There’s nothing worse than anticipating a much-needed getaway, traveling all day to get there, and discovering it’s a dump—for $300 a night. It’s why the whole vacation-planning process makes me nervous: With so many sites and so many choices, how do I know I’m getting the best deal? (I happily turned the job over to my husband, Steve, who doesn’t mind trolling online for days.) So what do the experts recommend to make the process easier and rewarding? Here’s how to get the best prices with the fewest clicks, plus backup sites to help you feel better about your decision.

1. Become an expert well in advance. George Hobica of airfarewatchdog.com suggests signing up for e-mail alerts and online news-letters. It’s the best way to familiarize yourself with destinations and prices. “All the travel sites do things a little differently,” Hobica says, “so sign up for several, and check them daily.” (A dedicated Gmail or Yahoo e-mail address will cut down on the spam in your main e-mail account.) In other words, for now, keep your mind open and your wallet closed. Yapta.com and bing.com are the best, Hobica says, but also try orbitz.com, kayak.com, shermanstravel.com, smartertravel.com, travel-ticker.com, and travelzoo.com. And don’t forget to ask friends on Twitter and Facebook for their tips.

2. Decide on a few destinations. Now that you have a better sense of what’s out there, you want to work backward. Barbara Messing of travel-ticker.com explains, “Don’t fixate on one place. Let the deal be your inspiration.” Her team combs the Internet for deals that offer reductions of 40 to 60 percent. One recent example: the four-star Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa Valley wine country for as low as $109 a night (a 45 percent savings), with a wine tasting for two and 20 percent off spa treatments. “Dealhounds” on airfarewatchdog.com scour the Web all day for the latest and best deals.

3. Reassure yourself. Before committing, play detective. For videos of hotels, restaurants, activities, and attractions, go to tripfilms.com and insiderperks.com. Tripfilms depends on travelers for their observations, while the videos on InsiderPerks are created by the site’s staff. Watch both to get a good overview of your destination. Browse through other families’ vacation photos on flickr.com (it’s okay—really), and read candid reviews by travelers on tripadvisor.com.

4. Search for the lowest airfare. Experts consider kayak.com the best first step in searching for low-cost airline deals (it doesn’t include Southwest, so you’ll have to check the airline separately). To find out if the fare is likely to rise or fall over the next seven days, check bing.com Price Predictor. You’ll almost always get a better deal if you’re flexible—you can fly out on one carrier and return on another, for example, or fly to an offbeat airport like Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California (15 miles outside L.A.), or Midway in Chicago. Voyij.com searches the Web for the best sales, promotions, and package deals from your departure city. If you care where you sit, check seatexpert.com for a guide to the best, and worst, seats. Lock in your rate, but don’t pull the trigger yet. (Depending on the airline, you may have ten minutes to 24 hours to commit, so do the next steps—fees and hotels—quickly.)

5. Find the hidden fees. If you want to know the real price of the ticket, check Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide at smartertravel.com. Will you have to pay for that blanket, the soda, and the pretzels? Some airlines charge up to $100 extra for a seat with more legroom. Most charge $15 to $25 to check a bag; anyone traveling after July 31 on Spirit will pay up to $45 for a carry-on bag. To find out what your airline charges, go to its website or check the Guide. Then compare with FedEx, UPS, and U.S. Postal Service rates. “Depending on the route and method,” says Hobica, “the cost savings from shipping versus schlepping can range from little or nothing to dramatic.”

6. Get a room, then book your flight. Hotels.com features over 70,000 properties, from small bed-and-breakfasts to all-inclusive luxury resorts. The site flagged a special deal recently at Wyndham Glenview Suites in Chicago: Stay four nights and pay $69 a night, a 40 percent savings. For unbiased shots of lobbies, rooms, and neighborhoods, go to tvtrip.com. At oyster.com, you get photos, plus the pros and cons.

If you always end up with the room next to the ice machine or elevator shaft, click on tripkick.com for the good, the bad, and the ugly about hotels in more than 20 U.S. cities and some international destinations. If you prefer to rent a house, go to otalo.com. It’s to vacation house rentals what kayak.com is to airfares. Refine your search by cost, number of bedrooms, and must-haves like a pool and a welcome mat for your poodle; photos are included. Once you’ve booked your room, book your flight.

7. Rent a car before you leave. If you don’t care which car-rental company you use, head to hotwire.com for deep discounts on rentals, says Anne Banas of smartertravel.com. Check rates for both airport and off-site pickup. Sometimes you can save on airport fees and taxes by picking up your car just outside the airport. (If there’s no free shuttle service, factor in the cost of a cab. Off-site hours may be limited.)

8. Avoid getting lost, hungry, and annoyed. For terminal maps, on- and off-site parking, ground transportation, handicapped accessibility, estimates on how long the security check will take, and where to eat or drink, go to ifly.com.

9. Follow that plane. What do you do when there’s been a delay and the gate agent doesn’t have any more info than you do? Check on your flight, either online or with a free iPhone or iPod Touch app, with FlightAware Flight Tracker. It tracks by airline and flight number, or route, within five minutes of real time (flightaware.com).

10. Once you’ve landed … “Check in” at Foursquare, a free app for iPhones, BlackBerrys, Palms, and Android phones. Tell your friends where you are, and get their recommendations on the hot spots in town. If they’re in the area, they just might join you.

1. Spot on your upholstery? Here’s an inside trick: Buy a product used to remove pet stains called “Nature’s Miracle.” Jeff says to dab it on the spot with a wet cloth, rub it until it goes away, and then evenly dry it with a hair dryer.

2. Wooden chairs got nicks? Use black shoe polish. Just apply the polish using the foam brush type bottle evenly and blow dry. Voila! The dents disappear. You also can use a coating of wax to seal the color.

3. Sticky drawers? Wade says a stick of soap and a good rub down on the problem area will make your drawer slide like new (you may have to reapply the soap if the drawer starts to stick with time). The moisturizing agents in the soap allow the wood to move freely again.

4. Crayons or scuff marks on your painted walls? No need to repaint. Use a product called Magic Eraser to remove the marks. With my 2-year-old thinking he is a Picasso on my walls, I found it amazing to see the color the walls are supposed to be!

5. Wooden floors all scratched? Jeff says use his shoe polish trick above, and the scuffs and scratches will be gone!

We are all busy these days. Redecorating our homes may be a priority, but it’s not all that easy to get to the stores and find the furniture you need. Now there are services from decorators that will advise you for a fee on how to decorate a room in your home. But before you purchase furniture online, check out my 6 tips you need to know.

1. Ask for a swatch of fabric.

See if it looks like it does in the picture. Do you like the feel? Does it seem durable.

2. Ask for a sample of the finish.

Is it real wood? Is the color correct? Is it shiny or matte?

3. Does it look better online?

If possible, visit a store that sells the pieces you’re interested in so you can sit on and feel the furniture before you buy.

4. Check out assembly requirements.

How many hours will it take to put together? If you need to hire someone to do it for you figure out how much that will cost.

5. Ask about return policies.

Do you have to pay for shipping? Furniture weighs a lot and will be expensive to return.

6. Check out the site you are shopping on with the Better Business Bureau.

Read reviews to make sure it is a reputable site.

Be careful of extra leg-room charges
Some airlines are now offering extra leg-room seats. Here’s the catch: they will charge you upwards of $59 for that premium. Don’t fall for it. If it is the only seat available on that flight, consider booking on a different airline.

Pack your own food
Flights across the country don’t even offer free peanuts or pretzels. A cookie can run you almost $4. Pack sandwiches, snacks and fruit to save money.

Beware of hidden hotel charges
Some hotels charge for WiFi connections—as much as $30 a day. Ask the hotel to deduct it from your bill if you are not using the service. Check with other hotels in the area to see if they charge for the Internet. You may get it for free.

Your extra baggage could cost you
Check out how much baggage fees cost before you book your flight. Some airlines offer free check-in luggage. That can save a family almost $100.

Don’t get rental car insurance if you don’t need it
Check your car insurance to see if you need to take out extra insurance while renting a car. You may already be covered.

Ask for freebies
In this economy you should ask hotels for a free upgrade, one night free, free parking or free kids’ meals. You don’t ask, you don’t get!

After having my last baby, I knew it was time to work off the extra pounds. Sleep deprived and chubby, I fell for a TV commercial touting a great all-in-one exercise system. Three years later, it’s still parked in my basement. I admit it: I need the energy of classmates and a motivating instructor, so I joined a center two minutes from my house. I’m there twice a week, rain or shine. No surprise, I’ve lost the baby weight-and then some.

We all know we need to eat less and move more, but that doesn’t always translate into action. So whatever your excuse, I’ve got a solution. Many are free.

1. “The gym is boring and too far away.” Is your living room close enough? Turn on FitTV for a wide selection of half-hour shows. (To find out if your cable provider carries it, click on “Get the Channel” at fittv.discovery.com. You can also catch it via satellite, on DirecTV.) Indian fitness star Hemalayaa teaches a Bollywood class. Israeli decathlete Gilad leads a commando-type workout (cardio bursts, kickboxing, and martial arts). Or try Sharon Mann’s calorie-burning boot camp.

2. “I don’t have time.” Need to sneak in some exercise before your morning commute? Log on to exercisetv.tv and choose one of 600 video workouts. (Most are two to five minutes each, and they’re free.) Stressed-out? Try Kori Flechtner’s “Yoga Works Sun Salutation Energy.” Feeling sluggish? There’s Billy Blanks Jr.’s “Cardio Quickie.” (Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, but these mini workouts add up.)

3. “Home equipment is too expensive.” Ken Grant, owner of Get Fit 516 Fitness Services in Franklin Square, New York, says all you need is a set of latex bands (they’re color-coded for the level of resistance), tension tubes (they look like rubber jump ropes with handles), a medicine ball (weights range from 2 to 25 pounds), and a stability ball (the size will depend on your height). For instructional videos, go to wonderhowto.com. Before you spring for the equipment (about $100), check freecycle.org to see if someone in your area is getting rid of whatever you need. (Maybe I should freecycle that basement relic of mine!)

4. “I’m not disciplined.” If you’re like me and you need someone pushing you to feel the burn, but you don’t want to shell out the $30 to $100 per session with a personal trainer, register on freetrainers.com. Fill out a questionnaire about your fitness level and goals to receive a free customized workout.

5. “I need company.” On meetup.com and exercisefriends.com, you can connect with people who share your interests, whether it’s walking, biking, running, or rowing. Type in your favorite activity and zip code to get a list of groups. At Meetup, you can be really specific, like “hiking with your dog” or “Laughter Yoga.” Active.com, a free clearinghouse of sports and recreational activities, is great if you’re looking for a Little League team for your kid or a tennis league for yourself.

6. “I hate to exercise.” There. You said it. Couch potatoes and computer addicts can keep it challenging-and fun-with the Wii Fit Plus, Nintendo’s exercise video game and balance board ($100). The $200 Wii console isn’t cheap, but you get more than 60 activities, from hula hooping to strength training. The adventurous can try the ski slalom or Big Top Juggling (bet you can’t balance on a ball while juggling!).

1. They sell a lifestyle: Ever go into a teen and young adult store and the lighting is dim and the music is blaring? It’s all part of getting to be invited to the “club.” It’s a scene and it entices you to buy what they are selling so you can be invited to the right parties.

2. Got to show off your duds: What is a party without showing off your duds? Many dressing rooms are now communal. Both sexes share the rooms. You will need to come out of the dressing room to look in a mirror. Now other patrons check you out and may want to buy the same thing. More sales!

3. Product placement: Children’s clothing stores are placing their merchandise at eye level for the kids. The parents might not even see what their children are pulling off racks. And every parent has a hard time saying “no” to his or her child. At Children’s Place for example some of the clothing is almost hanging on the floor so that a toddler can find them.
4. Education the customer: Stores will post information about a product and not even list the price. They are “educating” you about the item. You are not being “sold” anything it’s just a learning experience. Yeah right! So if we are stressed we know which candle or cream will alleviate it, if we have foot pain we know which pad or salve to purchase.

5. Smell it! Ever wonder why you are buying that pretzel or cinnamon bun when you thought you would stick to your diet or budget? The aroma that is placed not in the food court but rather smack dab in the middle of the retail shops is high priced real estate. It’s a smell that permeates the area and gets you to take a snack break.

6. Package Deal: A smart retailer doesn’t just feature a dress or blouse..instead they put the bag, necklace, shoes, jewelry and coat all together so that you buy the entire outfit instead of the one piece you “thought” you needed. Now they are even doing the for me who are not apt to buy accessories. The pants, shirt, belt, shoes and necklaces, watches are all featured together.

7. No heavy lifting. Enter some outlet malls or even the discounters and you will be offered shopping carts to tote your goods. Cohen says that if retailers know that if you have too much to carry and go to the car to drop off your purchases you probably wont come back. The stores want to keep you there so they make the schlepping easier on your back…not on your wallet.

8. No boundaries: Now retailers are using their window space to almost jump into the mall corridors. The Gap uses real life sized images on their windows to lure you into their store. No space is wasted getting inside. Signs boasting sales also stand outside the actual store to grab your attention.

9. Low inventory: Retailers don’t always put out all their inventory. They want you to think it will be gone if you don’t buy it right now. They used to pile it high. Now they make it look like they have limited amounts.

10. Multiple item sales: They sign multiple items as buy 4 for 2 dollars each trying to get you to buy four when you can buy one for 2 dollars anyway…Most customers will buy four.

Hotel prices will continue to drop. Travel experts say to watch the big cities for the deepest discounts like Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Air prices should stay flat. No big hikes predicted any time soon. Stay on top of the travel sites to see when the fares are at their lowest.
Car rental prices will be high. Rental companies have tighter inventories so if the demand is high the prices will rise. Consider less known companies and off airport rental agencies to get the lowest price. Make sure to ask for discount codes and AAA reductions.
Vacation packages may be the cheapest way to travel. Check with travel agents and online sites to see what is “on special.”
Get luxury for less. The price differences between 5 and 4- star hotels will be tighter. You may be able to get more luxury for your travel dollar.

1. Nannies and Au Pairs: If you have a full-time nanny, offer them a tip or a “Christmas bonus” that reflects 10-15 percent of one week’s pay.

2. Regular babysitters: If you have a regular, go-to sitter who takes care of your children regularly, thank her (or him!) with a tip or a gift ranging from one or two night’s pay—whatever equals about a week’s worth of service.

3. Coaches, tutors, and instructors: Have your child write a thank you card and maybe enclose a small gift certificate to a book store or a local retailer.

4. Pet sitters: If you have someone regularly take care of your animals while you’re at work or traveling, say thank you with a week’s pay.

5. Home-care attendants and caregivers: One week’s pay is appreciated if they do extra special work you might consider 2 weeks depending on how long they have been with you.

6. School bus drivers: I find they’re often overlooked. A small thank you (a $10 gift certificate and a card signed by your children) is a nice “something extra” in December.

7. Housekeepers: If you have a regular housekeeper or house cleaner, tell them thank you by giving them an extra week’s pay during the holiday season. But if you only hire one for occasional tidying up, it’s okay to just wish them a verbal “Happy Holidays!”

8. Maintenance people: If you’ve hired a regular landscaper or have a building manager that regularly does work around the property, shovels walkways, and plows driveways, let them know they’re appreciated. It doesn’t have to be much—just slip 10-15% extra in their December bill as a thank you.

9. Baristas/clerks: Some of us have those regular spots that we visit daily for our morning coffee or bagel. If you’re used to seeing the same person and they give you great service, say thanks! Buy them a cup and give them a card. They’ll be surprised, and pleased, by your consideration.

10. No spare change? If you don’t have the cash this year a nice thank you note or a homemade confections are also a great token of gratitude.

Plus, read Janice’s scoop on 10 Things Retailers Don’t Want You To Know When Holiday Shopping

Plus, read Janice’s scoop on 10 Things Retailers Don’t Want You To Know When Holiday Shopping