Earn money or reduce debt with our advice and tips.

Top Five Money-Saving Tips For Savvy Toner & Inkjet Cartridge Shoppers

Toner is costly. There’s no way around it. But there’s a few techniques you can implement to keep some of that money in your pocket. The next time your printed documents start looking more grey than black, try our top five money-saving tips.

1. Purchase Compatible Cartridges. Instead of buying genuine manufacturer toner cartridges, give compatible ones a try. These cartridges are made to the same specifications, but are developed by third-party manufacturers. So you still get the same quality, but at a much lower cost.

2. Shop Online. Because online shops don’t require costly storefronts or associated overhead, these companies typically discount products below that of your local office supply shop. So you can usually get a much better deal online.

3. Buy a Toner Refill Kit. You can typically save up to 70 percent on toner and cartridges by using a toner refill kit. These kits include all the guidelines and tools you need to refill toner cartridges yourself.
Using a refill kit, consumers can typically get up to three refills before ever having to buy a new cartridge.

4. Use a Mall Kiosk. If you don’t want to refill your toner or ink on your own, you can still save money by using a mall kiosk. They may be able to refill your printer cartridge for you at a reasonable price.

4. Buy in Higher Quantities. Some companies offer discounts on bulk purchases. So stock up and save.
If you’re diligent enough to shop around and use some wise alternatives, your toner and printing expenses can be markedly reduced.

Term life insurance is the most affordable way to protect your familys future. As inexpensive as term life insurance is, there are money-saving tips that will ensure you are paying only what you need. Get the most value for your dollar by checking out the following helpful tips that will save you money while still getting great protection.

1. Get coverage early the sooner you buy life insurance the less your annual premiums:
Some people are gamblers by nature and choose to take their chances by skipping out on life insurance. Although it is unlikely you’ll die during your working years, you’re not insuring for what’s likely to happen but instead, for the worst-case scenario. That’s why term life insurance costs less the younger you are. It is also why you should buy it sooner rather than laterbecause you’ll be providing financial security without spending a lot of money for it.

For example, if we look at the cost to purchase a $250,000 Term 10 life insurance policy youll see how delaying purchasing a policy by just a few years could cost you more in annual premiums.

For male non-smokers*:
A 35 year-old may get quotes for as little as $195 per year for a 10-year total cost of $1,950.
A 40 year-old may get quotes for as little as $263 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,630.
A 45 year-old may get quotes for as little as $373 per year for a 10-year total cost of $3,730.

For female non-smokers*:
A 35 year-old may get quotes for as little as $165 per year for a 10-year total cost of $1,650.
A 40 year-old may get quotes for as little as $210 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,100.
A 45 year-old may get quotes for as little as $270 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,700.

* Lowest quote online from February 2006 for a Term 10 policy, one of the most popular life insurance products in Canada. Premiums shown are the rates if paid annually.

2. When your age isnt really your age:
Your next birthday may be 6 months away but in the eyes of most life insurers youve already hit that next magical number. When you get a life insurance quote, the rate you are given is based on the age you are closest to which, 50 per cent of the time is your age at your next birthday. Its a term called Age Nearest, and that half-year price increase could really add up. See the difference yourself.

For male non-smokers*:

A 39 year-old may get quotes for as little as $248 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,480
A 40 year-old may get quotes for as little as $263 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,630.

A savings of $150

A 44 year-old may get quotes for as little as $345 per year for a 10-year total cost of $3,450.
A 45 year-old may get quotes for as little as $373 per year for a 10-year total cost of $3,730.

A savings of $280

For a female non-smoker*:

A 39 year-old may get quotes for as little as $200 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,000
A 40 year-old may get quotes for as little as $210 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,100.

A savings of $100

A 44 year-old may get quotes for as little as $255 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,550.
A 45 year-old may get quotes for as little as $270 per year for a 10-year total cost of $2,700.

A savings of $150

* Lowest quote online in January 2006 for a Term 10 policy. Premiums shown are the rates if paid annually.

3. If youre a smoker ask about incentive programs aimed at helping you quit:
While not all life insurance companies offer incentive programs to help you quit, some do and could save you money if you are thinking about buying life insurance and quitting smoking. For example, one such company will refund you an amount equal to the difference between the premiums you already paid as a smoker and those you would have paid had you not smoked. Whats more, once you quit smoking, this same company will adjust your premiums to non-smoker rates based on the age you were when you purchased the policy, not the age you are at the time you quit!

4. Check out your payment/billing options:
Many life insurance life insurance companies offer discounts to consumers who pay their annual premiums up front. If you have the money handy, you could save up to 10 per cent of your policys premium each year. For example:

A 35 year-old male with $250,000 in coverage can pay $195 up front per year for life insurance coverage. If paid in monthly installments, however, the annual premium jumps to about $215. Paying up front can save this person $20 per year!

A 40 year-old male with $250,000 in coverage can pay $263 up front per year for life insurance coverage. If paid in monthly installments, however, the annual premium jumps to about $288. Paying up front can save this person $25 per year!

A 45 year-old male with $250,000 in coverage can pay $373 up front per year for life insurance coverage. If paid in monthly installments, however, the annual premium jumps to about $407. Paying up front can save this person $34 per year!

Life insurance made even more affordable:
With these money-saving tips in hand, Term Life insurance is more affordable than ever. There is no better time than now to get the coverage you and your family need.

It is easy to get caught in the rush of things when you are in college. In the midst of studying, part-time jobs, socializing and extracurricular activities that you have, you are most likely to forget one of the most important things, which is straightening out your finances.

Here are some tips on how you can save money as a student:

1. Plan ahead.

If possible, do this even before you move into your dorm room.

Check if you are eligible for scholarships and other grants before signing up for any form of student loan.

Construct a cash flow. First, where do you expect to get money from? Make a list of your income, be it from your parents, your student loan or your part-time job.

Then forecast your expected monthly or weekly expenses for food, books, etc. Once you have set aside a budget, be strict with yourself and stick to it.

You will never know what unexpected expenses would come your way so it is better to have a downfall for financial emergencies.

2. Save on food.

One of the major expenses that you have as a student which you might have ignored when you were still living with your parents is your food allowance. Avoid eating at fast food outlets, as this is most likely to ruin your budget. Pack your lunch and plan your meals as much as you can.

3. Take full advantage of student discounts.

Those IDs in your wallet are not just for show. Student IDs and memberships in organizations are honored in several establishments which offer discounts.

Also, patronize a certain establishment regularly and you are bound to get bonus cards for being a loyal customer.

4. Use your cash as much as you can.

Since you already have a draft of the items where you will spend your money, it is easier to monitor your cash flow. Avoid using your debit card when you have cash with you. Use your credit cards or write checks only in emergencies. Having debit cards, credit cards and checks handy might lead you to overspend.

5. Keep yourself busy.

Join clubs according to your field of interest.

Keeping busy will let your mind wander and help you stay away from things that you are likely to spend money on when you get bored. Examples of these are snacks, movie tickets or game rentals.

You will be surprised at the amount of money that you will actually save by spending less on luxury items, following your budget plan and saving for financial emergencies that you are most likely to get as a college student.

Plastic Packaging: Thermoformed Plastic Trays and Plastic Pallets – 10 Money Saving Tips You Can Use Right Now!

Heavy gauge thermoforming is as much a staple to the returnable plastic packaging industry as Chevy is to General Motors. It’s always been there, not known for its cutting edge design but more because it is solid, durable, and dependable. Thermoforming plastic trays and pallets can also be misunderstood. It remains one of the longest lasting and reasonably priced returnable packaging products available yet customers are reluctant to try it. Why?

Research has shown that many people assume plastic trays and pallets made via heavy gauge thermoforming have the same high priced tooling as injection molding. Further, many folks are convinced the tooling takes just as long to produce. This is not true. Returnable plastic trays and pallets come with a moderate tooling charge (usually less than $7500) and can be made in 4 weeks or less, depending on the design.

Here are 10 tips regarding thermoformed plastic trays and pallets your salesman would rather you not know about:

1.Provide the actual product you need packaged to your supplier. This allows the supplier to see, touch, and feel the product and design the plastic tray or plastic pallet accordingly. Youll get a better initial design and a firmer price quote.

2.Assess if your actual product can be stacked upon and support weight. If this is possible, your returnable plastic trays will not need to be as deep which means a smaller plastic tray and a lower price per tray.

3.Design returnable plastic trays and plastic pallets that are stackable and nestable. This means that the plastic trays and plastic pallets can stack when fully loaded and nest inside each other when empty. Nested thermoformed plastic trays and plastic pallets take up less space and save on both storage and freight costs.

4.Consider having the thermoformed plastic trays marked with a stripe at least 1 inch wide and running either the entire length or width in a different color than the plastic trays. These stripes help your operators know when the plastic trays are loaded or empty, saving in labor costs and storage efficiency

5.Ask for concept sketches with overall dimensions of your plastic trays or plastic pallets before proceeding with a production order. This helps everyone remain clear on how the plastic trays or plastic pallets need to look and function.

6.Make a production tool for your thermoformed plastic trays instead of a wood prototype tool if possible. Prototype tooling is very rough and takes about 2 weeks to make. Production tooling can be modified and adjusted, within reason. This speeds up the overall design and production schedule and saves on the additional cost of a prototype tool which is worthless after it is used once

7.Evaluate different thicknesses of plastic once your production tooling is done. If a thermoformed plastic tray or plastic pallet could be made using thinner material this will save money. It is also possible a thicker material will perform better after thermoforming. You can see the difference and make an educated decision before running a large quantity.

8.Mark your thermoformed plastic trays or plastic pallets with an identification stamp or insert plate that has your company name, address, and any other important information such as Property of XYZ Corporation. This will help assure that the plastic trays or plastic pallets are returned to the correct address when empty.

9.Ask your supplier if they will purchase your thermoformed plastic trays or plastic pallets for recycling if and when they become obsolete. The price paid will be a scrap value but it is better than nothing.

10.Consider purchasing 10-25 extra plastic trays or pallets with your initial order for emergencies. Most companies misplace plastic trays and pallets and it is much more cost effective to run them in a larger quantity than having to pay for a special run later on.

Thermoformed Plastic Trays and Pallets Conclusion

If shipping parts to a dedicated customer or destination on a regular basis, consider thermoformed plastic trays and pallets as a packaging solution. While they aren’t indestructible, they can handle normal abuse and easily pay for themselves within 1 to 1 years. As always, rely on your packaging professional for guidance and direction.

Money Saving Tips to help you Retire a Millionaire – Let’s face it, when you’re young, thinking about growing old is a scary thought. Will I have enough money to retire at an early age? Will I even have enough money to retire at all? Most Americans would love to retire at the standard age of 59 or 65. But with the rising cost of everyday living, these targets are becoming harder and harder to hit. Increased Healthcare Costs, Rising Insurance Premiums, Housing Market Fluctuations, Energy Price Increases and Growing Medical Expenses are digging into savings that were once thought of as your nest egg. In order to retire comfortably, you must start saving at an early age. If you follow a few golden rules, you can possibly retire early and even be a millionaire.

For starters, it’s imperative that you open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) at an early age. How early? How about right out of High School! There are two types of IRA’s that you should familiarize yourself with; the Standard IRA and Roth IRA. Both investments have their benefits and drawbacks that your accountant can go over with you. If you do not have an accountant ask your the financial manager of your local bank to guide you in the right direction. You can also do a quick Google search of these IRA’s. The search results will give you an in depth look at how they work.

Once you have setup your IRA, a 401K Retirement Plan is a great way to invest your weekly earnings. Most large corporations offer a multitude of 401K plans to suit your needs. Some of these corporations even match your investment up to a certain dollar value. The maximum amount of money you can contribute to a 401K is 10% of your earnings. You might think this is too much but believe me, its not. After a while, you won’t even realize its missing from your paycheck. In a few years, that 10% will compound itself into a nice nest egg.

Now that you have an IRA and a 401K, Debt Reduction is the next key element in striving for that early retirement. Reducing credit card debit should be your number one priority. Let’s face it. Most Americans live in debt. My advice to you is, don’t be one of them! Credit Card debit can consume a large chunk of the money you set aside each month for savings. With credit card interest rates as high as 21%, carrying a $1,000 balance can cost you hundreds of dollars each year if you just pay the minimum amount due. If you are holding credit card balances on multiple cards that amount to over $5,000, you should consider a Debit Consolidation Loan. Your local bank can offer advice on these types of loans or you can contact one of the Debt Consolidation Companies on the web to assist you. Just remember, when dealing with a Debt Consolidation company, they’re in business to make money. Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous companies that are not looking out for your best interest, so learn as much as you can about them before signing any papers. You can check the Better Business Bureau to see if they have any claims against them. If so, steer clear and look elsewhere.

Buy a House; Do Not Rent! I can’t stress this enough. Renting an apartment is just throwing money away. When renting, you’re making someone else a millionaire! Here is a little story for you. When my sister got married six years ago, she asked me for some advice on married life. Well, my advice to her wasn’t about marriage at all. I told her to purchase a house instead of renting an apartment. She looked at me funny and said, “Well, we plan on renting for a little while to save up enough money to buy a house.” I told her that if she chooses that route, I’ll be visiting her in that same apartment five years from now. Sure enough, she chose to rent and is now stuck in that same apartment because she was throwing away $1200+ per month in rent for the past six years. She could have been making monthly mortgage payments that were building equity. I know it’s not easy to purchase a home these days but do what ever you can to save up enough for that down payment. There are plenty of programs for first time home buyers that can assist you. You can consult your local bank about these programs.

Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to an early retirement. Start early enough and you might even be a millionaire! Good Luck!

Everyone knows that health insurance costs are at an all time high. With the cost of medical care also skyrocketing, people, especially those that are self-employed are desperate to find ways to save money on their health insurance. This can be a difficult task as most insurance companies are far from excited to offer coverage to the self-employed.

Your first step would be to shop around. Contact an agent that deals with many companies instead of contacting the companies directly. This will save you not only time but also some money in the process because an agent will not be paid unless he or she finds the insurance that is right for you and you agree to take it. Tell the agent exactly what you are looking for and how much you wish to spend on premiums, deductibles and so on. Remember, be specific! If you want to ensure that you are getting what you want then you need to give as many details as possible.

Once you have some offers in hand read the fine print. This is the number one mistake made by people when seeking health insurance. Sure, the policy looks grand on the surface but then once you are locked in you find that it is full of restrictions and extra fees. Insurance companies are in business to make money, not spend it. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

Finally, do not agree to any policy until you have checked out all the offers that were made to you. More often than not, a higher premium policy is better in the end because it offers smaller deductibles, and fewer restrictions. You could find yourself paying less for a policy but then also getting a lot less in return. If the policy does not help you then it does not matter how small the premiums are.

Everyone wants to save money, but no one wants to change his or her lifestyle to do so. Many people think that the only way to save is to go without; Give up eating out at restaurants, stop going to the movies, stop shopping, etc. This is not the case! It is very simple to still enjoy going out, as well as save money. You just have to find ways to spend less while going out. Here are some examples:

When going to a restaurant:

Always use coupons! I cant stress that enough. There are many ways to find them. The Sunday paper usually has coupons for a few restaurants. Many restaurants send out coupons in the mail hoping to get you to visit them. The Entertainment Book has coupons for many restaurants. The restaurants own website might have a coupon that you can print out and bring in. Sometimes you will find coupons in their take-out menu. You will be able to save a few dollars just for taking a few seconds to look for a coupon.

Share a meal. If youre going out to dinner, many times you can get away with ordering one main course and an appetizer or salad and sharing them with your partner since the portions are so large. By splitting them, you will save a lot more then if you had each gotten your own meal, plus you will get more of a selection since youll get to taste both an appetizer and an entre.

When wanting to see a movie:

If you want to go to the movies, consider going during the day, or in the early evening. These are all considered matinee showings, and you will usually pay about half of the price you would pay at night! It doesnt sound like that big of a savings, but if you go to the movies just once a month, you can save $54 a year per person. Youll save even more if you go more often!

If you want to save even more money, you can rent the movie once it goes to DVD. Many websites will allow you to buy packs of 10 DVD rentals, and you will end up saving anywhere from $0.50-$1.50 per rental! This can really add up. If you rent one movie per week, you can save up to $78 a year! Also keep an eye out for coupons that allow you to rent one and get the second free.

There are many other simple things you can do to save money when going out to enjoy different forms of entertainment. For other tips like the ones you just read, see the website below.

Lowest Rates Vs. A Good Bargain

The thing is, Car Rental market is very competitive one and rates differences for comparable quality and service are relatively small, sometimes as small as $10 to $20. These minuet price differences are going to vanish in the wind when you consider the long lines and lost time at the cheapest renter counter, drop charges for remote destinations, late return fines, and gasoline inflated rates as well as other service charges you didnt think about when you shopped for the best deal.

Dont get us wrong, we dont like to pay higher prices more than you do.
We do recommend to shop around and check the various rates available,
especially when its so easy to do it via the Internet at comparison sites.

All we say here you need to consider other things beside the price and when
you compare please make sure you compare apples to apples and not apples to pears.

Things to consider when ordering a rented a car

Who is using the car, are you by yourself on a business trip or you are traveling with the whole family? How much luggage are you going to have, does the car you are thinking about is big enough to have you all plus all your hand luggage and big suitcases? If not, consider to change to a mini van or a car with extra large trunk.

Do you need an Infant seat or a child booster? make sure it is mentioned clearly with your order, usually there is a shortage of these seats and they are provided for extra charge. Check the state laws for where you are traveling.
A new law in Denver for instance, requires Booster Seats for all 4 and 5 year olds who are not 55 inches tall.

Do you actually need the car in the town or city at the first few days? If not, consider to take a taxi, a bus, a train or the hotel shuttle into the city and when its time for you to go out of town and travel around, then, rent the car from the city location and by that save up to 15% on Air-Port charges as well as on city parking fees.

Are you going to a very warm and humid destination? If yes, its recommended to order a car with air conditioning, usually the price difference is negligible, the problem is that its not available in all destinations like in some European countries.

Most major rental car companies allow for unlimited mileage in the same state, but it’s a good idea to check their policy before confirming. Many smaller local independent companies charge mileage after 100-200 free miles per day.

As mentioned before price is not the only factor to consider when choosing a car rental company. If you choose a very small, no-name company, dont expect them to provide you with service across all nation or continent, what would you do if the car is needed to be replaced or serviced for some reason?

Frequent or Preferred Renter Programs and affiliations

Frequent renter programs, Like airlines and hotels, major car rental companies track their customers rental histories and offer preferential service to loyal customers. Most of the major companies offer frequent renter programs that are similar to airline frequent-flyer programs and hotel frequent-guest programs.

Preferred renter clubs, Most major car rental companies also offer preferred renter programs or clubs (one example is the Hertz #1 Club). When you belong to one of these clubs, you get preferential treatment, including automatic upgrades when those cars are available. You can join these programs at any time, even if you are a first-time renter with that company.

While basic-level club memberships are often free, higher-level memberships (as in the Hertz #1 Gold Club, which allows you to bypass the rental counter) generally come with a price tag. What most people dont realize is that its often possible to avoid the membership fee by simply writing or calling your car rental company and asking them to waive it. They will do it because the car rental industry is very competitive, and they want your business

If you’re still faced with a steep rate, try getting discounts based on your affiliations with organizations like AARP, AAA or others. These discounts are usually not great, but they are better than nothing.

In addition, always check for corporate rates if applicable to your situation.

Car Rental Insurance

Some of the Insurance terms seem to be confusing, lets try to clear them out first.

CDW – Collision Damage Waiver.

LDW – Loss Damage Waiver.

PDW – Physical Damage Waiver.

PAI – Personal Accident Insurance.

PEC – Personal Effects Coverage.

ALI – Additional Liability Insurance.

Many of the Credit Cards have most of these coverage, therefore its not
mandatory to purchase excessive coverage. Its better to check this issue
with your travel agent, insurance agent and your credit card company a head of time. Some Car rental companies require that you show proof of insurance.

Also be aware that your personal insurance probably doesnt apply to your rental car when traveling overseas. All this is somewhat complicated and at times confusing because there are no industry standards for terminology and policies vary by locations.

Important things to check and do before leaving the Air-Port

After a long flight and the waiting in lines for your luggage and afterwards for
your keys at the car rental counter, it is understandable you just want to take the rented car and drive away to your hotel, but wait! Here is a list of things you must check first.

Start by making a careful check around the car, look for any small dents or scratches, in case you find some, dont be lazy, go back to the office and ask a representative of the rental company to write down all of these dents, ask for a copy of that report. Other wise you might be responsible for damages you didnt perform.

Open the trunk, make sure you have a spare tire, a jack and set of tools, there is noting more irritating than to find out in the middle of nowhere that you dont have a jack when you need to replace a flat tire.

Many car companies will provide you with an extra key if you ask for one. This can come in handy for some of us who are absent minded.

It is recommended to spend some time to get acquainted with the cars features and switches, make sure you know where the lights switches are, how to operate the windshield wipers, the air conditioner and even set your favorite radio stations as well as set your side mirrors. It might be quiet frustrating to fight with the new switches while driving, when all of a sudden it starts raining.

Make sure you have a map and its better to spend few more minutes and plan your driving route.

Last but certainly not least, If you have a lot of luggage, dont park the car in the parking lot and go for lunch, in many countries, this is an easy target for
the thieves, Its better to buy some sandwiches and beverages in the air-port, or stop somewhere along the way for refreshing but never leave the car unattended.

In case you are involved in a Car Accident

These are the most important pieces of information to collect from the involved parties: full name, mailing address, telephone number, insurance details, and drivers license number.

Also try to get the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. Make a note of the vehicles make, color, brand and license plate number.

Try to pinpoint the exact time and location of the accident. If the police get involved, ensure that you receive a copy of their report. Don’t forget to inform your insurance agent immediately and notify the car rental company.
They will let you know about their accident procedure.

If you purchased insurance through the car rental company, they will have to make the claim. If there is damage to the rental car, there will be much paper work to complete

Make sure any involved parties are ok. Any injuries should be taken care of ASAP.

Call the police and/or ambulance (if necessary), and then call the car rental agency. Be as cooperative as possible. The car rental agency will have its own policies regarding accidents.

Exchange information with the affected parties. Try to record everything on the scene. Your notes should include details of the accident, identification of the autos and people involved, and the names and badge numbers of all emergency personnel.

Take pictures if possible. If you are on vacation, you will probably have a camera handy already.

File an accident report with the police, and report the claim to your own credit card company or insurance company.

When returning the Car

Make all necessary arrangements to return the car on time, that includes looking the location in the map especially if you return the car in a foreign city.

Late return charges are high and arbitrary, secondly, if you are late, you probably wont have the time to fill the car with gasoline yourself and the rental company will charge you exorbitant inflated gasoline rates.

In case you return the car in a city location on Sunday, it might be that the station will be deserted, it will let you in via automated gate, make sure to take the card and leave it over the dashboard, this is your recorded time of arrival.

In addition, lock the car, take the keys plus your rental contract and insert them into the designated box.

Auto insurance is a must for all automobile owners, which repay you in case your automobile is stolen or damaged in an accident. Most people complain about the high prices of auto insurance policy. Here we offer you some money saving tips with the help of which you can get the best car insurance quotes online as well as best auto insurance policy.

If you are a new car owner or your previous auto insurance policy needs a renewal then its time for you to search for a new one. You will be surprised to know that different insurance company offers different premium for the same coverage. Thus, it is in your interest to find a low premium, more coverage best auto insurance policy. Local market search will be not enough, go to the websites of auto insurance companies and request for car insurance quote online.

While requesting for car insurance quote online provide all your details to the auto insurance company such as your name, age, zip code, address, your marital status, cars annual commuting miles and safety features of your car because as default they will surely offer you high car insurance quote online.

Your credit history matters a lot for auto insurance companies. Reviews of insurance companies have shown a correlation between credit scores and risk to an insurance company. Thus, manage your credit score to a positive level before requesting for a car insurance quote online.

During the request for car insurance quote online keep an eye on discounts provided by auto insurance companies, mainly on their websites. With offered discounts, you can drop your premium.

If you have a life insurance policy or health insurance policy or any other insurance, it is recommended to ask the same insurance company for auto insurance. They will surely provide lower car insurance quote online, as you are their client.

By following all these recommendations, we are sure that you will be able to buy the best auto insurance policy to protect your car, truck or any other vehicle against theft or damage.

Airline ticket rates can vary wildly for passengers on the same flight. One person can pay $250 for a seat, while the individual in the next seat may have paid $1000. There are many tactics to help your reservation resemble that of the first passenger, not the latter.

Book your flight as soon as you decide on travel plans. Airlines give discounts for reservations made at least 3 weeks in advance. The best rates often include a Saturday night stay and have travel dates during the work week.

Shop at the many online travel agents to compare the rates of many different airlines. Be sure to check at least 3 different sites, as each may have a different alotment of tickets, and service fees can also vary.

Be flexible about when you travel, since even changing the flight time on the same day can effect the reservation rate. Unpopular early morning or late evening flights tend to have lower rates. Also, try to avoid peak travel season, summer, spring break, and Christmas and New Years. The cheapest fares tend to be found during the off season and at other times when planes are filled below capacity.

If travelling to a large city, Check the fares for any nearby smaller airports, as it might be cheaper to fly into a neighboring city. Remember to allow for other costs when you considering this option, such as rental car or taxi fares. This might also extend travel time.

In some instances, splitting the trip with stopovers my bring savings. However, be sure the savings are large enough to justify the extra trouble of the stopover.

Look into booking your travel plans as a package deal. Sometimes it is possible to save money by reserving a hotel room and a rental car along with the airline ticket. If you are going on a cruise, ask the cruise company if they are affiliated with any airline. Some credit card companies also have discount agreements with some airlines. The reverse is also true : many airlines have agreements with hotel chains and rental car companies that can save you money on other travel expenses.

When dealing with a live travel agent, ask if this is the best rate that they have available or if there are any specials offering essentially the same itinerary when you are booking your reservation.

Apply any special discount programs for which you are eligible. Students age 16 to 26 are can get special discounts, and seniors may be able to get discounted fares through the AARP.

Belonging to, or travelling with a group, may get you a better deal on airline reservations. If you are a member of a club or service association, check whether they have a travel plan. If travelling with a group, ask for a group discount. Discounts are often available for government, military or corporate employees. Often, airlines will even extend these discounts even for non-business travel.

In the case of large groups, it is sometimes cheaper to charter a plane than reserve individual seats. This may save time as well as money, since the charter airplane will accommodate your schedule, and baggage can be managed for the entire group, with much less chance of loss of luggage.

When you reach check-in at the airport, ask if any special upgrade deals are available. Sometimes it is possible to upgrade to first class at a nominal fee, and this is definitely worth it on long flights due to the larger seats and extra leg room.