As far as I’m concerned, the summer should be filled with random trips, delicious food, and time spent with friends or family. Recently, I checked off all of those boxes by taking a day trip into Calgary and attending the world famous Calgary Stampede.

Many of us like to treat ourselves or get to be treated in the summer. The sound of a jingle from an ice cream truck coming down the road is beloved by Canadian children and even some adults every year.

You’re done with college. You’re finally free. You don’t have to worry about staying up all night to complete another essay. You’re never going to see that annoying professor again. You won’t have to put up with the guy who came late and ate lunch in class.

Editor's Note: Last week Martin tried to convince you why men are better with money. Well this week Lindsey fires back and pleads her case as to why the exact opposite is actually true. Who takes care of the finances in your house?

“I want to make more money, but nothing seems to be working. I’m fed up with being broke.”

A buddy of mine complained to me about his financial situation. He wanted to make more money and live a better life. I knew that he wasn’t really doing anything about this. Sure, it’s fun to post quotes online and to complain. It takes a lot of effort to actually do something.

Oh, Calgary Stampede. You are the greatest outdoor show on earth and people come from all over to partake in your festivities. Wow, you are fun. But wow, you are expensive.

These days, with global warming only being denied by right-wing nut-jobs and folks with tinfoil hats , it seems like everyone is worried about the environmental footprint of what they drive. And even though gas prices are down, this phenomenon looks poised to continue.

When you’re trying to get the most out of your budget, sometimes it’s easy to get distracted by the almighty dollar. A lot of us will pass by things like the local produce aisle because it’s more expensive. And it’s true, most if it is more expensive. But there are a lot of pluses to spending the extra few dollars to buy local. Here are five of them:

“Do you really need to buy a whole new living room set?”

I asked the girl I was dating at the time this question. Yes, it led to an argument. I wasn’t in the mood for shopping all day and I certainly didn’t feel like assembling furniture.

Editor's note: Good morning. Boy Oh Boy do we have a fantastic surprise for you today. Our friend Vanessa from Vanessa's Money recently got engaged, is getting married in October and she's sharing her journey right here with us. Not only is Vanessa getting ready for her big day, but the man of her dreams is none other than our own blogger Nelson Smith. Please join me as we wish them nothing but a happily ever after.