There are several new savings opportunities this tax season, as well as some traps to watch out for. Here's a list of five things to look out for:

1. Lawmakers brought back the option to deduct your state and local sales taxes instead of your state and local income taxes. This allows you to estimate your sales taxes, which is based on your exemptions and income. But if you bought a car, boat or motorcycle in 2006, you should find that receipt because you can add the sales taxes you paid on it to the IRS number!

2. This year it'll be tougher to take a charitable deduction for old junk you gave away after Aug. 17, 2006. New rules say that clothing and household goods must be in "good used condition or better" to qualify. Make sure you keep a list of your donations, and it is also a good idea to have a photo on hand of your donated items for a better record.

3. If you paid someone to watch your children, under the age of thirteen, so that you could work or study, you may be able to take the child-and dependent-care credit. It's worth as much as $1,050 for one child or $2,100 for two (based on your income). Day camps also can be accounted for - you just need the address and tax identification number of the day-care provider or camp.

4. If you made your home more energy-efficient in 2006 (by adding insulation, replacing drafty windows, or buying a furnace, for example), then you may qualify for a new tax credit worth as much as $500 (or $200 for windows). If you bought a new hybrid car, you're entitled to a credit of $250 to $2,600, depending on the model and the sale date. To read more about which improvements qualify, go to http://www.ase.org/taxcredits.

5. Congress extended the tuition deduction, which lets you write off as much as $4,000, a $1,120 savings in the twenty-eight percent bracket. The top adjusted gross income to qualify is $160,000 for married couples. However, you will need to present the 2006 tuition bills.