Memorial Day is a federal holiday meant to commemorate the heroism of Americans who have lost their lives in military service. But the long weekend has also become widely known as the unofficial start of summer.

Apartment dwellers across the United States will want to use their air-conditioners to keep cool over the summer. If you have one or more air-conditioning units in your rental, you'll no doubt also want to get the most use out of them without spending any more money than you need to.

Get some ideas for staying cool in your apartment. First, learn about zero-cost ways to cool your apartment, and then discover ways you can adjust your air-conditioner settings to maximize efficiency and keep your electricity bill down.

(Photo © Yusuke Sato / Getty Images)

About a month ago, I blogged about Rent.com's "Top 10 Cities for Post-Grads" list. If you're graduating this month and you're still not sure where you want to live, there's now an additional helpful list out there for you to consult.

Today, Apartments.com and Careerbuilder announced their list of the "Top 15 Cities for Recent College Graduates," which takes into account employment opportunities, salary, and rent for a one-bedroom apartment.

Topping the list is Washington, D.C., with an average one-bedroom rent of $1,696 per month, followed by New York, Boston, Minneapolis, and Dallas.

Check out the press release for the full list, including methodology.

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(Image © Peter Gridley / Getty Images)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today that the Atlantic hurricane season (which begins next Friday, June 1) is expected to be "near-normal." However, NOAA notes that major hurricanes, which have the potential for causing significant damage if they make landfall, are in the forecast.

If a hurricane makes landfall and temporarily displaces you from your apartment, getting in touch with family and friends can be difficult. Here are some options you might not be aware of that can help you and loved ones connect after a hurricane or other crisis.

(Photo © Peter K. / SXC)

Say you're a bookworm looking for an apartment in or around the nation's capital. Which places should you consider? (Washington, D.C. itself, as well as Alexandria and Arlington, Va. are all good choices for well-read folks like yourself.) Want to move to a city where your neighbors are most likely to buy books on business and investing? (Try Cambridge, Mass.)

You can get the answers to these questions and more by checking out Amazon.com's second annual "Most Well-Read Cities in America." This new ranking and analysis of U.S. cities based on data compiling total per capita book (print and Kindle), newspaper, and magazine sales can provide you with interesting insight into what or how much the people in cities to which you're consider moving are reading.