How tight should a chain be?

Also, my specialized shoes are crap.  The clip on my right foot has to be tightened about 3 times per ride on a 50 minute ride. Its been like that since my second ride with the things and I ride all of the time so it's really starting to bug me.   Any quick fixes or good solid shoes that will last a while but cost under $100? 

Thanks for the help. 

generalized stuffs like that

shimano shoes or the aldi (crane sports) ones for a real bargain ,but mebee not in the colonies

kona jack shit flatties and trainers (sneakers) ??

chains about 10 mm (3/8") movement is fine for me  

That's right - Shimano shoes are the best. Well designed, subtle looking, last for years, nice and wide, good range of options, relatively cheap. I'm generally anti-corporate in my buying habits, prefering to support the little guy. No little (or medium) guy makes shoes and pedals that come anywhere near to Shimano.

Chains will always have a tight spot. Adjust so that the chain is taught, but not binding or noisy, at the tightest spot. This should mean it's not flapping at the loosest spot. Your chain should never be free enough to whip or flap about, otherwise it could derail when spinning over rough ground. Chain tension will usually need adjusting after every couple of rides - or sometimes even during the ride on very long one. Singlespeeds live and die by their chain-line and chain tension. Straight chain, no flap - that's the rule for a happy life!

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"Gears are like eyes or testicles. Having more than one is an unnecessary luxury." Elvis A. Presley

No shoes yet!  Building my first single speed, how much of an issue will chain tension be with horizontal dropouts?  Should I be considering cog sizes/ratios or teeth size 1/8 chain???  I have an old 501 frame which has a crankset already on it should I use this or buy something else, trying to balance budget with a nice ride.

Old-style horizontal road drop outs should provide enough adjustment to fine tune the tension. Remember that you'll need to adjust the wheel backwards as the drivetrain wears, so don't build it up initially with the axle set right at the back of the slots. The drop out slots can be lengthened slightly with a file if that helps - but only by a couple of mm. If the axle ends up too close to the front or rear of the slot you may benefit from fitting a half-link in the chain. Good luck with your build.

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"Gears are like eyes or testicles. Having more than one is an unnecessary luxury." Elvis A. Presley