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MY SUN DAY NEWS

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Never pay full fare for travel or lodging

By Don Grady

I used to travel quite a bit in the ‘70s and ‘80s and would rely heavily on travel agencies to schedule and book my airline, limo, hotel, and rental car arrangements. As a business traveler, I had a frequent traveler profile with my travel agency. They knew my travel preferences: favorite airlines, hotels, and car rentals. The convenience was wonderful. The travel agency was instructed to use the lowest cost providers among several carriers and hotels. I remember when American Airlines started to let customers schedule their own flights in the ‘80s using the “eaasy SABRE” system. It began a new era for travelers—a new kind of convenience: self-service.

Travelocity began in 1996, offering travelers online travel services—not just flights, but hotels and car rentals too. Then came the competition with Orbitz, Expedia, and Priceline. These online “agents” bought reservations in bulk at significantly reduced rates and passed much of the savings on to the travelers. Priceline patented their “bidding” process, enabling travelers to “name their own price” to reap significant discounts on travel and lodging. The airlines responded with travel awards and VIP treatment to coax travelers to book their travel directly with them. Now you can “have your cake and eat it too.” Book your travel through Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz, or another online travel agency and provide them your frequent traveler number with your favorite airline or hotel. It is getting tougher to catch great deals on airlines. Some travelers will compare hotel rates online and then call the hotel to see if they will “match” the price. A colleague of mine gave me the best advice: “When you bid online, don’t be shy—bid low.” He stays at 4-star hotels for $75 per night! For those who don’t plan ahead, there are “last minute” deals. That’s where you can take advantage of the unused reservations the online travel agencies purchased but didn’t use. Whether you plan ahead or just take a last minute getaway, don’t pay full fare. There’s a “deal” just waiting for you.

Next issue: New auto—buy or lease? I want to make sure the topics in the Frugal Forum are hitting the mark. I would really like to hear from you. Send me your questions or ideas that you would like to share. Mail to: The Frugal Forum, P.O. Box 693, Huntley, IL 60142 or Email: thefrugalforum@gmail.com.





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