For the second year in a row, AAA predicts travel will be down over Fourth of July weekend, blaming uncertainty about the economy. Will you be making a trip?
As travelers gear up for flying over the long Fourth of July weekend, fingers are crossed that travel schedules go as planned. Most plans will go off without a hitch, but there's always a few who get the short end of the travel stick when their flights are canceled. Weather, mechanical problems, and shortage of crew are a few reasons why flights might be delayed or canceled altogether.
The Associated Press prepared a tip sheet with what you can do if your flight is canceled. Familiarize yourself with the action plan before you leave for the airport.
"Try to be rebooked. Some major airlines have interline agreements that allow them to easily rebook a passenger on another carrier." This option wouldn't lead to additional costs on your end.
"Request a refund. Most airlines will refund the amount you paid for a ticket if they cancel your flight and can't accommodate you on another flight that gets you to your destination on the day you were expecting." If you take the refund route, the AP warns that the walk-up fare for purchasing a ticket from another airline may be much higher than your original ticket.
See the rest of the action plan when you read more
We tune in for the entertainment (and maybe for a little eye candy), and the highest earning American athletes know they're appreciated. These guys might suffer from injuries here and there and endure grueling training schedules, but they certainly aren't hurting for cash. In fact, their income is so high that Sports Illustrated compiles an annual list it calls the Fortunate 50. Can you guess who scores the most money and what type of athletes are more likely to rake in cash ? Take the quiz!
Award-winning makeup artist and beauty expert Sonia Kashuk believes that makeup and makeup application can be easy for every woman. Her high-performing, face-flattering products and professional-quality tools make it effortless. Celebrating 10 years, Sonia Kashuk for Target simplifies beauty at remarkably affordable prices. Shop Sonia Kashuk!
The marketing world loves buzzwords, and the latest refers to consumers who prefer to rent than buy. Trendwatching, an Amsterdam-based market-research firm coined the term transumer, and according Reinier Evers of Trendwatching, it's a lifestyle "that's less about treasure and more about pleasure."
The motivation behind renting instead of buying could be convenience, cost, or space limitations, and consumers are borrowing everything from handbags and sunglasses to cars and DVDs. Evers explained, "On the one hand, you have consumers who want to collect as many experiences and part-time possessions as possible. And then there are transumers who value non-ownership for environmental reasons: to only use something when you really need it, which involves everything from renting to passing something on to the next person." Enter another buzzword: the eco-transumer.
When it comes to bargains, it pays to play it cool. High maintenance travelers can be as finicky as they want while on vacation, but that approach won't get you the cheapest trip while in planning mode. Think flexibility when organizing a vacation, and the deals will come to you.
If you've been spending your lunch hour scrolling through the many listings for Michael Jackson memorabilia, then make sure your sentiments don't get the best of you by purchasing something unauthentic. What's more, you should have your guard up when an email enters your inbox claiming that you (yes, you!) could own a special piece of history. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), you're a fool to respond to any email offering one-of-a-kind items from Jackson's life.
Steve Bernas, chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau office in Chicago said in a statement, "The cause of Michael Jackson's untimely death still needs to be determined, and already people are seeing suspicious and awkwardly written e-mails appear in their in-boxes offering supposedly authentic items from the pop singer's life." The BBB encourages consumers to use common sense and carefully evaluate who the product is coming from before making a transaction.
For the second year in a row, AAA predicts travel will be down over Fourth of July weekend, blaming uncertainty about the economy. Will you be making a trip?
As travelers gear up for flying over the long Fourth of July weekend, fingers are crossed that travel schedules go as planned. Most plans will go off without a hitch, but there's always a few who get the short end of the travel stick when their flights are canceled. Weather, mechanical problems, and shortage of crew are a few reasons why flights might be delayed or canceled altogether. 
We tune in for the entertainment (and maybe for a little eye candy), and the highest earning American athletes know they're appreciated. These guys might suffer from injuries here and there and endure grueling training schedules, but they certainly aren't hurting for cash. In fact, their income is so high that Sports Illustrated compiles an annual list it calls the Fortunate 50. Can you guess who scores the most money and what type of athletes are more likely to rake in cash ? Take the quiz! 
If you've been spending your lunch hour scrolling through the many listings