Summer is upon us as of this past weekend it was official. Though in these parts, I've been sweating my behind off for weeks. Anyway I love that with each season people find a reason to start fresh and I'd be remiss not to add that it is a notion I subscribe to.

That said, it is summer in a time of who knows what? 'Economic uncertainty' has been way overused so I'm just going to say that it is summer and perhaps we should all do a little soul searching when it comes to our budgets because this whole $65.60 for a tank of gas BS has caused my right eye to start twitching. I have totally become that person who eyes the gas signs through out every state I visit and I sometimes even think about how much gas I could get with just five dollars. With the increase in prices, families especially are feeling the burn as school is out and summer vacation starts. Money Saving Mom has great tips on how her family has embraced $4 a gallon gas:

1) High gas prices have encouraged our family to slow down and stay home more.
A go-go-go lifestyle isn't healthy for anyone, so I'm thankful for the
motivation to reconsider outside activities and commitments and pursue
a simpler, more relaxed pace in our life.

With the rising cost of everything it is only natural for people to think about how to cut corners to save a little cash. Especially on seemingly superfluous things like the gym. Thankfully with warmer weather comes the ability to take the workout routine outdoors. I have a bit of the running bug (don't ask and the way I do it...well...I look like an injured fawn) and while in some ways it might be cheaper, I have completed three 5Ks in four weeks to the tune of $25 a pop. For all you non-math majors that is $75 that I actually paid to torture myself for 30 (ok 30 PLUS) minutes. This in addition to new sports bras that actually do what they are intended to do and that I must purchase new sneakers ASAP due to overprotonation and shin splints. By way of Frugal Babe, Free From Broke figures out just how frugal running really is:

People pay hundreds in gym memberships and buy expensive machines for
home to workout when a simple run may be all they need. What’s it take
to run? Go out and move faster than a walk! But then I thought about it
and I realized running can be expensive as well.

And finally it is summer and that means hellacious travel. It also means that I will be spending 40 days of the next two months away in various hotels around the country. Ever since I started excessive travel I have always wondered one important thing: How much to leave for the maid? Seriously. I think about it constantly and never know if I leave too much (not that there is such a thing) or too little. Usually I just take whatever is spare and in my wallet and leave it at that. Dollar Frugal has a post about maid tipping and whether or not parents should teach their children the importance of leaving a good tip for their maid. For the record mine did which is why I am anal retentive about it now.

Anyway, I just want to know your opinions. Should the parents
have given their daughters money to tip their maids? Are the daughters
responsible for their own room tips? Do you think their parents
probably didn’t teach their daughters to tip? Are teens not generally
tippers?

Heather Barmore is not very frugal and writes about it at No Pasa Nada. For the record she really would love to be.