Twenty-five: It's an age for bargain-hunters to savor.

Auto-insurance companies start slashing premiums. On car rentals, the underage surcharge disappears. Vacation lodging choices expand to include some rental properties and resorts that turn away the under-25 crowd.

Meanwhile, travel firms world-wide continue to honor "youth" discounts for 25-year-olds.

I hit the quarter-century mark last month -- and have been hunting for ways to exploit my age ever since.

To be sure, this birthday isn't good news for everyone. Twenty-five is also the age at which a number of states, including Colorado and New Mexico, say health plans are no longer required to cover financially dependent children on a family's policy. But twentysomethings already covered through their employer won't feel the sting.

Here's how I plan to make the most of the year:

Shop Around for Insurance

My first grown-up car-insurance bill is due this week, and it's noticeably lower than the bills I was getting when I was a mere 24. That's because, statistically speaking, drivers get much safer after their 25th birthday.

Geico whacked 18% off the six-month premium for my 2003 Corolla, dropping the cost to $437.50 from $533.60. But part of me wonders if I can do even better now that I'm a safer bet.

My policy expires in March, so I'm going to spend the next few months researching providers and rate shopping.

Visit Smaller Cities

Without the pesky underage fee on car rentals, I can finally afford to venture beyond metropolises with extensive public transportation networks when I'm on vacation. First stop: South Lake Tahoe, Calif., where my family will celebrate Christmas on the slopes.

Enterprise recently quoted me $131.65 to ren

t an "intermediate" car at the nearby Sacramento International Airport from Dec. 21 to Dec. 25. If I were 21 to 24, that rate would be $199.82 -- 52% higher -- because of a $15 a day underage surcharge and associated taxes. And that $15 surcharge is one of the cheaper ones in the business.

In most states, Hertz charges 21- to 24-year-olds $27 a day, while Avis charges $25 a day. (The Avis charge in New York State is even higher, $110 per day.)

Travel Abroad

Happily, not everyone's convinced the time for coddling has passed.

Many travel companies concede that while I may be an adult, I'm a poor one, so they're giving me one last year of "youth" discounts. The upshot: It's time to take that dream summer ski-and-kayak trip to the Chilean Andes.

Student discount site STATravel.com sells an International Youth Travel Card to the under-26 set for $22, and it's valid for up to a year. The program promises discounts world-wide, including 10% off packages from adventure company Yak Expediciones in Santiago, Chile.

This is perfect, since a number of Yak kayaking trips, which can cost a few hundred dollars, are on the way to the Termas de Chillan ski resort.

Twentysomethings who don't want to traverse the equator might consider Europe, where widespread youth rates may ease some of the sting of the weak dollar. The Scottish Opera, for instance, offers seats anywhere in the house for 10 pounds ($20) for patrons under 26, a bargain when prime seats can cost 58 pounds.

RailEurope.com offers youth fares to people 25 and younger. One example: A four-day second-class pass for the Swiss travel system costs adults $194, while youths pay $146, or 25% less.

Not all the breaks are financial; travelers also have more options. A number of listings for vacation rentals, like beach houses and condos, bar anyone under 25 from renting. And some travel companies that want to weed out the spring-break party crowd won't book guests under 25 at certain resorts.