Spring fever has slowly subsided, but summer fever is swinging into full effect. While summer is always the big travel season in the United States, Americans are changing the way they take vacations. For example, look at the new partnership between Groupon and Expedia. They're following the increasingly popular deal-of-the-day model and offering significant discounts on travel packages that can include airfare, hotels, activities, car rentals and more.

That's not the only way to get to your destination for less, though. Try using these 9 thrifty travel tips to save some money on your next vacation.

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It is a common misconception that women who stay at home with their children are considered just a stay-at-home mom.  However, many people have no idea what it is like to take care of children all day long.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade it for the world but it is not the easiest job.  Being a mother of two, a boy of thirteen and a girl of eleven, I can honestly attest to the hard work of motherhood.  Not only am I a mother, I am an office coordinator for a health care group and I work 40 or more hours a week.  However, it didn’t start out that way.

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A lost child is a parent’s worst nightmare. And, as families plan to spend more time outdoors, on vacation and in busy public places this summer, it is important to be prepared. A survey of parents by the Center to Prevent Lost Children showed that 90 percent of families will experience losing a child in a public place at least once, and 20 percent said it has happened more than once. The United States Department of Justice reports that more than 300,000 children become temporarily lost for at least one hour, but the good news is that a majority of those children are quickly found and not harmed.

It is important to try to prevent a child from getting lost but even more important that the child knows what to do if they do get lost. Preparing yourself and a child can make this frightening situation become a bit easier for everyone involved.

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Consumers across America are experiencing sticker shock with this month's electrical bill. While kilowatt rates vary by vendor, a new national increase is being seen across the country.

With the enactment of the Clear Air Interstate Rule from the Environmental Protection Agency, 31 states are required to substantially reduce power-plant emissions. Specifically, power plants must reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by a whopping 71 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 52 percent.

Coal is both the most common energy source and the primary cause of both emissions. As a result, this new regulation is expected to cost coal power plants billions of dollars for retrofitting or in facility replacements. Naturally, this expense is being passed on to consumers. Short of going "off the grid," what's a customer to do?  Here are 12 tips to help reduce your kilowatt usage.

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Antioxidant serums, good nutrition, exercise, avoiding sun damage and not smoking are the most basic and effective preventative steps you can take to keep aging at bay.

A pioneer of many of the most popular anti-aging procedures, leading NYC Plastic Surgeon Dr. Gerald Imber knows about aging skin.

In his book, The New Youth Corridor and on his web site www.youthcorridor.com, Dr. Imber (www.drimber.com) provides the details of what you can expect as you age and essential tips for daily skincare.    He breaks it down, but here are some highlights:

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Imagine a future where nearly everyone owns a small computer that serves as a video camera, a camera, an alarm clock, a GPS and just about everything else you want in a handheld.

Well guess what -- the future is here. The smartphone technology for creating videos has become so popular that Cisco is closing down its FLIP video camera division.

The price tag on these wonder devices can be steep, but with a huge number of features, smartphones are making other tech gadgets obsolete. These are just a few of the ways you can use your smartphone to save some money.

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