okwiater said:However, I recently stumbled across another strategy that I have used on several occasions with good results, namely, bidding using a closed credit card or with the wrong CID/CVV value. I actually stumbled across this by accident when bidding with one of my old stored cards that had been shut down and assigned a new account number by Citi.

Loose lips sink ships.

I have been doing this for 3-4 years. Now that you have publicized this loophole you have greatly increased the chances of having it plugged.

Reminds me of the time ~1991 when Discover Card would let you borrow against your credit line by writing a check and would charge you no interest as long as you paid it back in full by the due date on the statement. For a couple of years I would dump 18K into my money market account and pay off the account, in person, on the due date on the way home from work at a Sears store. Each cycle I would get use of their money for ~4 weeks. Money market rates were nice back then too. I was getting ~9%.

Then someone who had been doing the same thing wrote into Money Magazine so they could let the world know how clever they were. Money Magazine published the strategy. I told my wife to watch the mail--a change in T&C will be coming because this guy could not keep a good thing to himself. Two months later it came. 3% to write a check--all advantage gone. *poof*

Don't screw the pooch; delete your post.

Oontis said:

UPDATE:
bidlesstravel.com looks nice and might be helpful in the future but it seems to me that there are no bids for any states that I wanted to look at. And it seemed that there are no hotels posted for certain "zones". For now I am sticking with bft for Priceline and betterbidding for Hotwire unless a future post here makes a compelling point on where else we can get info from and post info that can help everyone mutually.

Yea, I searched the larger states and found quite a few (the 1-click map is cool ), but I found the database lacking for many states, too. I created a profile over there and even entered a few bids...will keep checking it...but better bidding seems to be my new research tool for now, given the amazing number of posts over there.

alextan said:Will this strategy work for rental cars? Thanks!


alextan

no.

Happy to report I landed 4* San Francisco (Union Square East) Westin St Francis, $71 ... 5/23/09-5/25/09 (2 Rooms) for a 2* price

edit: $71 each room.

Terp said:Scotty2Hottie said:Happy to report I landed 4* San Francisco (Union Square East) Westin St Francis, $71 ... 5/23/09-5/25/09 (2 Rooms) for a 2* price

edit: $71 each room.

Can I add the bid to the BLT database to get credit?

No, because then you will get banned for not going through her links...and i think you meant bFt not bLt

$50 parking + tax on site kind of hurts that one for me

I've used BiddingForTravel.com for a long time now. It explains the strategy behind bidding (as above), and also lets you see what successful bids other people have made in the same area. It's excellent (and free). Although I haven't had any mod problems, and her correction has been civil, y'all have me a little concerned...

Any recent experiences getting hotels to give you a room with two beds after a winning bid? I am looking for hotels in Maui and Big Island at the end of the month.

TIA.

sgb said:Any recent experiences getting hotels to give you a room with two beds after a winning bid? I am looking for hotels in Maui and Big Island at the end of the month.

TIA.

While there are NO guarantees, I have always received two beds when I have asked for them.

MaximoSE said:ssemovsk said:www.Biddingfortravel.com
Best site around once you figure out how to navigate thru it

WORD. I love that site. Saved me many $$$$$$$s.

I do have to agree, the mod there (Sheryl) can be pretty mean at times.

Agree the site is good but not a fan of the mod. I read through the whole set of rules and winning bids from other posts. Finally made a bid on my own, didn't ask for help. Posted my win to help others and I got banned. I think I got banned because I didn't use her links to book my travel. Didn't make sense when I can get Cash Back from FW and