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PART 2 | For the first installment of this column we're going to talk about howto get from here to there, wherever "there" may be. Let's make our sample destination New York City. Bear in mind that the tactics we are discussing to travel to NYC can beapplied to just about any "there" you can imagine.
First, take a look at here and examine every possibility you can think of to get the hell out of town. (And if you are already in New York, these techniques can be applied "in reverse," if you will.)
Get on the Bus | If you are anywhere in the New England area, traveling to New York via bus is a choice alternative. Most cities have a selection of "Chinatown Buses," which can take you from Chinatown to Chinatown throughout New England. A roundtrip ticket often runs as low as $30-$40, and buses leave with enough frequency to make the overcrowding and disorganization worth the investment of time and money. A comprehensive list of different Chinatown buses by city, such as the Fung Wah bus from Boston, can be found at www.staticleap.com .
Other discount bus lines have stolen onto the scene, such as the Bolt Bus, which has rates that vary depending on how far in advance you book. For the plush traveler, Bolt's cushy faux leather seats and wireless internet are well worth the $1 you might spend to get from DC to NYC. That's right, $1 fares if you book a couple of months in advance.
The Sky is the Limit | Not within bussing distance? Believe it or not, you can still get plane tickets for less than $100, and that, my friend, is cheap.
One inexpensive way to travel by plane is a willingness to make plans at the drop of a hat. If you know where to look, there are plenty of online services that offer both limited advanced sales and last minute getaways that can save you hundreds. Last week, Travelzoo.com , which scours various airlines and travel companies for great deals and sends them straight to your inbox, advertised $49 fares between New York and select cities in the US. Cut back on cigarettes, alcohol or coffee for a month, and you've paid for your ticket. I'm not saying get rid of your vices permanently, but if money is an issue this is a prime example of opportunity cost; once in New York there's vice aplenty to be had. Smoke if you got 'em.
Also, most airlines, such as Southwest and Delta, have their own limited discounts that you can sign up for via their websites. Hate subscribing to e-mail lists? Establish a separate junk e-mail account through Yahoo! or Google that is designed specifically to receive such mass mailings.
There are also many services that will search a variety of airlines for cheap discounts, such as Priceline.com and Hotwire.com. I highly recommend Kayak.com, which not only searches airlines, but gives you the option to search the other search engines of its ilk (e.g. the aforementioned Priceline and Hotwire). Also, Priceline features a bid option which can be good for a lark.
And don't forget when searching for flights to New York, you have a choice of airports (which is generally the case for metropolitan cities across the globe). The first two, La Guardia and JFK, are located in the NYC borough of Queens. The other two, Newark International in New Jersey and Islip on Long Island, are accessible through somewhat more protracted means. For more information on transportation from these airports into the city, visit their websites.
As you can see, there are many ways to make getting to New York possible, but as I've said these ideas do not only apply to the Big Apple. As a lark, seeing as how you're already online and all, explore one of the websites above and see where you could wind up. Google "discount airlines" and peruse the returns. Choose that one place you've always dreamed of going and let's start figuring out how to get there today.
In our next column we're going to discuss what you do once you get there, in this case good old New York. In the meantime, write with questions or comments. This column is for you, and I am always happy to answer specific or general questions about how to get from here to there. 
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