Fed up with forking out for the latest piece of over-hyped plastic? Answer "What can we do now Mom?" by making toys from items you will already have around the house. Shops Save all your empty grocery cartons for a week or so and you'll soon have a shop any aspiring grocer would be proud of. Gluing down the flaps makes cereal boxes, jelly packets...

Pier 1 teams up with UNICEF to help women around the world (ARA) - In a time when current events have many people feeling helpless and uncertain, there are some positive ways they can connect with others and make a difference in the world. On Mother's Day, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Pier 1 Imports have created a program that will enable...

The role of an executor A close friend has just asked me to be his executor. Before I accept this appointment, can you tell me what it involves? I assume it is a relatively simple task. This job can be simple or complex depending on the clarity of the Will and the Estate Plan. Of course the size of the estate has some bearing on the matter,...

For many women, the fathers on their gift lists present the biggest gift giving challenges. If you are having trouble knowing what to get dear old Dad for Father’s Day this year, look over the following list of gift ideas that fall into the category of simple, yet meaningful tokens of your appreciation and love. The gift of laughter Is there...

Guidelines for parents, grandparents, or anyone with children on their shopping lists! American retailer JC Penney has teamed up with Toy Tips, Inc. to help shoppers choose the best toys for children. According to Toy Tips, play fosters intellectual, social and physical development. Adults are encouraged to view toys as learning tools with different...

My first introduction to debt was using (with permission) my sister's credit card to shop for back-to-school clothes. As a high-schooler, I never thought twice about how the bill would be paid. Because there was no immediate connection between my spending and the bill payment, I was oblivious to the fact that credit cards were not "free money". Perhaps...

It was our yearly tradition of spending the Fourth of July celebrating and barbecuing with my side of the family in California. In fact, I was lounging in the pool while the kids were swimming and Mark was on a motorcycle ride with the guys. Our cousin wanted the guys to do something special, so he arranged for five of them to get bikes and go for...