TravelSmart, the trustworthy consumer travel newsletter. Since 1976, TravelSmart has been delivering insider advice each and every month to thousands of savvy travelers. And because we do not accept advertising, we are able to tell the unvarnished truth about deals, destinations and discounts. Readers know they can trust our advice and recommendations. TravelSmart is unbiased, carries no advertising and is independently owned and operated.

Know Before You Go: Medicare Outside The US -- An Update On Ever-Changing Rules Special Report: US Lighthouses -- Illuminating Our Past (Part I) Checking In: NYC Theater Restaurants (Part II) City Hotel Discounts: St. Petersburg, FL City Insider Report: Oxford, MS Top Ten Travel Deals* Include: Italy -- Romeo and Juliet's Verona & Tuscany: 6 nights from $799, incl. 7-day car rental, bkfst daily & r/t air  --  Britain Sampler: 8 nights from $1,098. Highlights of this escorted tour: London Guided City Tour, Hampton Court, Stonehenge, Salisbury, Bath, Stow-on-the-World, Stratford, Llangollen, Chester Walking Tour, Grasmere, Edinburgh Guided City Tour, Abbotsford, Jebburgh, York Walking Tour, Belvoir, Stamford. Incl. 3 dinners & bkfst daily  --  US National Parks Package: 11 nights from $2,699, visiting Grand Canyon, Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, Bighorn Mountains, Great Sioux Nation Territory, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, bkfst cruise on Lake Powell, Custer State Park, Bryce, Zion and Grand Teton national parks. Inl. 7 dinners & bkfst daily. Steal of the Month: Argentina -- Classic Buenos Aires Package: 4 days from $899 incl. dinner and Tango show, in-depth sightseeing with your own personal car, driver and guide & bkfst daily. Back Talk: Six Vital Numbers Quotable Notable: Phyllis Newman

 

McGraw-Hill has just released TravelSmart publisher Nancy Dunnan's latest book, "Recession Proof Your Financial Life." Dunnan is the author and co-author of over 30 books, including the best seller "How To Invest $50 To $5,000" and other personal finance titles. She also writes the weekly "Dunnan on Dollars" column for The Online Investor www.theonlineinvestor.com as well as the weekly "Ask Nancy" column for brokerage firm BuyandHold.com. "Recession Proof Your Financial Life" addresses the topics we're all concerned about -- how to handle a layoff, find a job, get out of debt, save for college, avoid foreclosure, repair your 401(k) and more. In Dunnan's chapter "It's Chic to be Cheap" she gives great tips for having fun on a budget -- including when traveling. And, in the chapter, "Helping Those of a Certain Age," she covers the best deals, including travel deals, for the 50+ crowd. If you purchase a copy of the book, for yourself or for a friend, let Ms. Dunnan know by emailing her at TravelSmartNow@aol.com. She will send you two sample issues of TravelSmart magazine and the special TravelSmart Ballpoint Pen with a Light! Available online from  Amazon,  Barnes&Noble  and  Borders