We’ve been working on the exterior of the house these past few months making it hang-worthy. We’re just about finished landscaping the front section (which we get lots of compliments on) and have been slowly working on making our back patio a second “living room.”

Want to landscape your yard for free? Or at least close to it? Craigslist has a “Free” section that’s updated on a daily basis. Free stuff goes quickly, but certain items hang around a little longer, like trees, dirt, mulch, and the like.

Reading the business section of any newspaper is depressing to say the least; stocks continue on a roller-coaster ride, much of Europe is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, student loan defaults are up, and a drought grips much of the mid-west. I can’t help but be an optimist when I think, is self-employment the answer to our troubled economy?