I know what you're thinking. You want to go on a vacation, but gas prices scare you. Well, David Bach the automatic millionaire has some ways to slash your travel costs.

As for flying, the American Association for Retired Persons says the best time to book air fares online directly from the airline is Wednesday from midnight to 1 a.m. in the time zone of the airline's home base.

Here are some other travel tips:

1. First try the next generation of travel Web sites. You've heard of the big three: Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz. Try sites like SideStep, Kayak, Mobissimo and Hotwire. Search all the other travel sites to find the best price.

2. Try the train. That's not as easy as it used to be in Wichita, but you can still grab Amtrak in Newton and head east and west.

3. Choose pedestrian friendly destinations such as Chicago, New York, San Francisco or other places that have good subway or mass transit systems.

4. Travel where the dollar stretches. Right now, a weak dollar means things are expensive in Europe. However, some Central and South American countries, as well as Asian countries other than Japan, can be very economical.

5. Get creative with lodging, rather than the big chains. Consider a Bed and Breakfast. Bedandbreakfast.com will have a list. If you're really adventurous, try a youth hostel.

6. Pay for a kitchen. The higher per night rate will may than pay off if you can fix some or all of your meals in your room, rather than eating out.

7. Stay close to home. The Kansas Travel Tourism Bureau offers all kinds of information about sites in Kansas that the whole family will enjoy. Check the Web site at travelks.com.

You can watch Money Matters every Wednesday on "Good Morning Kansas."