While frugal air travel tips abound, info on saving money on car rentals is scarce. That’s too bad, as car rental can be the most confusing part of traveling.

Photo by TranceMist.

Online quotes do not include multiple taxes, fees, and surcharges, and the rental agency will try to sell you upgrades, add-ons and all kinds of insurance when you pick up your car.

Often, you have no idea how much the car rental is actually going to cost until you return the car and it’s too late.

How do all the fees stack up – and what can you do about it? Here are five tips to save you big bucks the next time you rent a car. [...]

I’m pleased to present this week’s Carnival of Credit Report Stories, which features several excellent articles that will help you manage one of your most important financial tools — your credit history. [...]

This guest post on frugal European travel is written by my friend Rick, who has been living in Italy for over a year on a shoestring budget. You can read more about his adventures at his blog: Over a Bottle.

Photo by dachalan.

The falling dollar can make overseas travel seem rather daunting these days.

But with careful planning, flexibility and doing some research, you can still have that great cultural European vacation on the cheap.

Plan your vacation carefully. Research what you want to see and plan daily schedules.

Try to plan your vacation during
the off-season for tourism, typically from October until March in Europe. Use sites such as TripAdvisor, Venere, and Eurocheapo to plan your sightseeing carefully. [...]

Welcome to the April 21, 2008 edition of the Carnival of Twenty Something Finances. With over 60 submissions and more than 50 articles selected for inclusion, this week’s carnival features loads of great tips for building a bright financial future, so let’s dive right into the articles! [...]

It’s been quiet around the blog this week because I’ve been traveling. I’m becoming a pretty seasoned business traveler. I rarely check my bags, I know how to get free first class upgrades, and I have no sympathy for you if you don’t have your belt, shoes, laptop, and plastic baggie of liquids in your hand before you get to the metal detectors. But last week I made an embarrassing – and expensive – mistake: I overslept and missed my flight. [...]

The following is a guest post by Heather Johnson, a freelance writer and contributor to Credit Card Lowdown. Heather invites your comments and freelancing job opportunities at her email address: heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com. Want to write for Money Under 30? Let me know!

Being money-wise at a young age doesn’t mean you have to sit around and do nothing while you wait to retire. No, it isn’t shrewd to blow a week’s wages on Saturday night, but there are plenty of things to do when you are bored while trying to build your savings. Here are 15 recommended activities: [...]

The real estate market is dismal these days, which means bargains-a-plenty for first-time home buyers. Problem is: the real estate market is suffering because so many homeowners took out loans they can’t repay. In turn, mortgage lenders have tightened their purse strings, making qualifying for a home loan a challenge.

That’s not to say getting a mortgage today is impossible. Could you qualify for a mortgage? Here are the three numbers that hold the answer. [...]

Most people know that paying your credit cards late can wreck havoc on your credit score, but there are many other less-known ways to harm (and help) your credit. Here are five things that can damage your credit, and five things that can raise your score. [...]

I’ve been busy again this week, and I have articles featured in four carnivals so far. [...]

With the economy tightening, even good workers may find themselves on the corporate chopping block. While there’s no way to guarantee your job security during lean years, it might be high time to make sure your boss knows just how valuable you are to the company. Here are few techniques to get you started. [...]