing this you should also know there are a few simple ways to prepare you finances to ensure you weather the current cycle and remain in a position to benefit when the economy takes it’s next turn; hopefully for the better.

1. Have multiple streams of income- A few decades ago it was standard procedure to graduate from either high school or college and establish yourself with a company for the long haul. Those times have changes and if you wish to be financially secure it is important to understand the benefit of having multiple streams of income. Even if you have a great job with a great salary in times when the economy falters layoffs and downsizing become a reality many people are simply not prepared for. If you depend on just one source of income and you lose that income your finances can quickly take a turn for the worse. If you are fortunate enough to have a severance package you may be able to live off of that for a period of time, but you will eventually have to find another job and in the interim you may have to dip into your savings to survive.
2. Diversity is the key- Similar to the first tip, having a diverse portfolio is the best way to protect yourself from losing everything in one fell swoop. The economy is simply not predictable enough at any time to have all of your eggs in one basket. Your age and the age at which you want to retire play a big factor in how risky you want to be in the market, but you should always spread your investments in a way that some money is safely tucked away slowly making more money.
3. Manage your debt- An import lesson was brought to attention in the last year. Millions of people have learned that their spending and saving habits leave a lot to be desired. If you have debt now is the time to tackle it once and for all. If you can do it on your own by cutting costs and focusing serious energy and efforts toward debt reduction- then by all means go for it. Keep in mind that you will likely have to take a serious look at your lifestyle and make appropriate changes to ensure you do not dig yourself out of debt only to find yourself back in debt from using credit cards or overspending. If you are overwhelmed and your debt is making it impossible to move forward financially it is time to look into the various debt relief options available to you.

Managing your finances does not have to be a game of chance, by using common sense and paying attention to where your money is coming from and going you should be able to stabilize your finances without much difficulty.

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Buy 12 donuts and get 12 free (1 for each of the people you are giving gifts to).

I was surfing along when I came across a post about Sam’s Club pricing.  The person said that is the last digit of the price was a 1 (one), the item had been marked down and was being sold below cost.  I did a little digging and I was able to find several other posts talking about the same thing.

• http://digg.com/odd_stuff/Target_Price_Drop_Hack
• http://forums.gottadeal.com/archive/index.php/t-74605.html

I thought I would pass this along.  We can all benefit from every angle in this tough economy.  By the way, if you have knowledge of this, please leave a comment and let us know about it.

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With the state of the economy, I believe Barack Obama will be the best thing that our country (and our economy) needs.

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