half of all home outlets not working
Residences have two 120 lines coming into the main box, for a total of 240Volts. Obviously something is wrong with with one of the lines, or even the neutral. You can make some voltage checks on the lines if you have a meter, to see if there is partial voltage on the outlets that aren't working(bad neutral). You can also check the main box, but realize you are dealing with 240Volts. If you have any 240V dryer outlets you can check those too if you have an AC meter.

Beyond inspecting the main box for anything obvious(loose screw terminals, etc), it is probably time to bite the bullet and call an electrician. Be sure to turn off the master breaker if you play with the panel. The main terminal where the wire comes in will always have voltage, so be careful.