Skip to content

Rewards Program

Reward Programs for Credit Cards, Travel, Hotels and More

Menu
  • Reward Programs
  • Credit Card Rewards
  • Travel Rewards
  • Hotel Rewards
  • Other Rewards
Menu

Some vacation-planning strategies, from websites to haggling

Posted on February 24, 2018 by Rewards


Natasha Rachel Smith was good at math as a teenager and intrigued by personal finance. As an adult, she was determined to turn “marketing techniques on their head.” Today, she works for TopCashback.com, which offers rebates and other deals to consumers who make purchases through the website — including for travel. The Associated Press asked Smith to share vacation-planning strategies along with some insights into how TopCashback works.

THE FLIGHT

For a last-minute winter getaway, Smith’s first stop for booking was Skyscanner.com, where you can input your departure airport without putting in a destination. She then looked for whatever the cheapest fares were to anywhere from her home airport. Instead of searching for exact dates, you can search flights on Skyscanner for a whole month or for the cheapest month. Smith liked a $220 round-trip to the Bahamas.

To book the flight, Smith then went to TopCashback.com and chose Flighthub.com from among TopCashback’s participating vendors. Flighthub.com listed the flight she wanted for the same $220 price, but on top of that she got a $15 rebate through Flighthub’s partnership with TopCashback. Minus the rebate, the flight cost $205.

Just be aware: It can take up to 90 days for rebate money to show up in your TopCashback account, at which point you can have the money returned to your PayPal or checking account, or apply it to a gift card, perhaps getting additional cash in the form of a bonus.

In four years of making purchases this way, Smith says, “I’ve earned $2,500 just by doing my regular spending.”

ACCOMMODATIONS AND GROUND TRANSPORT

Next, the hotel. Smith compared hotels in the Bahamas through vendors like Hotels.com on TopCashback and decided prices were high. Instead, she booked an Airbnb, $400 for four nights as opposed to $200-$300 per night for a hotel. To figure out ground transport, Smith compares car rental prices with Uber, Lyft and taxi fees. On this trip to Barbados, she asked her Airbnb host what she should expect to pay to get to her lodging from other places she was likely to spend time, for example, an area with restaurants. Her host said cabs would run around $10 Bajan or $5 U.S., so when a local taxi driver told her to set her own price for a fare, that’s what she offered. The driver accepted, though he told her he thought she was underpaying a bit. A different driver on another day asked for $15, and she opted to walk instead.

TIPS AND HAGGLING

Smith says travellers shouldn’t be reluctant to negotiate prices, whether they’re getting a cab or buying from a vendor in a market.

“It’s just a business transaction,” Smith said. “You aren’t trying to take advantage of someone as much as you are looking for a fair price.” If your offer is too low, it won’t be accepted, but do your homework so you’re in the ballpark. And be prepared to walk away if the vendor rejects your price.

From a cultural perspective, she added, in many countries “it is expected that you’ll negotiate.” Tourists are already charged more than locals because they’re perceived as having wealth, she said. That doesn’t mean you need to be cheap; it just means deciding “what is reasonable and fair.”

As for tipping, research local expectations. Tipping 15 to 20 per cent is normal in New York but in some places, 5 to 10 per cent is the norm. And in many regions of the world, like parts of Asia, tipping is simply not done.

ET CETERA

Look at bonus points and partnerships offered by credit cards and loyalty programs. Smith signed up for the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card, which gave her 50,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 within three months.





Source link

Ask Jeeves
Ask Jeeves

Rewards Programs

  •  Everything You Need To Know About Business Travel 
  • These Credit Cards With Sky-High Annual Fees Are Still Worth It
  • Saks Off 5th Remakes Its Loyalty Program
  • Capital One Walmart Rewards Mastercard review: For dedicated shoppers
  • How to get the most out of ride-hailing services
  • What Are The 8 Best Banks in Georgia?
  • American Express Platinum Concierge: What You Need To Know
  • Metro Detroiters are ‘working for the pump’ as fuel prices hit $5
  • Web Exclusive: Global Hotel Alliance CEOs predict travel trends – Hotel Business
  • The 7 Best Fuel Rewards Programs in 2022 to Save Money on Gas
  • Best Unsecured Credit Cards for May 2022
  • What Happens to Travel Miles and Hotel Points When You Die?
© 2022 Rewards Program | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme