— If you live or shop in the District, you’ve probably already had to shell out a few nickels to buy bags since the five cent bag fee went into effect on January 1st. However, there are still some opportunities to get free bags. Through today, Giant will be providing customers with free resuable bags. Through the end of the month Harris Teeter will give you a free reusable bag if you use your VIC card and spend $20. Safeway is distributing about 10,000 resuable bags through nonprofits. Target will give you five cents if you bring your own bag. And CVS pharmacies are also giving away reusable bags.
— Jill Biden stopped by Banneker Senior High School this week to promote the new shorter, more user friendly version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. More high school seniors are being encouraged to fill out the FAFSA because of the economy. Click here to read more.
— The New York Times is reporting that the South has become the first region in the country where more than half the students in public schools are poor and more than half are minorities. The article, based on a study by the Southern Education Foundation, says the statistics are due to an influx of ethnic groups, the return of blacks to the South, and higher birth rates among black and Latino families. In 2008, 53% of Maryland students and 43% of Virginia students were minorities. Click here to read more.
— Less than 25% of women say they are “very well prepared” to handle their finances. Financial guru Suze Orman tackles the issue with this easy money to-do list. How prepared are you to manage your finances?