Before you book, investigate refund and cancellation policies, “service fees” per ticket, and whether frequent-flier miles are granted or not.

Check out Message Boards on www.frommers.com and similar sites for information and tips from individuals which can be helpful.

Go to various individual carrier sites and sign up to be notified about special deals. Subscribe to Frommers newsletter. It’s well worth it - http://www.frommers.com/subscribe .

To maximize your chance for getting cheapest ticket, try these things:

Not a great situation to be in, is it? But there is still hope for this year. You have almost six months, in some cases a little longer, to make certain you owe less tax, and possibly no tax, next year.

Here's a blueprint that outlines keys to lowering your taxes and remaining audit proof. Follow these keys and you're guaranteed to lower your taxes by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars!

Key #1: Consider a Home Office Deduction

Many taxpayers have avoided home office deduction because it has been regarded as a red flag for an audit. If you legitimately qualify for deduction, however, there should be no problem. You are entitled to write off expenses - such as rent, utilities, insurance, and housekeeping - associated with portion of your home where you exclusively conduct business. A middle-class taxpayer who uses a home office and pays $1,200 a month for a two-bedroom apartment could easily save $1,200 in taxes a year. People in higher tax brackets with greater expenses can save even more

Key #2: Organize your Records

Good organization may not cut your taxes. But there are other rewards, and some of them are financial. For many, biggest hassle at tax time is getting all of documentation together.

How do you get started?

·Collect receipts and information that you have piled up thus far. ·Group similar documents together; putting them in different file folders if there are enough papers. ·If you have time, enter amounts from all these documents into a computer program like Quicken or Microsoft Excel for quick totals and make a printout for your tax preparer.

You can expect savings of $300 to $400 with your tax preparer and hours of your time. Plus, you're likely to sail through an audit - with fewer assessments and penalties - if you have documentation on hand.

Key #3: Contribute to Retirement Accounts