Do Not Fear

I know the word Priceline strikes fear into the hearts of many of you, but I have grown to appreciate and even love the strange world that is Priceline. Like many of you, I was once afraid of the mystery behind the Name Your Own Price function. That is until a couple of years ago when I discovered what a great tool it can be to vacation planning on a budget.

A couple of years ago mother of one of my daughter's friends mentioned that they use Priceline to book hotels in Branson. She gave me tons of useful information and what she shared sounded great. So with great trepidation, I convinced my family to let me give it a shot. We've now used Priceline to book several hotel stays and we've never had a bad experience.

The most important thing when using the Name Your Own Price option is to do your research first. Narrow your search to the area within your destination that you would most like to stay. Then choose the star level that you would like to stay in. Most of the time, I even go a star level higher than I would normally choose.

Then, and this is the most important point, read the descriptions and several reviews for ALL the possible hotels. I know, this seems like a lot of work, but isn't saving 50% worth a little extra reading? If you would feel happy with any of these hotels, then go for it.

My husband and I were planning our 10 anniversary trip to New York City and I decided to give Priceline a shot. I chose my area, Midtown West -Times Square. Then I chose my star rating, 4 star. And read the reviews. And really, can you really go wrong with a 4 star hotel a couple blocks from Times Square. And how did it work out? Fantastic! We got a fabulous, historic hotel with a beautiful view and a nice, big room. And for almost half-price.

So here we go... 1. Pick your area. 2. Pick your star rating. 3. Decide on your opening bid and give it a try. If you're first bid doesn't land you a room, wait a little while and try again with a little higher bid.

Good Luck, Go Forth and BID (low)!

Note: Once a bid is accepted, there's no changing or cancellations, so be sure before you bid.