What's YOUR secret to creating your own economy?

I'm curious.

How many of you are feeling affected by the economy right now?
Are you worried about your business?
Are you looking for more income streams?
Do you want to start a business but are afraid this isn't the right time?

For myself, I'm always interested in looking for more ways to take charge of my OWN life and my OWN income. That's why I was intrigued by Ali Brown's new free teleclass on Thursday, March 5, called "How to Create Your OWN Strong Economy This Year...With Online Information Marketing."

You may have heard of Ali. She's really shaken up the Internet marketing world by being honest and telling it how it is. And now she's going to do the same about the economy, the recession, and building a business.

Here's the link to sign up for Ali Brown's free call.
(Be sure to sign up even if you can't make the actual call - Ali will be sending you an invaluable offer via e-mail.)

And don't forget to share your thoughts and questions below. I'd love to know what you really think about your business and the economy right now.

Let Splenda help with your holiday entertaining!

I have to confess. I am usually an "over-planner". You know the type (they probably drive you nuts!)...they have the Christmas shopping done by December 1st, the holiday meals all planned and practically cooked weeks in advance, and sail through that week before Christmas with a blissful smile on their face. While I have not often achieved "blissful smile mode", I usually come pretty close.

Not this year.

I don't know what it is - maybe the increased responsibilities at work or the nasty weather that has kept me off the roads on a number of days when I would usually be getting things done. Whatever it is, I am behind the eight ball this year. Waaaay behind.

With the threat of another nasty winter storm closing schools tomorrow, I stashed Little J at my mom's house and headed out to try and get some things done. Since the weather is promising three storms in the next five days, everyone else in Southeast Wisconsin had the same idea. It was a zoo out there - people cutting each other off in traffic, stealing parking places, and hitting each other with their shopping carts in an effort to be next in line at the cash register. Bah humbug!

By the end of my shopping trip, I had a splitting headache. I couldn't stand to try and even think about meal planning for the Christmas Eve party we are hosting. I know that I don't want this year to be like last year where I didn't even sit down to visit with my guests. Turns out that this is not uncommon.

So this year, I am enlisting the help of the people at Splenda. Yep - you read that right and you can get their help too. Check out their website and get help with everything from recipes, to planning your celebration, to low calorie festive beverage options. (Be sure to check out new Splenda with added fiber to add a little healthy kick to your baking.) Give yourself the chance to sit and relax with your guests this holiday season - it's what the time is supposed to be all about, right?

A Greener House

I've talked in the past about how much I like Clorox's Green Works cleaners. Their all purpose and glass cleaners are now a staple in my cleaning cabinet. I love that they are not prohibitively expensive, do a great job, smell good, and are all natural.

That's why I was thrilled when Mom Central contacted me to let me know that Clorox had come out with a new Green Works dish soap. Knowing how pleased I was with the other cleaners I had been given, I was excited to receive my new dish soap.

I am happy to report that it did not disappoint. Like the other Green Works products, it delivers a powerful cleaning punch while helping me to keep harsh chemicals and fumes out of my home. It works just as well as it chemical laden counterparts and does not break the bank like some natural alternatives can.

Clorox's Green Works products are available at most general retailers (anywhere Clorox products are sold). I have found them at both my local grocery store and at my local Target. The dish soap is available in five scents: Original, Water Lily, Tangerine, Free & Clear and Simply Lemon.

I'm hoping that Green Works disinfecting wipes are next!!

AccuClean

After spending the day outside planting, my allergies have kicked in full swing. This spring seems to be particularly bad as my usual meds aren't helping at all. Little J is suffering as well and has now developed itchy red eyes to compliment his runny nose. He's rubbed one eye so much, it triggered a nasty case of eczema on his eyelid which required a trip to the pediatrician yesterday.

All of this brought back a conversation I had with my furnace repair guy this past winter. (We use a small company and they come out twice a year to maintain our furnace and air conditioner and are starting to feel like family.)

One of the (many) really cold days this past winter, we woke up to the furnace cycling on and off about every 45 seconds. Not a reassuring sound when the scheduled high is -5. The furnace repair guy came out right away and after an hour of fiddling around determined that the furnace was having trouble sucking in air through the filter. I had bought the ultimate-clean-all-allergens-out-of-the-air super thick filter to help with allergies. Turns out it was putting a bit of a strain on the already running 24/7 furnace.

The repair guy suggested that I look into a whole house filter as it would ease the strain on our furnace and is much more effective than what I was using. I figured it would be complicated to install and cost a ton, so I kind of put it on the back burner for a while.

This spring has brought it back to my attention!

So imagine my delight when MomCentral came looking for people to explore the AccuClean Whole Home Air Filtration System by American Standard. I immediately checked out their website and was thrilled with what I learned:

• It removes allergens: AccuClean filters airborne allergens like mold, dust mites, pollen, even pet hair and animal dander, before they can land on your rugs, floors and upholstery.


• It prevents odors: The majority of irritating particles like cooking grease, even smoke from burnt food, can be removed from the air. (I often avoid cooking fish in the winter because I can't stand the smell lasting for days after.)


• It removes up to 99.98% of unwanted particles and allergens from the filtered air in your home. (Standard 1" throwaway filters and ionic-type room appliances can't even begin to match that.)


• It removes the flu virus from the air...after the winter we had here, this is a HUGE plus for me!


• It has a reusable filter that can be easily washed or vacuumed.


• It can be attached to your existing furnace or air handler, so you don't need to renovate your home to install it.

There were quite a few dealers in my area who carry American Standard products. If this sounds like something that might help your family, head over and check it out.

Ragú's Fresh & Simple Pouches

I am usually a pretty good cook. I try to have some sort of homemade meal on the dinner table at least five or six nights a week. It's not always fancy, but it usually is pretty healthy and somewhat yummy.

Before we had Little J, we used to eat out quite a bit. We have since scaled back due to concerns about the health of our wallets and waistlines. Still, there are those days when cooking a meal seems overwhelming on top of running to practices, getting the laundry put away, running errands, and everything else that needs to get done in a day.

Ragu has come up with a great product to help out on just such a day...Fresh and Simple Pouches. Heated up in 90 seconds in the microwave, Ragú's Fresh & Simple Pouches can be added to any pasta, meat, or seafood dinner and taste delicious. In addition to how easy Ragú's pouches are to prepare - all you have to do is snip off a corner and toss in the microwave - they also contain only all-natural ingredients, along with Vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and protein. And to make me feel less guilty, the sauces have no sugar added, no artificial additives or preservatives. Plus, no messy pan to clean up at the end of the meal! Thanks so much for the free samples, Ragu!!

Check out Ragu's website for more information as well as some great recipes to try. (Be sure to print out their free recipe booklet.)

Cranergy

Ocean Spray has come out with its own energy drink, Cranergy. A delicious and naturally energizing juice drink, Cranergy is made with a base of cranberry juice, which is then enhanced with natural energizers like green tea extract and B vitamins. It contains no high fructose corn syrup and is sweetened with Splenda and has only 35 calories per eight-ounce serving (50 percent fewer calories than other leading energy drinks and traditional sodas).

Best of all, Cranergy tastes great! Ocean Spray was kind enough to supply me with some samples of their new beverage in Cranberry Lift and Raspberry Cranberry Lift flavors. Now I have to add that I grew up on cranberry juice and have always been a huge fan of it, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like this jazzed-up version. I had nothing to worry about. Ocean Spray has stayed true to their juice roots and only improved on what they have already done. Both flavors were crisp and refreshing and definitely not overly sweet, like I had feared.

Not only is Cranergy refreshing, but the green tea and B vitamins give a little extra lift to your energy without having that sugar or caffeine crash in the afternoon. I will definitely be adding Cranergy to my grocery list. If you would like to try Cranergy for yourself, grab a coupon here.

Go For the Gold!

It's hard to believe Tony the Tiger and Frosted Flakes turn 56 this year (and does he look good for his age or what?). Frosted Flakes were such a major part of most people's childhood breakfasts. They conjure up feelings of home and family.

The folks at Kellogg's have improved on this breakfast staple with a new product, Frosted Flakes Gold. With ten grams of whole grain and three grams of fiber in each serving, Kellogg's has combined better nutrition with that great taste we all remember.

Kellogg's has also teamed up with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Little League® International and Girls on the Run International to create the Earn Your Stripes™ program. This program encourages kids to be more active, eat right and work hard to achieve their goals.

Thanks to Kellogg's for the cereal sample and to Mom Central for their sponsorship.