So, you have decided that your needs are going to be met by DIY booking online, rather than by a travel agent. What next? Where exactly should you look?

To digg around, looking for the best deal in every search engine would require much of your time. You need to hop from one site to the other and then, compare each deal before you can decide. You can do that, too. But, the best would be to use an online travel aggregator.

As defined by K. Crislip of About.com, "Aggregators are handy tools that pack a lot of travel search engine."

Aggregators scan the web for the best deal on airfares, hotels, car rentals and other travel services, based of course on your specifications. At present, major aggregator sites are Kayak, SideStep, Yahoo's Farechase and Mobissimo, among others.

Bookings can be made on most aggregator sites. Or, in some cases, you can get the details listed on the site and directly contact the provider.

However, despite the fact that aggregators are present, it still is best to look around and compare results. Just that with this travel tool, your job is a little easier as opposed to doing your research on a search engine or on a per airline/hotel basis.

Remember, don't grab the first deal you see. Shop around online!