Old Town | Photo by Denise Grays

“Sustainable” and “Shop Local” are big buzz words among the food-savvy these days. But what exactly does it mean to shop and eat sustainably and locally, should we be doing more of it, and is it going to make my grocery bill higher than my rent check?
Let’s take a look at the concept of sustainability first. Everyone knows what a budget is, at least in theory. We budget because we have limited financial resources, and we need to balance spending with income in order to come out even or, …

True story: last spring, I sold most of my earthly belongings in preparation for moving out of the country indefinitely. The moving part didn’t end up happening (that’s a tale for another time), but finding myself with a completely bare apartment most definitely did. For two months, my living room decor consisted of a papisan chair, a TV tray and my TV. A year and a half later, I’ve managed to procure enough furniture (and accessories) to fully furnish a 2 bedroom home. And the kicker? I did it all …

If you haven’t noticed, our country survives when we buy stuff. We buy houses and the economy booms. Black Friday is the new Fourth of July in America. Love it or hate it, it’s reality.  If you missed out on waiting in line at 4 am last Friday, here are some shopping tips for helping get our country back into the black.
HDTVs
TVs are this year’s game system. Last year, people were choking their neighbors for a Wii. This year, folks will be braving the swine flu …

Are you looking to do more this holiday season than spend money? Think outside the gift box and volunteer for one ofthe more than 260 nonprofit organizations in Wichita, many of which have holiday opportunities. But how can you decide which organization is a good fit for you? The United Way of the Plains Volunteer Center is ready to match you to an opportunity to do good things, this holiday and every day.
According to Volunteer Coordinator Becky Springer, the United Way Volunteer Center has helped match 7,000 …