1. someone will always get a better deal than you, so accept that you will loose the one-upmanship game.
2. prices typically dip 6-8 weeks out for domestic fares assuming no holiday/superbowl ect event. The airlines computer models look at how many seats sold and margins and diddle the prices and timing accordingly.
3. Its sort of like day trading, the prices will move up and down. and down and up. sometimes even left and right.
3. So you watch prices and at some point you are offered a good price, take it and move on with your life.
4. For off season flights like October, the various travel hacking/getting credit cards for intro miles can work to get a single, economy fair ticket. The various internet tales of two tickets RTW first class for the ultimate honeymoon, not so much.