Finding the Lowest Airfare

Airlines’ pricing strategies have changed in significant ways in the past several years and ticket prices can literally change by the minute. Scott McCartney, Travel Editor and author/creator of the weekly Middle Seat column on airlines and travel for The Wall Street Journal discussed the best days to find the lowest prices, how far ahead to buy and other money-saving travel tips for airline travel.

Saving for Retirement

Arielle O\'Shea, investing and retirement specialist for Nerdwallet.com said the average American must live on their retirement savings for 23 years. She explained how consumers can determine how much money they may need in retirement. She outlined four strategies to find extra income and control expenses in retirement. She recommends using a fee-only financial planner.

Late Night Workouts

Hitting the gym at night won’t keep you tossing and turning all night, contrary to popular belief. Penelope Larsen, researcher and PhD candidate, School of Exercise Science, Sport & Health, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia led a recent study that found that evening high-intensity cycling didn’t ruin sleep and may even reduce appetite. She said study participants also seemed to have more energy when exercise occurred later in the day, which could also debunk the belief that working out first thing in the morning is the optimal time.

Scott McCartney

Scott McCartney is the author and creator of the weekly Middle Seat column on airlines and travel in The Wall Street Journal, as well as the Middle Seat Terminal blog.



Mr. McCartney has been on the airline and aviation beat for more than 18 years and makes numerous radio and television appearances. He was part of the Journal’s team that won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting for coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. His transportation coverage in 2000 won a George Polk award and the Deadline Club award from the New York City Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2003, The Middle Seat was named the best online column by the Online News Association. It has consistently been one of the most popular features on the Journal’s Web site.



He is the author of four books, the most recent of which was ``The Wall Street Journal Guide to Power Travel: How To Arrive With Your Dignity, Sanity and Wallet Intact.’’



A native of Boston and graduate of Duke University, Mr. McCartney spent 11 years with The Associated Press before joining the Journal. He is an instrument-rated, multi-engine private pilot, and lives in Dallas.

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Arielle O\'Shea

Arielle covers investing and retirement as a writer for NerdWallet. She\'s been reporting on and writing about personal finance for over a decade, and her goal is to write about money in a way that makes it inclusive and empowering rather than alienating and intimidating. Her writing has appeared in Esquire, Money, The Billfold, Women\'s Health, USA Today, Forbes, Mashable and the Los Angeles Times, and she contributed to the book \"Money 911\" while working for author Jean Chatzky. She likes bad reality TV and increasing her 401(k) contribution.

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