This is the second part of a five-part series about how the writer and her husband, Charlie, tackled a major overhaul of their home and the pitfalls they faced along the way. To read the first installment click here.

Now it was onto the next step: Demolition. The destruction was scheduled to begin right after the holidays.

Tom's take: Good idea to hold off on demolition until after the holidays. I can't tell you how many panicked calls I've received on my radio show from folks that absolutely had to get a major project done before an event (a holiday, wedding, anniversary party, sweet-sixteen, whatever). It never makes sense to put that kind of pressure on yourself -- or your contractor. Build a fudge factor into the schedule and the stress factor goes way down.

What do you call someone who graduates from medical school at the bottom of the class? Doctor. Yes, an old joke but it rings true. So how can you avoid the kind of surgical mistakes that plague one Rhode Island hospital? Find a hospital with an excellent safety records about their procedures. That was just what I did before I entered the Orthopedic Hospital in Glendale, Wisconsin, for rotator cuff surgery.

All your life you wanted to do something outlandish for a living. But that cushy corporate gig and the frills attached to it stopped you from turning your passion into a profession.

Enter recession, pink slips and voila your ticket to be your own boss.

Unemployed folks are taking the leap of faith and investing their time, energy and resources into entrepreneurial ventures. Yes, believe it or not, new entrepreneurs are on the upswing in this downward spiraling economy. While some took that layoff as an excuse, many are jump starting new ventures out of necessity.

Last year, the hemorrhaging economy cost 2.6 -million jobs, the highest tally in more than six decades. The bloodletting hasn't stopped yet. But laid off employees are moving on. They are providing that silver lining to an otherwise gloomy environment.

Credit cards: Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em, it seems (although some of our fellow WalletPoppers are having a lively debate about just that right now).

The bottom line is, the majority of you probably need credit cards for something. With the help of Curtis Arnold, founder of the website CardRatings.com, and Doug Miller, senior analyst at research firm Corporate Insight, we sifted through oodles of cards to ferret out the best and the worst when it comes to rates, fees, rewards and perks. As with everything, your particular financial situation may or may not make you eligible for the best possible rates, so check before signing on the dotted line. Also, things can change quickly in Credit-Card Land, especially with sweeping new legislation arriving in just over three months, so double-check all the terms here. (We'll also be updating this round-up after the new rules come into play.)

First, the best-in-show. Break out the noisemakers; these cards rise to the top when it comes to all the stuff you want.

Interest rate: Our parent company, AOL, has sung the praises of this particular card before. Remarkably, given all the upheaval in the industry in recent months, the Simmons First Visa Platinum is still our top pick when it comes to interest rates, with an APR of just 7.25%. Of course, you can go online and find 0% interest offers up the wazoo, but those are limited-time only deals. This 7.25% is the regular rate, not some promotional gimmick designed to suck you in.

Medical journal The Lancet reported a story that's been widely covered by major news outlets: According to The Lancet, more than half of all babies born in the U.S. (and other industrialized countries) since 2000 will live to be 100 years old.

Once a milestone only a handful of seniors reached, this new triple-digit benchmark will become downright commonplace by the time this century winds to a close. Half of all babies born in this country in 2007 will live to be 104 years old.

While the novelty factor is high ("Grandpa, tell us again how there was only one channel of the Internet when you were growing up!"), this announcement has far more serious implications for today's Americans -- both young and old -- when it comes to managing their personal finances. The Lancet study's lead author called the news good for individuals but challenging for societies.

First, a bit of history: While improvements in lifespans over the first half of this century were largely due to decreased infant mortality, longer living today comes on the back end. While the nation braces for the aging of the Baby Boomers, a process that's only just begun and has huge implications on everything from Social Security to health care, the impact of the next wave will be even greater. Fortunately, the study indicates that not only are people living longer, they're staying active longer; in other words, 70 could be the new 40 by the time your kids are adults.

What does this brave new world mean for your personal finances -- and that of your children? Walletpop spoke with John Rother, executive vice president for policy and strategy at the AARP, and asked him to weigh in on the implications for tomorrow's seniors.

Several weeks ago, WalletPop tracked down pop-culture personality Sharona Alperin, the namesake of The Knack's smash hit "My Sharona." She's now in celebrity real estate, and was gracious enough to tell us about the decided downs in that market, all while reminiscing on the 30th anniversary of her song hitting No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Thanks to Sharona, WalletPop landed an interview with Doug Fieger, the founder of The Knack and co-writer of that song. Among other things, we wanted to know how a timeless hit changes a musician's bottom line. To find out, and learn what Doug has been up to since his power-pop masterpiece "Get The Knack" ruled the Summer of 1979, read on ... and if you like, imagine that slammin' "Sharona" drumbeat in your head.

WalletPop: Thirty years after it hit No. 1, "Get the Knack" still sounds as fresh as the time you recorded it. It's aged much better than other records of that era. Why do you think so?

Fieger: I believe that our recordings are timeless. They don't have any schmaz that makes them sound dated. "Get the Knack" could've certainly been recorded last year. We recorded "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't" [another hit] in one day, in one take, with a live lead vocal. We went from beginning to end of the song, and that was it. [Guitarist] Berton Averre and I put in the background vocals, and it was mixed in about 15 minutes total. The whole album took 11 days to record and two days to mix.

Have you seen the headlines lately? The news seems to be loaded with talk of new entitlement programs, federal spending projects, angry protesters, Obama talk, global elections, etc. Well, what's new? And most important, what does this mean for you?

Behind the President's comfortable rhetoric and agreeable headlines about the failing economy lurks the powerful vote by global trade participants. That is, the depreciating US dollar has fallen to 14-month lows compared to a basket of foreign currencies. I must sound the alarm because in the end, we will pay. A falling dollar will lead to inflation, and the US consumer will gradually feel the effects.

You like us! You really like us! The demand for our videos and podcasts has been so strong that we've decided to make them available to you anytime, anyplace. Starting now, you can find many of our productions for free through Apple's iTunes Store.

You'll find some of our greatest video podcast hits there, downloadable to your computer or your iPod or video mobile device. You can even subscribe to our videos and podcasts so you'll receive them to enjoy in the car, at the gym, while you stand in line at the supermarket checkout, or preferably, while you read our daily blog.

I remember the first time I decided to buy a Chicken Ceasar Salad for lunch from McDonald's. Because I'm not a big salad fan, I was a bit hesitant. I walked into McDonald's and heard the busy sounds of cash registers, fryers, people yelling orders, and the smell of fresh greasy fries. To my surprise, the meal was complete with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, croutons and a succulent piece of chicken breast placed neatly above the forest of greens, partly sliced, and topped with spices. Not only did this salad look good, it was delicious! At this moment, the curiosity of what goes on inside the McDonald's kitchen filled my mind.