God bless this no-nonsense column over at CNNMoney that explains with a minimum of cruft when exactly is the best time to buy everything—if everything is airline tickets, televisions, houses, cars, videogames, and toys. Here’s the bit about airline tickets that you can put in your pocket right now for it is as simple as the organism sure to infect you on your next flight:

For all the seeming complexity that goes into the price of airfare, the answer to when some of the cheapest tickets can be found is surprisingly simple: Wednesday.

That’s when airlines release their available seats for the upcoming weekend and the weekend after, says Travelocity’s Dominique Phillip.

Phillip, along with other travel agents, said it’s still best to book a domestic flight at least two weeks in advance, and even further ahead for international travel. But if the two-week window isn’t an option for you, she advised delaying the purchase even more, to a few days before you fly, as fares from 14 to 7 days ahead of departure tend to be the most expensive.

Agree? Disagree? Wish you had money with which to actually buy anything?

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.