The family road trip. We’ve all seen the movies and heard the stories. Some of us have even lived through them. How do you avoid the nightmare and make your next road trip a great memory you’ll want to save forever?

Here are 4 tips to help you get started:

• Plan ahead. Don’t put your packing off until the last minute. Make a list of everything you’re going to need before you start packing, and check it off as you go. Check it again before you leave.

• Double check your reservations before you leave. If the hotel you’re going to be staying at is overbooked or the pool is going to be closed, it’s better to find out from the comfort of your home than the hotel lobby. 

• Plan for contingencies. You’re going to spend an awesome week at the beach, relaxing and soaking up the summer rays. You've packed your swimsuit and towel. The only problem: it’s pouring down rain. Think through your plans and make sure you have some back-up ideas in case things don’t go the way you thought they would.

• Keep other people in mind. Different people have different interests. Just because you love going to art galleries or touring Civil War battlefields doesn’t mean your six-year-old will. Once you’ve picked your vacation spot, check the local tourism board for activities other people can enjoy as well.  

With the right planning, you and your family can enjoy your time on the road, and tell the stories for years to come.

It’s summer: sun and fun. When you’re out of doors enjoying the summer weather, it’s important to remember to take care of yourself. Whether you’re relaxing at the beach, mowing the grass or attending a summer concert, it’s very easy to become dehydrated.

Here are 3 tips to help you stay safe this summer:

• Drink plenty of water.It almost goes without saying, but it’s an easy thing to forget. The average adult loses about 1 to 1.5 liters of water during daily activities, more if they’re working in the heat or strenuously exercising. One easy way to figure out how much water your body needs in a day is to divide your body weight in half. That is the approximate number of ounces of water you’ll need for the day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink 75 ounces water. People who are physically active or spend a lot of time out in the heat may need to drink more.

• Make sure to wear loose, light colored clothing.Dark clothing absorbs heat far more readily than lighter colors. There’s a reason white is considered such a popular color during summer. Black might be stylish, but during the summer it’s not ‘cool’ to wear it. Wearing tight clothing can cut off air circulation, preventing sweat from evaporating and short-circuiting one of the body’s primary ways of cooling you down.

• Avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption. An ice cold brew or a cola might seem like the perfect remedy for a hot summer day, but alcohol and caffeine act as diuretics and can actually dehydrate you even more. 

Seniors, parents, and anyone with a medical condition should consult a physician with questions. Enjoy the sun this summer, but remember to play it safe. Keep your body hydrated and stay at your best during the summer heat.

Over the last decade, the Internet has exploded with financial blogs. These days, anyone with an opinion or a personal story about getting out of debt can start up a blog. While some of them may be inspirational, not all of them are helpful. With so much information out there, how do you tell which of them have anything you can use?

Here are four financial blogs that may be worth your time:

• Bargaineering This is a site specializing in general interest financial news that may affect you.  It’s designed in a simple format, with well written articles covering a wide range of financial topics.  If you’re looking for a general overview of the financial landscape, Bargaineering is a good place to start.

• Block Talk While many of us aren’t full time financial investors, we all have to file our tax returns each year. Block Talk, created by H&R Block, offers a variety of insights into personal finance and lifestyle with a focus on taxes and tax laws. It’s all arranged in a colorful easy to access site, full of useful infographics and other helpful hints for managing your money.

• The Digerati Life Founded by a group of professionals living and working in the tech mecca of Silicon Valley, Digerati Life is technology focused and geared towards entrepreneurs. The site contains a variety of articles about saving money and living better, along with investment strategy tips. 

• Credit.com blog If you have an interest in the credit industry or have been affected by it, this may be the blog for you. Credit.com blog also offers advice for better utilizing your money and getting to keep more of it.  

Collect your info. Save your pennies. Keep your eye on the prize!

A healthy body equals a healthy mind, so the old saying goes. Whether you want to finally ‘get fit’ or simply want some new ideas for workouts, there are great blogs out there with helpful advice to keep you happy, healthy and productive.

• Breaking Muscle: This blog focuses on athletes and hardcore weekend warriors, but even if you’re just starting out, there’s plenty of good stuff to be found. The site has everything from weight lifting to workouts for pregnant women. It also has plenty of instructional videos as well as science and dietary information. 

• Anytime Fitness: If you’re just starting out, Anytime Fitness may be a great place to begin. As its name suggests, the blog is all about working your workout into the rest of your life. There’s quality advice on basic nutrition, exercise and healthy living. The writers cover a wide range of topics, from creating healthy workout habits to what to look for when choosing a gym. 

• Mentality WOD: (Workout of the Day) Staying fit is more than just workout routines and how many miles you ran this morning. Blog creator Dawn Fletcher talks about leveling up mental toughness, rather than just strength technique or conditioning.The blog contains plenty of great information about cultivating a positive attitude, self-confidence and how to deal with both successes and failures. 

So what's your workout? Whatever it is - just do something. You'll be on your way to a better you.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be a luxury. There are some great blogs out there that not only show you how to make a healthy meal, but make it with style.

• Food52blog: This blog is a meeting place for cooks of all stripes. The blog features a wide variety of guest bloggers sharing advice on new culinary delights and a new perspective on old favorites.  It’s packed with recipes to suit any occasion and diet, and it’s updated several times a day. 

• Oh She Glows: If you have a restricted diet, or are looking to make a healthy change in the way you eat, you’ve come to the right place. This award winning blog focuses mainly on vegan dishes.  It contains hundreds of recipes, most of them gluten-free and allergy friendly. 

• Simple Bites:With so many cooking blogs focusing on adults, Simple Bites reminds us that kids need something to eat too. The blog contains plenty of recipes for children of all ages, as well as advice on planning a healthy diet for the whole family. 

• Big Girls, Small Kitchen:Not everyone has time to plan out an elaborate meal, or the space to cook it in. This blog is designed with just those people in mind. It has plenty of recipes, organized both by category and season, as well as helpful tips on how to maximize your kitchen space and stretch your food budget. 

No more excuses. Start eating healthier now. Your body will thank you later.

The smell of the grill, the sultry heat of a summer evening, fireworks lighting up the night— the 4th of July means summer is in full swing.

Early Traditions

The tradition of celebrating the 4th of July goes back to the very beginning of the United States, though it wasn’t officially marked as a federal holiday until 1870. Back in the early days, red and blue paper was expensive and hard to come by so George Washington and his troops started using decorative greenery to mark the occasion. 

Should have been the 2nd?

In fact, it almost wasn’t the fourth of July at all. The original Continental Congress that gathered to sign the Declaration of Independence meant to have everything wrapped up by July 2nd.

John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that: "the Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival." Only two of the delegates actually signed the document on July 4th. It wasn’t until the 2nd of August that most of the delegates actually wrote their names on it.

A day for fun and family

The 4th also means a day of summer fun. The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) estimates that more than 14,000 fireworks displays will light up U.S. skies. And according to the National Hotdog and Sausage Council, over 150 million hotdogs will be eaten.

The 4th is also a time for family celebrations.  62 percent of Americans will gather for a family cookout or picnic, and 34.9 million of us will travel more than 50 miles to visit someone. 

So whether you’re planning a small family get-together, or travelling to one of the big fireworks shows across the country, enjoy the summer and be sure to wish Uncle Sam a happy birthday.