Happy Summer Solstice, y'all! June 21st is the longest day of the year, and officially marks the beginning of summer. Tonight at 4:08 pm PST will mark the exact time when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer, and reaches the farthest north in the sky. The word solstice comes from the Latin word "solstitium", meaning "sun" and "to stop", as the sun appears to stop it's seasonal progression, before it disappears southward in the later months. Summer always makes me think of activities, so below, I've rounded up some fun recipes to try, DIY, and my favorite saving advice.

Without further ado, here's are my picks for the Top 10 DealPro posts of the week...

Homemade Vanilla Extract- Gather up the extra vodka you've got lying around the house and add some vanilla beans to your shopping cart. This week, we're emphasizing DIY, and teaching you how to make homemade vanilla extract.

Works For Me Wednesday: At Home Manicure- Grab a nail file and some polish remover, and turn on a Lifetime movie (I know I'm not the only one who enjoys how awful and hilarious they are). A chipped manicure may not seem like a huge deal, but you don't want something so small to take away from the effort you put into your overall look. If you don't have the time or money to get your nails done, you just need a few supplies to mimic the look at home.

How To Freeze Rice Who knew you can actually freeze rice?! I always end up making too much and simply throw away the leftovers, but this sounds like a much better idea.

Recipe: Crock Pot Saucy Chicken and Rice Using a crock pot is one of the easiest ways to make a meal. Set up the ingredients in the morning, turn on, and head to work (or your errands). You'll come home to the smell of dinner cooking and ready to eat.

Recipe: Homemade Pesto In the battle of marinara vs. alfredo vs. pesto, the latter wins every time for me. I love pesto for it's versatility as a sandwich spread, pasta sauce, or an accent to a side dish. DealPro Ashley is in the kitchen with Mom again, and sharing her favorite version of this treat.

Saving Money at the Pump for Summer Almost exactly three weeks ago, I finally made the move up to LA from Orange County. For those of you not familiar with Southern California geography, it's about a 45-mile trek (one-way) from the westside down to beach town. When gas topped $4/gallon, even my Prius was starting to squirm. Before you set out on that roadtrip, have a plan in place, so you don't spend too much at the gas station.

Personal Finance Advice For Newlyweds So you've spent the last year pinning wedding inspiration photos, and perfecting your oh-so-cute DIY table cards, and it's almost time to make the walk down the aisle. It's wedding season, and a bunch of us at Savings HQ are shopping for bridesmaid's dresses and looking through the registry. While weddings make us think of Disney fairy tales and happily ever after, marriage also means the merging of finances, shared income and being held accountable for each other's student loans (because if they're marrying you when you still owe $40k for a series of Freshman GEs that never amounted to much, than it's truly love.

How Much Does The Tooth Fairy Leave At Your House Remember the excitement of losing a tooth? The simultaneous discomfort and trying not to poke it with your tongue, but not being able to hold yourself back. Spoiler Alert: Not all parents can afford to play the over-generous Tooth Fairy. How much money are you leaving your kids for a tooth?

How Coupons Changed My Financial Life If you think using a single coupon at the store is going to make a dent in your wallet, then we need to have a talk. Effectively budgeting your money and using coupons can save you a lot of money, but you need to learn how to attack the process. One of DealPros tells her story here.

‎23 Uses for Vinegar If you don't feel like buying 10 different bottles of cleaning supplies or just want to cut back on the number of chemicals and toxins you use, vinegar may be the alternative you're looking for. This list is a great starting place if you're not sure where to start.