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@stux@mstdn.socialLittle tip!
When you are looking for a vacation or hotel booking etc online
First check the prices, after that clear your browser data and open a VPN. Set it to use a 'lower wealthy' country and check those same prices again
Often bookings sites use cookies and other tracking methodes to see where you are and ajust the price
The same goes with holidays, often prices increase so using a VPN can get around this sometimes
Another thing is the upping of prices after a first visit to scare you
@stux Flights too 
@Roadwarrior29 Indeed!
@stux but well, this will not work if you have to log in? I mean e.g. my booking account is linked to my home adress and then the site will realize I am not located in the country with the lower average income?
@stux tkanks for the unethical tip! Ill use it next time ;)
@stux OMG is this correct? Great tip !!
@stux "We canceled your booking because you hacked our system."
I wouldn't be surprised if a response like that will be used. 
Or at least use "false statement".
MimzyDub@stux thanks for the tips.
I've done this for years. When I was a contractor working in different countries, I would plan my yearly vacations almost 2 months ahead of time. Using a VPN would save me hundreds of dollars on my flight, even in business class.
I would also buy a flight with connections pass my destination but get off at my stop. Then call the airlines and cancel the remainder of the flight as an emergency layover. I did that for years and saved even more money.
@stux ik heb ooit eens meer dan 3000 euro bespaard door cookies weg te gooien idd. Bizar als je erover nadenkt.
@stux Today I used booking.com to find a nice B&B and then booked it on their own website with a 6% discount. Win-win!
@stux Damn... I never thought of this... 
@stux this always work for me 100%
blows my mind but makes a lot of sense
@stux in theory this shouldn't work with different EU countries so if people are in the EU they might need to change to a non-EU 'lower wealthy' country.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/pricing-payments/index_en.htm#shortcut-4
@stux I found that on flix bus even changing the language setting changes the price. US English: extra 4 euro fee, Bosnian: fee disappears
@stux Try to avoid booking from a booking site. They take large portion of the money that should go to the hotel. Contracts between booking sites and hotels forbid the hotels from offering cheaper prices on their own website than the booking site. But hotels can still give the same rooom cheaper, if you send them email or call with a phone.
https://vierityspalkki.fi/2022/07/13/hotellien-varaussivustot-kiristavat-hotelliyrittajia/
@stux
Or, simply use the website to find the hotel you want, then ring them directly. Especially if you use an independent establishment, they'll give you at least as good a deal as online because they won't pay commission to some huge 3rd party.
@stux It's also worth checking the hotel's own website. Booking directly is often, though not always, cheaper than going through a booking site.
@stux thanks for the information ️️️
@stux@mstdn.social I used to work for a travel agency.
Here are some tips that will save you some sanity mostly and maybe some money.
1: Shopping around for plane trips works to some extent but that's not where you save money. Shopping for hotels is where you can save the big bucks. (Some places an airbnb might actually be cheaper)
2: With travel agencies you pay extra for the service most times. (What's nice about it is that they help you rebook and/or cancel if something is screwed up)
I might have more but those are the first two i can think of.
@kira Thank you Kira! 
@stux@mstdn.social And to add: Normally what you see when you book with a travel agency is normally the same as the airline itself. They all hook into a GDS and that is where the prices are loaded.
@stux They're also peeking in Language lists and timezone.
@stux While ur at it use a privacy friendly VPN that doesnt log or collect data as well
@Mixtape Yess!
I use ProtonVPN and am quite happy
@stux Idk all the VPNs but i like Mullvad, no logs at all, police showed up already but they couldnt give them anything at all, not even mail adresses cause ur just a random number plus you can pay with crypto or even cash without a sender adress on the letter
@jbenger Mullvad VPN for example, can be paid cash and ur just a random user number, not even a mail or password is needed but theres more out there