It’s May. Memorial Day and the end of the school year are in sight. Suddenly, you’re thinking about a summer vacation. A little advance planning — and some insider tips — can save you a lot of money. Whether you’re booking airfare, a car rental or a hotel room, there are questions you should ask first.

Are you interested in cutting costs and saving money?

The football coaches evidently can’t wait until August for their first showdown of the year.

Thunder Mountain Sports, 1334 E. Chandler Blvd., will have sand volleyball all summer starting May 24 through July 26.

As anyone who has ever taken a standardized test knows, the last step in preparing for the test is to sharpen your No. 2 pencil. That may not be enough, however, for those thinking about taking college entrance exams. Planning and preparation for the ACT/SAT should begin now for rising seniors. Here are some topics to consider as you establish your test-taking strategies.

Beer fans can get a lift to this weekend’s big brew party.

Calling the governor's proposal unacceptable and politically dead at the Legislature, House Speaker Andy Tobin unveiled his own new plan Tuesday to expand Medicaid, one that would give Arizona voters the final say.

Seeking to keep fields accessible and available to some 4,000 kids in and around Ahwatukee, various youth sports leagues met with the Kyrene School District on Monday after add-on costs to the Ahwatukee Foothills Pony Baseball Association caused heated community concern.

Dillie Nerios is a Florida food stamp recruiter. Her job is to sign up 150 seniors monthly in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The persistence and determination I have shown in the past four years is about reform and getting us ready for the new world we live in. There is a bigger reason why I have been pushing so hard for change. It’s about getting Phoenix ready to compete in a global economy. If the council repeals the food tax it will be added to a long list of reforms we accomplished. There were three significant reforms toward the goal of getting us ready to compete in this new world market and getting government to operate more like your household

Gov. Jan Brewer has cleared one hurdle for new research on the possible medical benefits of marijuana.

Dear Mikey,

Here’s a sobering statistic: 46 percent of workers surveyed had little or no confidence that they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years, according to the 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey, issued by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. So you may want to explore all possible retirement savings vehicles —including a variable annuity.

There are restaurants that slash prices on margaritas or invite a mariachi band for Cinco de Mayo - and then there are restaurants that go a little nuts.

Santana is a 1-year-old Boxer/Great Dane mix that is fun, has high energy, and is eager to learn tricks. He likes other large dogs that can keep up with him and tons of exercise. He is neutered, microchipped, and up to date on his shots and ready to find his forever home.

On May 5, 1862, a rag-tag force of vastly outnumbered Mexican soldiers held off well-provisioned French troops backed by heavy artillery in a battle to defend Mexican sovereignty.

We were married on St. Patrick’s Day at the Foothills Golf Club. The wedding was beautiful, everyone had a wonderful time, the pictures came out great — best wedding a couple could ask for. If it wasn’t for the Ahwatukee community; however, our day would have been a disaster.

Home-decorating television shows and shelter magazines have many Americans dreaming about inviting an expert interior designer into their homes.

With the housing recovery gaining steam, Americans have more incentives to paint up, touch up and otherwise redecorate their homes. But there’s no need to spend willy-nilly.

Ganache is a 3-year-old Lhasa Apso mix. This shy boy needs slow introductions to other dogs. After he gets comfortable he can be playful, gentle, and very sweet. He has become friends with some of the other dogs at AAWL so other dogs would have to meet him first to see if they are compatible.

When an event or circumstance arises in your life that you think might require the expertise of an attorney, you may be at a loss as to where to start to find the right one. There are plenty of advertisements on television and online, but how do you know if you will get value for your money, if the attorney will be attentive to you and your needs, and whether the attorney will do a good job for you?

Next week, we observe Earth Day. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day has grown into an international movement whose goal is to raise awareness of the need to take action to sustain a healthy, sustainable environment. You can do your part through recycling and other measures, but you can also apply some of the lessons of Earth Day to your financial situation — and, in particular, to your approach to investing.

Saying there are technical problems with the proposal, Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed legislation Friday which would have allowed individuals to shop around for the best price on health care needs.

Spring is in the air. And if you’re like many people, you may be looking forward to doing some spring cleaning around your house and yard. But this year, why not go beyond your physical environment and do some “sprucing up” of your financial situation?

In a move that could cripple the organization, Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Friday to block the state's three universities from collecting fees for the Arizona Students Association.