Herding Cats: Our Favorite Savings Stories for the Week of February 21st

We're almost done with February, the awkward Muggsy Bogues of months (if you get that awful pseudo-joke, I applaud you), but if you don't have a big, fat tax refund coming in April (like I do, mwah ha ha!), I've got some tips this week for how to keep having fun while sort of saving money at the same time!

WalletPop: Go For Less: Spring Training At Walt Disney World - I always meant to use one of my college spring breaks to watch some Cactus League baseball in Arizona, but it never happened. If you've had a cold, stressful winter, it's the best possible way to get a relaxing dose of summer a few months early (not to mention the awesomely low ticket prices). Once the regular season starts, I'll probably compile some more of the best recession ballgame deals for you baseball fans like I did last year.

USA Today: Restaurants Add Happy Hours To Boost Bottom Lines - I'm not a big fan of early-bird happy hours because they're pretty much useless if you have a 9-to-5 job. The Yard House probably has my favorite one of any restaurant chain not only because it's nice and late (10pm-midnight, Sun-Weds), but because their incredible crafts and imports are all under $5 a pint. If you happen to be a fellow San Diegan, bookmark OutnSD - it's the ultimate happy hour aggregator for America's Finest City.

MainStreet: Win $10K By Being Scared To Death - All you have to do is sit through a mediocre Bollywood horror movie called "Phoonk 2" without closing your eyes or running out of the theater. Considering the original Phoonk left audiences "giggling or shaking their heads in disbelief," according to this review, it's safe to say whoever gets picked will probably succeed. Want a real challenge? Try to sit through "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" if you've seen the excellent original. After the first ten minutes I was convinced we were being subjected to some kind of sadistic off-season April Fools joke, but unfortunately, the actual film was that catastrophically bad. The good news? Leaving halfway through netted me a free voucher for another movie, so I sort of got my money back.

SmartMoney: Thinking About A Tax Protest? Don't Try It - It's been 97 years since the Sixteenth Amendment made federal income tax a permanent inevitability of American life, but some people just can't seem to accept it. Here is a list of very, very stupid ways people have attempted to rebel against our vicious government for stealing their hard-earned cash to pay for silly things like roads, police forces, and other critical infrastructure. I think I'd take these people more seriously if they hadn't named their movement after something a guy does to humiliate a drunk friend after said friend passes out at a party with his shoes on.

Gizmodo: When It's Okay To Pay For An App - iPhone users, you fill me with jealous hatred, but I have for you a killer guide to the very best not-free apps. Surprisingly, the App Store Effect is a proven phenomenon - you can get access to stuff on your iPhone for a lot less than you would normally pay for the actual services elsewhere. Giz also tells you which apps to skip and which to go for when it comes to cooking, file storage, messaging, navigation, personal finance, and Twitter. Meanwhile, my amazing phone can check sports scores and update my Facebook status. Yes, that's it. Shut up.

Fortune: Bloom Box Debut: More IPO Than CO2 - CBS news-magazine "60 Minutes" always features exciting leaps in technological advancement, but it's rather anti-climactic because the magical devices are usually several years or even a decade from being feasible and affordable. The Bloom Box is no different - it could someday rescue us from the archaic power grid, but right now it's unreliable and expensive (without government tax credits, it's pricier than paying normal utility bills). Let's hope this thing can live up to the hype in the near future!

Commence weekend... NOW.