In this article: Travel Smart: Drive to save airfare Money Smart: Pay loan vs. buy a home Health Smart: Exercise = Viagra Eat Smart: Quick Shrimp Salad Contact a columnist

THINK SMART Helpful tips for your everyday life

Drive a little, save on airfare

What do you do when the airfare to a major city seems too expensive? Look for a cheaper fare at a nearby city's airport. When tickets to Orlando are pricey, look at Daytona Beach, Fla., just an hour away. If San Francisco seems overpriced, try Oakland, just 20 minutes from downtown. Most cities have at least one alternative airport, but we've found a dozen that offer two choices. These secondary airports are mostly within two hours by car, and they're all served by major carriers.

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Young couple wonders: Pay loans or buy home?

My wife and I have about $75,000 in student loan debt at an average interest rate of 4% (already consolidated). Meanwhile, we're eager to buy our first home but live in pricey Boston, where the average house sells for more than $300,000. We have $40,000 saved. Should we focus on paying down the principal on our student debt, or should we put our savings into our money market account geared toward a down payment on a house?
--Doug in Boston

First of all, congratulations! You consolidated your student loans at the lowest interest rates in history. And, although national savings rates have fallen off completely, you've accumulated quite a nest egg. So pat yourselves on the back.

Because buying a home is important to you, it makes sense to put your cash toward that goal rather than toward paying down student debt at incredibly reasonable rates (and your payments are very likely tax-deductible).

Financial adviser Ross Levin of Accredited Investors in Edina, Minn., agrees that in the very short term a money market account is the "appropriate holding tank" for your money. But if it's going to be more than a year before you buy, he suggests checking out I bonds, which are indexed to protect you from inflation.

A word about home loans: If you are really buying a starter home and will be in it for less than five years, a hybrid adjustable-rate loan (fixed for the first five years you're in the property, and currently priced about 1% lower than a 30-year fixed-rate loan) may be the best option -- yes, even though interest rates are likely to rise.

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Exercise, nature's Viagra

Drugs like Viagra, Levitra and Cialis have improved the quality of life of men with diminished erectile function. But nature also provides us with a way to maintain or regain our sexual prowess. A study published in "The Journal of the American Medical Association" in June followed 110 obese men in Italy with erectile dysfunction. Half were given specific information about appropriate eating and exercise, with a goal of losing weight. The others got only general information about eating and activity. Over the two years the men were followed, those who had received the specific information lost more weight than the other men; many regained erectile function, too. I've seen how exercise not only helps erectile function over the long term but also helps manage stress, long associated with erection problems. So for all you guys who don't see the need to exercise for your heart, do it to help your love life!

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Quick Shrimp Salad With Key Lime Dressing

This refreshing, minty salad takes about 10 minutes to throw together. The oranges and broccoli are rich in antioxidants, the shrimp are high in protein and low in fat, and the yogurt has protective bacteria.

1/2 pound cooked shrimp (tails removed), cut in bite-sized pieces
2 seedless oranges (in slices or chunks)
2 cups small broccoli florets, crisp-cooked
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds
6 ounces fat-free Key lime yogurt
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate; serve chilled. Garnish with mint sprigs. Serves 4.

Per serving: 190 calories, 23g carbohydrates, 17g protein, 4g fat (0.5g saturated), 4g fiber, 178mg sodium.