Family Dollar has been in business for 50 years, and it's celebrating with the 50 Days of Giveaways contest.

The chain will be giving away daily prizes that include cash, computers, Nintendo Wii game systems and more over seven weeks. Week one ends today. See the prize calendar for the details of what's being given away and when. But understand that it's saving the best for last -- giving seven laptop computer bundles away during week six, and seven Nintendo Wii game system bundles away during week seven.

The grand prize is a Ford Fusion Hybrid and First Prize is a 52" Sharp Plasma HDTV & Home Theater System.

Register online to get a chance to win every day. If you wish, you can even sign up for a daily email reminder to enter.

There's a limit of one sweepstakes entry per person, per email address and per household per day.

You can also enter by U.S. Mail by hand-printing your name, full address, daytime and evening telephone numbers and date of birth on a 3" x 5" piece of paper and mailing it in a #10 envelop to 50 Days Entry, P.O. Box 8427, Melrose Park, IL 60161. One such request can be mailed per day. You'll receive one game play and one entry into the Sweepstakes.

You can receive up to five bonus game plays in one of two ways. Refer up to five different friends online or receive five bonus game plays by mail. Be sure to read the official rules to get all the details.

I admire Family Dollar for being up-front about your chances. In the very first paragraph on the official rules page it state: "Many will enter and play, few will win." But, hey, somebody's gonna drive away in a brand new car. It might as well be you.

If you do win the car, but you'd rather have cash, you could opt to receive a check for $12,500, instead. That's a nice hunk of change.

Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and dollar store diva. She writes ideas and tips for home decorating using only items from the dollar store.