It’s summer! Time for a vacation, or not. As the weather heats up we are all looking for ways to cool down, unwind and relax. If spending money ain't your thing or in the budget don't fret. By now everyone is familiar with the term “staycation” I had never heard of this term until a few years ago, but now staycations are becoming increasingly more common as people look for ways to still enjoy life but live within their means.

"""Space & Budget Conscious. We've compiled this list of tried-and-true furniture basics that are under $500. Personally, we own a few of these and nearly everyone we know owns at least one of the items from our list. These all come from large retailers so they are accessible to nearly everyone. There is nothing flashy here, just simple designs that work in a variety of ways and complement a variety of styles..."""

"""In this day and age of specialization, W. Hodding Carter is an unashamed generalist. The man is curious about everything, and his books have taken him around the world. He’s followed in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, retraced Leif Ericsson’s journey to the New World in an authentic replica of a Viking merchant ship, and has written about the ecology of the Everglades, the history of plumbing, his quest for Olympic gold, and even how to build your own mackerel smoker with the same single-minded determination. These days, he’s finding adventure of a different kind—living within his means."""

Yes, it’s true, I worship seiten. Now wait a minute before you start jumping to any conclusions.

Seitan (say-tahn) is a food made from wheat gluten. It is often used as an animal protein replacer in vegan and vegetarian cooking because of the “meaty” texture and high protein content. It is very easy to make, low in fat and super nutritious. Did I mention tasty?

Yesterday in Minneapolis, MN, it hit 90 degrees. I can sense the summer fever from everyone I know. With an early memorial weekend right around the corner, we will be sitting in the summer sun in no time at all! I know many people get excited for the summer, but if you don't actually make use of it, what good is it to you? In this article I have 5 suggestions for cheap or free things to get you out of the house and in to summer fun mode.

How many times have you gone to the grocery store and found yourself in the frozen pizza isle looking at signs that say, "5 for $10" or "3 for $9" for 12" pizzas? Do you usually eat these by yourself? I work from home and often times will throw a frozen pizza in the oven for lunch. Normally I eat about three-quarters of the pizza, complain to myself about how I just overate a little and then I throw the rest out. Today I found myself about to do the exact same thing but then something dawned on me. I checked the nutritional info on the pizza and saw that the whole pizza was 900 calories. That's too much for me just for lunch. Many pizzas are even higher. For one second I wished I had bought smaller pizzas so I wouldn't be throwing any away, but then I had an idea on how to solve this problem easily - and it's not something I've ever seen anyone do before!

"""I get a lot of questions from people who are trying to decide what specific hardware to put into their computers. More often than not, they are trying to take a very old computer and make it usable again. The problem with very old computers trying to run current operating systems and applications is that it requires almost an entire new computer worth of upgrades to bring it up to speed. On the other side, I've used several computers now that are a few years old and only need a very simple upgrade to keep them usable for another year or two."""

"""In one sentence, StevenL spells out the problem that many have with converting to a fiscally responsible mindset. If you’re earning $80,000 a year, shouldn’t you be living an $80,000 lifestyle? The actual truth of the matter is that well-managed personal finance means that by living below your means now, you can live beyond your wildest dreams in the future. Perhaps an example will clearly illustrate this principle."""

There is something very satisfying about growing your own food and you don’t need an acre of land or a lot of money to do it. With food prices skyrocketing and consumer’s wallets tightening, container gardening is a very economical way to grow fresh produce for a fraction of the cost of purchasing it at the store. Imagine freshly prepared salads and salsas made from lettuces, tomatoes and cilantro grown on your balcony or patio. The luxury of having an endless supply of fresh herbs and vegetables, free of pesticides, is simple and available to anyone regardless of space. With container gardening you can raise a surprisingly large amount of organic produce in a relatively small space.

One of my mini-goals in life is to have a closet full of awesomely cute shoes. Much to the dismay of my boyfriend, I'm getting mighty close!