Clearing Up Your Leaves -- Savings Experiment

For people who live in wooded neighborhoods, Fall is a mixed blessing. On the bright side, there's Halloween and Thanksgiving, crisp mornings and brisk nights. Best of all, there's the eye-catching joy as leaves turn a shocking range of red, orange and yellow shades, filling the horizon with an explosion of color.

Unfortunately, it only takes a few days for nature's fireworks to transform into a slimy mess as fallen leaves begin to decompose, forming a suffocating mass that can kill your lawn and turn your front walk into a slippery deathtrap. Getting out early to rake leaves will not only keep your lawn looking nice, but could also prevent a nasty fall later in the season.