diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 0de00755..d43f903d 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ group :test do
   gem 'shoulda'
   # Extracted from RSpec 3 stub_model and mock_model
   gem 'rspec-activemodel-mocks'
+  gem 'timecop'
 end
 
 group :development, :test do
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index e5ead004..207994b4 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ GEM
     thor (0.19.1)
     thread_safe (0.3.4)
     tilt (1.4.1)
+    timecop (0.7.1)
     timers (1.1.0)
     tins (1.1.0)
     transitions (0.1.12)
@@ -443,6 +444,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   shoulda
   spring-commands-rspec
   sqlite3
+  timecop
   transitions
   turbolinks
   uglifier (>= 1.3.0)
diff --git a/config/environments/test.rb b/config/environments/test.rb
index 64339b64..5fe68d99 100644
--- a/config/environments/test.rb
+++ b/config/environments/test.rb
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ Osem::Application.configure do
 
   config.after_initialize do
     ActiveRecord::Base.logger = nil
+    # Set Time.now to May 1, 2014 00:01:00 AM (at this instant), but allow it to move forward
+    t = Time.local(2014, 05, 01, 00, 01, 00)
+    Timecop.travel(t)
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/call_for_papers.rb b/spec/factories/call_for_papers.rb
index 1cf91c84..5585a361 100644
--- a/spec/factories/call_for_papers.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/call_for_papers.rb
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :call_for_papers do
-    start_date Date.today - 1
-    end_date Date.today + 7
+    start_date { 1.day.ago }
+    end_date { 7.days.from_now }
     description 'We call for papers'
     conference
   end
diff --git a/spec/factories/conferences.rb b/spec/factories/conferences.rb
index e4b6732f..4b7be4be 100644
--- a/spec/factories/conferences.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/conferences.rb
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     social_tag 'dps14'
     timezone 'Amsterdam'
     contact_email 'admin@example.com'
-    start_date Date.today
-    end_date Date.today + 6.days
-    registration_start_date Date.today + 3.days
-    registration_end_date Date.today + 5.days
+    start_date { Date.today }
+    end_date { 6.days.from_now }
+    registration_start_date { 3.days.from_now }
+    registration_end_date { 5.days.from_now }
     make_conference_public true
     venue
   end
diff --git a/spec/factories/photos.rb b/spec/factories/photos.rb
index aa9f0f96..49180a0b 100644
--- a/spec/factories/photos.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/photos.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     picture_file_name 'rails.png'
     picture_content_type 'image/png'
     picture_file_size '1024'
-    picture_updated_at DateTime.now
+    picture_updated_at { DateTime.now }
     description 'Lorem Ipsum Dolor'
     conference
   end
diff --git a/spec/factories/social_events.rb b/spec/factories/social_events.rb
index 2dd59b37..46088701 100644
--- a/spec/factories/social_events.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/social_events.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :social_event do
     title 'Example Social Event'
     description 'Lorem Ipsum Dolsum'
-    date Date.today
+    date { Date.today }
     conference
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/factories/targets.rb b/spec/factories/targets.rb
index ea9d4e9f..181a4e25 100644
--- a/spec/factories/targets.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/targets.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :target do
-    due_date Date.today + 14
+    due_date { 14.days.from_now }
     target_count 100
     unit Target.units[:submissions]
   end
diff --git a/spec/factories/users.rb b/spec/factories/users.rb
index 01c175e7..7ab2b62c 100644
--- a/spec/factories/users.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/users.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     sequence(:name) { |n| "name#{n}" }
     password 'changeme'
     password_confirmation 'changeme'
-    confirmed_at Time.now
+    confirmed_at { Time.now }
     biography <<-EOS
       Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus enim
       nunc, venenatis non sapien convallis, dictum suscipit purus. Vestibulum
diff --git a/spec/factories/vdays.rb b/spec/factories/vdays.rb
index 3fc4307f..08aff069 100644
--- a/spec/factories/vdays.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/vdays.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :vday do
-    day Date.today
+    day { Date.today }
     description 'Lorem Ipsum dolsum'
     conference
   end
diff --git a/spec/features/volunteers_spec.rb b/spec/features/volunteers_spec.rb
index 70f4e16b..bb82c468 100644
--- a/spec/features/volunteers_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/volunteers_spec.rb
@@ -18,17 +18,17 @@ feature Conference do
       click_link 'Add vday'
       expect(page.all('div.nested-fields').count == 1).to be true
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(1)').
-      set("#{Date.today.strftime('%Y')}")
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(1)').
+        select("#{Date.today.strftime('%Y')}")
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(2)').
-      set("#{Date.today.strftime('%B')}")
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(2)').
+          select("#{Date.today.strftime('%B')}")
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(3)').
-      set("#{Date.today.strftime('%-d')}")
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(3)').
+          select("#{Date.today.strftime('%-d')}")
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) div:nth-of-type(1) textarea').
-      set('Example Person')
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) div:nth-of-type(1) textarea').
+          set('Example Person')
       click_button 'Update Conference'
       expect(flash).
       to eq('Volunteering options were successfully updated.')
@@ -64,17 +64,17 @@ feature Conference do
       click_link 'Add vday'
       expect(page.all('div.nested-fields').count == 1).to be true
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(1)').
-      set("#{Date.today.strftime('%Y')}")
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(1)').
+          select("#{Date.today.strftime('%Y')}")
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(2)').
-      set("#{Date.today.strftime('%B')}")
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(2)').
+        select("#{Date.today.strftime('%B')}")
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(3)').
-      set("#{Date.today.strftime('%-d')}")
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) select:nth-of-type(3)').
+        select("#{Date.today.strftime('%-d')}")
       page.
-      find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) div:nth-of-type(1) textarea').
-      set('Example Person')
+        find('div.nested-fields:nth-of-type(1) div:nth-of-type(1) textarea').
+        set('Example Person')
       click_button 'Update Conference'
       expect(flash).
       to eq('Volunteering options were successfully updated.')
diff --git a/spec/models/conference_spec.rb b/spec/models/conference_spec.rb
index 9c63e291..885ba09c 100644
--- a/spec/models/conference_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/conference_spec.rb
@@ -717,6 +717,7 @@ describe Conference do
     it 'returns the last two past conferences if there are no pending conferences' do
       subject.start_date = Time.now - 10.days
       subject.end_date = Time.now - 5.days
+      subject.save
       c = create(:conference,
                  short_title: 'c', start_date: Time.now - 1.year,
                  end_date: Time.now - 360.days)
@@ -901,9 +902,9 @@ describe Conference do
     let!(:admin_role) { create(:admin_role) }
 
     it 'self#event_distribution calculates correct values with user' do
-      create(:user, last_sign_in_at: Time.now - 3.months) # active
+      create(:user, last_sign_in_at: Date.today - 3.months) # active
       create(:user, confirmed_at: nil) # unconfirmed
-      create(:user, last_sign_in_at: Time.now - 1.year - 1.day) # dead
+      create(:user, last_sign_in_at: Date.today - 1.year - 1.day) # dead
       result = {}
       result['Active'] = { 'color' => 'green', 'value' => 1 }
       result['Unconfirmed'] = { 'color' => 'red', 'value' => 1 }
@@ -913,7 +914,7 @@ describe Conference do
     end
 
     it 'self#event_distribution calculates correct with only active user' do
-      create(:user, last_sign_in_at: Time.now - 3.months) # active
+      create(:user, last_sign_in_at: Date.today - 3.months) # active
       result = {}
       result['Active'] = { 'color' => 'green', 'value' => 1 }
 
diff --git a/spec/models/target_spec.rb b/spec/models/target_spec.rb
index e57b5406..53c46ae3 100644
--- a/spec/models/target_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/target_spec.rb
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ describe Target do
       target = build(:target, target_count: 10, unit: Target.units[:registrations])
       conference.targets = [target]
 
-      result = "10 Registrations by #{Date.today + 14}"
+      result = "10 Registrations by #{14.days.from_now.to_date}"
 
       expect(target.to_s).to eq(result)
     end
diff --git a/spec/views/admin/callforpapers/show.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/admin/callforpapers/show.html.haml_spec.rb
index d04551c6..8d747e36 100644
--- a/spec/views/admin/callforpapers/show.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/admin/callforpapers/show.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -3,15 +3,12 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe 'admin/callforpapers/show' do
 
   it 'renders callforpapers details' do
-    @conference = create(:conference)
-    assign :conference, @conference
-    assign :cfp, stub_model(CallForPapers, start_date: Date.today,
-                                           end_date: Date.today + 7.days,
-                                           description: 'Lorem Ipsum Dolsum')
+    assign :conference, create(:conference)
+    assign :cfp, create(:call_for_papers)
     render
-    expect(rendered).to include(Date.today.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
+    expect(rendered).to include(1.day.ago.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
     expect(rendered).to include(7.days.from_now.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'))
-    expect(rendered).to include('Lorem Ipsum Dolsum')
+    expect(rendered).to include('We call for papers')
   end
 
 end