Many of us bums are doing freelance writing, working on our screen plays, or trying to take over the world from a corner of our bedrooms and living rooms. Though the commute is great and office attire is unbeatable, when physical space is multi-function it's a bit harder to differentiate work-time from down-time. Unless you have the money to move to a bigger home or add a floor, consider spending some time creating separate space for your work. When creating a plan for work/everything else separation, plan on organizing your private space and re-thinking the public. The space dilemma requires a bit of a mix-and-match-as-needed approach.

If you're about to get off for a summer vacation or just got fired, you may be wondering what to do with all that extra time. Sure laying on the couch is fun for a couple days, but too much sloth can lead to an overall feeling of blah. Since the economy still sucks, you may struggle to find work. So do some good (and build your resume up in the process) by volunteering at a local organization. It's much easier to have a meaningful volunteer experience when you pair yourself with a cause you actually care about; kittens, books, or homeless youth: very different, but they all could use your help.

Most of us have heard statistics about HPV, HIV, gonorrhea, pregnancy (!) ... the list goes on and on. Let us break it down for you: sex is fun, but you can't afford to expose yourself to major risks. The LA Times just reported about the growing proclivity of those in early adulthood to have more partners. Protect yourself as much as possible. Let's face it, STDs and unintended conception are just not that much fun, and can lead to unwanted expenses.

One of the biggest challenges currently facing the music industry is how to make money. Lucky for you, that means there is tons of free music out there. No longer bound by record needles and eight-tracks, the rise of the internet means new music is always at your fingertips. Even when you're keeping it legal by streaming or only downloading free tracks, there's a whole treasure trove of music just waiting to be discovered.

Life is a roller coaster; sometimes you want to laugh and other times you want to cry. The miracle of the internet connects us to people from all over the world who want to share their experiences with you in words or pictures. Whether high art or mass cultural collage, visual images have immense power. The following are a few sites that have captured our attention and kept us coming back for more. We here at RFB won't assume whether these pics and stories will make you feel sad, less alone, or the ever-popular schadenfreude. Chuckle, sob, roll your eyes, whatever. And, being a bum, you might find some time on your hands to contribute. Do it. Everyone wants to know about your pain.

Our freeloading selves know that the free tv bonanza can't last forever, but we wanna take advantage of it while we can. Cable cut? Can't afford the digital box adapter? Don't sweat it. There are plenty of online sites that will have your favorite shows ready and waiting.

The Year of the Tiger began on Sunday with the Chinese New Year. (Did you make it to the Tet Festival in Garden Grove over the weekend?) The lunar New Year is the biggest of the traditional Chinese holidays, lasting 15 days, culminating with the Lantern Festival, this year on March 6. Keeping with tradition, it's time to clean your house or apartment, get some new clothes, and make plans to hang out with the family. Get ready for good food and buy gifts for friends. If you're lucky, you may even get a red envelope with a bunch of cash to blow in the new year. LA's got a whole slew of festivities worth checking out. Here's a rundown.

The Missing Persons were largely right: Nobody walks in LA. Which is a real shame because it's such a great idea. LA is much more walkable than you might think. Don't believe me? Check out this website listing LA's most walkable neighborhoods. If you live in a green area, congrats! You have a prime spot in a dense, destination-full locale. Make the most of it! If you live in a red area, our apologies. Moving to a new neighborhood is probably out of the question, but no reason why you still can't make the effort to be more pedestrian. Let's all prove Dale Bozzio wrong. Here's the why and the how.

Although many of us harbor bitterness toward the big 'ol V-Day, there are a few broke romantics still out there. Forgive the bad poetry, but it’s got to be done:

Chocolate and flowers,
cards and gifts,
use your RFB powers,
to make little shifts,
that’ll keep your lovers,
diving under the covers.

If you are considering a Masters or PhD, you need to get realistic about the costs of application and attendance. It's definitely not cheap. However, the beauty of making a list of expenses is that you may be able to find someone else to pay for them, or, at the very least, find places to cut corners. If you're smart enough for grad school, you better be smart enough to get prepared.