We’ve made a lot of friends on this site, for which I’m very grateful – but sometimes, I forget that many are newcomers to FareCompare.com and our Deals Blog and to RickSeaney.com (what you’re reading now – a blog of news, commentary, tips, plus the occasional weird or hilarious item). Anyway, I know some may not be completely familiar with us, and what we do.

So for you newbies out there, let me boil it down:

We help you find the best available airfare, first – every time.

No easy trick, since airlines are constantly fiddling with their prices, one day raising airfare, another day, lowering prices – but believe me, we keep track of it all.

I was reminded of the difficulty in navigating all this – unless you’re a FareCompare follower – when I got an email from an airline announcing a new sale. This is a sale we’d reported on hours earlier!

Some quick how-to’s on finding the fares you want first, coming right up – so keep reading…

Looking to find great deals to a specific destination or trip you’ve got planned?

• Sign up for FareCompare’s email alerts – you set the destination, we tell you when prices drop – in real-time

Looking for great deals from your airport?

• Sign up to follow FareCompare deals from your airport on Twitter – for more real-time savings

Want the latest airline sale information?

• Check out FareCompare’s Deals Blog – for savings all over, plus the Cheap Deal of the Day

Want to see what the prices are, right now – to U.S. destinations, or anywhere in the world – from your airport?

• Head to FareCompare’s Where-to-Go Dealfinder – this is a GREAT tool, so easy-to-use – and it’s fun, too