1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: As Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Cooston's news 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: radio in Ireland. 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 2: Two hours every DZ. For this go round, Dan will 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 2: be in tomorrow night. Our guest is Kevin Bressler from 5 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 2: checkbook dot Org. Checkbook dot org is kind of like 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 2: the service version of Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports helps you 7 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: decide what stuff to buy, and checkbook dot org helps 8 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 2: you decide which services to use and whose version of 9 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 2: them to use. They help you actually choose the service providers. 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 2: Thanks for being with us, Kevin, Hey, good see again. Yes, 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: now we're going to cover travel when both of us. 12 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 2: You travel way more than I do, but you checkbook 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 2: dot org is actually john an extensive list of travel tips, 14 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 2: sixty strategies, in fact, sixty strategies for finding the best 15 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 2: deals and avoiding trouble. And avoiding trouble is big with me. 16 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's I think that's the probably the most pivotal 17 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 3: part of this list is the avoiding trouble part. I mean, 18 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 3: we have a lot of advice on how to save money, 19 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 3: but yeah, we've all you and I both have talked 20 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 3: about before about you know, trouble we've run into and 21 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 3: the ways to avoid it. 22 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: Right, And folks if you perhaps you haven't traveled because 23 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 2: you're you're a little nervous about it, and this might 24 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: this might help you. And if you have any questions, 25 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 2: we'd love to hear from you. If you've had any 26 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: experiences with travel, travel nightmares, even travel sort of bad dreams, inconveniences, 27 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: things you've learned, love to hear from you. If you 28 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: have a trip you would like to take, we'd love 29 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: to hear about that. If you have a trip that 30 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: you have taken, you want to share it, we want 31 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: to hear it. I know it's difficult, trust me, I 32 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 2: know to tell people about your trip because they don't 33 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: want to hear it in person. They say, how is 34 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: your trip? And if you start to tell them, their 35 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: eyes glaze over. They're jealous, they don't care, they don't 36 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: really want to hear a story. But we do want 37 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: to hear your story. Where did you go? Where do 38 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: you want to go? And do you have any concerns, 39 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 2: concerns with real ID or concerns with global entry, questions 40 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 2: like that, anything at all. Kevin is your guy and 41 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: checkbook dot org is your go to source. So first, always, 42 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: I guess this is top top rule. Always pay using 43 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: a credit card. So what we should not, what should 44 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 2: we not used to pay and why? 45 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean this is probably out of all the 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 3: advice we give. We cover hundreds of different topics, not 47 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 3: just travel. But whenever someone asked me, you know, what's 48 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 3: the top consumer tip you can give people in terms 49 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 3: of especially avoiding trouble, I always say, if you can 50 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 3: and it won't you know, and you can control your 51 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 3: debt you're spending. You're not going to add debt that 52 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 3: you're going to pay off your credit card at the 53 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 3: end of the month. That's very important, so you don't 54 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 3: pay a lot of finance and interest. But if you can, 55 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 3: when you buy stuff or when you pay for services, 56 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: use a credit card. And that especially goes for travel, 57 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 3: especially if you're booking a hotel room, whether the place 58 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 3: you haven't stayed before, or renting a car, buying flights anything, 59 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 3: if you can pay the credit card, not a debit card, 60 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 3: especially not like a bank transfer, especially not one of 61 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 3: these payan for programs. And the reason is this, when 62 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 3: you pay for stuff using a credit card, a very 63 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 3: important consumer protection kicks in. It's called the Federal Fair 64 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 3: Credit Billing Act. And what that law says essentially is 65 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 3: if something goes wrong, if you order something online and 66 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 3: it doesn't arrive, or if what you ordered online wasn't 67 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 3: what was promised, it wasn't what you expected, or if 68 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 3: you go in to get your car repaired and they 69 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 3: don't repair it right, and the seller, the retailer, or 70 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 3: the airline or whatever it is, if they won't make 71 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 3: it right, then you can dispute that charge with your 72 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 3: credit card company. And these days it's pretty easy to do. 73 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 3: Usually just log into your account, click on the thing, 74 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 3: and say dispute it, and the credit card company, by law, 75 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 3: has to investigate and decide who's it. And in the 76 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 3: case of fraud, say, for example, you rendered a vacation 77 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 3: property and it turned out to be a fake listing 78 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 3: and you lost your money, or the hotel you showed 79 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 3: up and they you know, they wouldn't give you your 80 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 3: room or something happened there, or if you just were dissatisfied. 81 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 3: The credit card companies are going to side on the 82 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 3: behalf of consumers normally, so it won't alleviate the problem. 83 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 3: You know, you won't alleviate the fact that you know, 84 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 3: maybe the hotel what you thought you booked wasn't what 85 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 3: was promised, or the rental car company, you know, try 86 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 3: to rip you off somehow, but at least you can 87 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 3: get your money back. And that's true of really all services. 88 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 3: If you hire a plumber and they come out and 89 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 3: they're supposed to fix something, they leave and it's not fixed, 90 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 3: and you already pay them. If you charge your credit card, 91 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 3: you could dispute that transaction. The credit company will will 92 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 3: side on behalf. And for fraud, it really works because 93 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 3: by law, the credit card companies it fraud occurs on 94 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 3: your account, they have to fix it, and they have 95 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:53,679 Speaker 3: to fix. 96 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 2: It right away. How do you define fraud. 97 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 3: Fraud would be something like, well, if somebody charges a 98 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 3: bunch of stuff to your credit card without your permission, 99 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: you get your money back. Fraud would be in the 100 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 3: case of say, vacation rental bookings. Sometimes people book fraudulent listings. 101 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,119 Speaker 3: You can get your money back. Fraud occurred the money 102 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 3: was stolen from me. If you booked a hotel room 103 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: and you were supposed to be able to get your 104 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 3: money back if you canceled with it a certain period 105 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 3: of time, the hotel didn't give you your money back, they 106 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 3: just kept her deposit. You can just be that transaction 107 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 3: with your credit card, get your money back. It even 108 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 3: works with really kind of unique situations. One of my colleagues, 109 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 3: she and her husband went to Iceland and they were 110 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 3: on wow Air. I don't know if you remember that, 111 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 3: it was the carrier there, And while they were there, 112 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 3: Wowair went bankrupt and canceled her return flight. So it 113 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 3: didn't alleviate her problem. She still had to book a 114 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 3: different flight on Delta or something. It cost her more money, 115 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 3: but at least she was able to get her money 116 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 3: back from Wawair. She disputed the charge with her credit 117 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 3: card company, even though wawair was at that point insolvent 118 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 3: and said they weren't going to pay anybody. The credit 119 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 3: card company was able to yank those funds from the 120 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 3: other credit card while credit cards, merchant count whatever, and 121 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 3: she got her money back. I was actually surprised in 122 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: that case because usually when they are bankruptcies, consumers, you know, 123 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 3: just don't get their money back. But when you've charged 124 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 3: something the credit card, you you get these very strong protections. 125 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: But if you talked about a direct transfer, that's that's 126 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 2: something people do, or they go into their banking app 127 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: and they put the recipient and the name and send it. 128 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 2: As soon as you put click send, Yeah, it's gone. 129 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 3: The money's gone. And so with debit cards, if the 130 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 3: transaction flows through Visa or master cards system, you still 131 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 3: get these. You still have this ability to dispute transactions, 132 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 3: but the risk is greater because now the money's gone. 133 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 3: You know, with a credit card, if you dispute the transaction, 134 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 3: you don't have to pay. If it was four hundred dollars, 135 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 3: you don't have to pay that four hundred dollars portion 136 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 3: of your bill. And if you've already paid your bill 137 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 3: for that month, you can still dispute that amount and 138 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 3: they'll freeze that amount. With your debit card, the money's 139 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 3: just gone. And sometimes banks will make you whole, but 140 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 3: often they won't. They won't nearly as often as they 141 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 3: will when it's a credit card transaction. Again, because you 142 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 3: have this federal law that protects you. 143 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 2: Okay, let's take a break and then we'll talk about 144 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 2: hidden fees. This is the next thing on the list 145 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: of the checkbook dot org sixty strategies for finding the 146 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 2: best travel deals in avoiding trouble hidden fees. And I 147 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: didn't know about any hidden fees let's learn about it together. 148 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 2: After this on WBZ, it's. 149 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's news Radio. 150 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 2: Absolutely thanks for being with us. We are with Kevin 151 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 2: Braslor of checkbook dot org, sort of the consumer reports 152 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 2: for services rather than stuff, and we're talking about travel tips, 153 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: real travel tips to save you money and keep you 154 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: from certain disaster. And the disaster can be significant, like 155 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 2: getting trapped, getting trapped at your h your way connect 156 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 2: at your connection airport because your passport doesn't have six 157 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: months left on it. We'll get to them. We have 158 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 2: Ken from Topsfield Kevin to either share a story or 159 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: ask a question. Hello, Ken, you're on BZ. 160 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 4: Thank you and thanks for taking a call. Great subject. 161 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 4: I've been dreaming of doing a lifetime trip going around 162 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 4: the world and I got a book. It was a 163 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 4: Lonely Planet something, one of these books that has it 164 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 4: uh no mad something, who knows. But this is like 165 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 4: crazy trying to plan this and it's it's expensive and 166 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 4: it's a big thing. 167 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: So tell me this what it be? 168 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 4: This? 169 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: What where do you want to go around the world? 170 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 2: What what would you like your stops to be? 171 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 4: Oh, I'd like to took get out some part of 172 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 4: South Africa, maybe Sae Victoria Falls. I like to go 173 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 4: to Saint Helen Is, Ireland. I'd like to. I'd like 174 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 4: to go to some part maybe end up in New Zealand, 175 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 4: and I'd like to. I'll stay away from the Middle 176 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 4: East in Europe because been there a few times. 177 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,839 Speaker 2: Where did you go? Where'd you go in Eastern Europe? 178 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 4: I'm curious, No, not I stay away from you. I've 179 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 4: been over Paul in India, but I'd like to go 180 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 4: on and see other continents and some things. My wife 181 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 4: and I and we go buy a variety of means. 182 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,959 Speaker 4: What my call is, does your guest would he recommend? 183 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 4: And if so, is there any particular outfit? You have 184 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,959 Speaker 4: to talk to somebody that knows something more than me. 185 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 2: All right? 186 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 4: And and could you Yeah? And you can go to 187 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 4: any travel agents, but they may not know more than 188 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 4: you or I with respect. 189 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 2: All right, let's find out that. Thank you? Okay, fine? Thanks? 190 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 2: Do you have any advice for this person? First of all, 191 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 2: I would ask him, why do you need to do 192 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 2: it all in one go, because because if you haven't 193 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 2: gone anywhere far away before? Well, he did go to 194 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: Nepal though that's a lot. You know, you get burned out, 195 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: you kind of want to come home and sleep in 196 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 2: your own couch after a while. At least I do 197 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 2: what do you think what you suggests he do like 198 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 2: a first step. 199 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 3: I mean, he's clearly an experienced traveler though. Guess that's 200 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 3: the you know, the good news. The other good news 201 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 3: is at least he's considering hiring somebody to help him 202 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 3: with this. I mean, I think this is something he 203 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 3: probably could do on his own. But I will say, 204 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 3: you know that the travel agencies have changed quite a 205 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 3: bit over the last twenty years. I mean, it used 206 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,959 Speaker 3: to be you kind of had to use them for 207 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 3: most travel bookings because you just didn't know how to 208 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 3: do it, and they had access to, you know, software 209 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 3: that nobody had. And now you know, as you and 210 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 3: I do, Bradley, we just shopped till we drop. Like 211 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 3: we're always looking at different airfares and trying to get 212 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 3: a deal, and we're doing our own research. That's a 213 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 3: lot for a complicated trip. That's better to have an expert. 214 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,559 Speaker 3: And the good news is that the travel agencies that 215 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,599 Speaker 3: are still standing, that that serve consumers, there's still a 216 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 3: lot of travel and she's out there that they specialize 217 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 3: in business travel. But the ones that are still standing 218 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 3: that specialize and help consumers, they tend to be pretty knowledgeable, 219 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 3: and they tend to be upfront with you about what 220 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 3: their you know, their experience in terms of what their 221 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 3: specialties are. And so, you know, i'd start with a 222 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 3: good travel agency, ask you know, do you have any 223 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 3: experience with around the world trip? And if not, and 224 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: if not, who do I go to? They'll usually refer 225 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 3: to somebody who can help you. The difference with travel 226 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 3: agencies now versus in the past is in the past 227 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 3: they made all their money off commissions. Well, the commissions 228 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 3: have dried up, except for cruising in some hotels days, 229 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 3: and so nowadays, if you're hiring a travel and she, 230 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 3: especially for a specialized trip like this, they're going to 231 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 3: charge you because now they're they're acting more as a 232 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 3: consultant than somebody just booking stuff for you're and scraping commissions. 233 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 3: Still it's for the best, I think, yes, because now 234 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 3: they're less interested in steering you toward their high commission 235 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 3: sources and more interested in just serving you as a customer. 236 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 3: So I think it's worth you know, ken getting some 237 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 3: advice from a knowledgeable agent. Again, they're going to charge 238 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 3: you for research, but. 239 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:15,079 Speaker 2: It's probably worth it. 240 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 3: But his his itinerary, he's kind of mapped out from 241 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 3: here to South Africa to Saint Helena to New Zealand. 242 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 3: And that's kind of a unique around the world trip airlines. 243 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 3: Most airlines have around the world fairs basically going to 244 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 3: ask you, but it's gonna be more, you know, fly 245 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 3: here to Japan to Singapore. It's going to be a standard, 246 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 3: kind of not completely standard route. The one he's talking 247 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: about Saint Helena Island. I mean, that's kind of out there, 248 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 3: and so he's gonna have trouble find a travel agency 249 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 3: that specializes and that kind of trip. He may do 250 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 3: better off just you know, getting organized with an agency 251 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 3: and doing some planning on his own. 252 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 2: How do you find a decent travel agent? How do 253 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 2: you know who's a good one? 254 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 3: Well, we have chuckbook dot org. We have ratings of 255 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,959 Speaker 3: travel agents and so that's a good place to start book. 256 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 3: And the good news is, as I said, most of 257 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 3: the travel agencies that are still standing are good because 258 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 3: they have to provide great service because they've you know, 259 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 3: the industry is really gutted a lot of you know, 260 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 3: old travel agencies that really just kind of specialize in 261 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 3: scraping commissions and just booking people, not really caring about 262 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 3: whether they got the best deals or the best values 263 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 3: or seen in the best places. And so the ones 264 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 3: that are remaining for the most part, not all of them, 265 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 3: but for the most part they're pretty good. But the 266 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 3: key is to find somebody who who knows about the reach, 267 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 3: who's been there and has contacts on the ground to 268 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 3: places you're thinking about going, because they can't specialize in 269 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 3: the entire world. 270 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 2: That's impossible. Now you mentioned the around the World ticket. 271 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 2: I've done some research on that. I had a fantasy 272 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 2: about it and then realized that was probably not for 273 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 2: me because I kind of like to go home, back 274 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 2: to my life and be productive and then go back again. 275 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: But there were restrictions involved with around the World at 276 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 2: the time, as I remember it. You had to go 277 00:13:56,120 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 2: always the same direction. Yes, you just go around one way, 278 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 2: you can't go back zigzagging like that, And there may 279 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 2: have been some others. I don't know if there was 280 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 2: a time frame, But of course then you're locked into 281 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 2: going to places that airline goes and someplace that's right. 282 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 2: Helena's Island might not. They might that airline might not 283 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 2: go there. 284 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, you may want to start with the most isolated 285 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 3: or you know, lowest travel. I don't know if that's 286 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 3: the right term or not place that you're thinking about going. Okay, 287 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 3: what airlines do serve that? Or what network serve that? 288 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 3: Does one world serve that versus you know, all the 289 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 3: other because at least then you know, I don't know. 290 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 3: I mean, I I'm not even sure it makes sense 291 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 3: to plan all your travel with one network or where 292 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 3: one airline doing this. I think it does make sense 293 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 3: to if he doesn't want to do all the plane 294 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 3: on his own, to fire a good travel agency and how. 295 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 3: But yeah, I'm with you, like I don't think I 296 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 3: would want to be on the move for an entire month. 297 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 2: It gets exhausting. 298 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 3: My friend after five we were talking earlier, it's like 299 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 3: after five days. Five days is a sweet spot for 300 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 3: a lot of people to international travel. 301 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: For me, like ten to five to ten days. Ten 302 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 2: I did nine in Spain and that was cool too. 303 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 2: After that, my first trip was two weeks by myself. 304 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 2: I was so burnt out and so lonesome and so 305 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 2: tired and so glad to get home. I was just 306 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 2: oh exhausted with you. No, if he there's a problem 307 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 2: with doing it yourself and not planning it all ahead 308 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 2: with a travel age. Say you get to destination A, 309 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 2: then you have to then book the next destination or 310 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: would you recommend you books them all at once because 311 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 2: if something happens at one of the previous destinations, you 312 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: could lose all those other destinations. Do you book them 313 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 2: all at once? Or would you book as you go 314 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 2: because that way you're going to probably pay more. 315 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 3: Right, Well, you know, you and I would probably book 316 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 3: as we go, right, yeah, because that's that's our personality, 317 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: I think. But a lot of people they just here, 318 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 3: we would just stay. 319 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 2: We would just stay here. 320 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 3: In no judgment, some people just not spontaneous. They have 321 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 3: to have it all planned out. I'm willing to be 322 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 3: a lot more spontaneous than that. I mean, I don't 323 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 3: know how much I'm gonna like a place. I might 324 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 3: not like this place at all, that's right, I might 325 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 3: move on. Yeah, Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it's 326 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 3: just difficult to say, especially with like a complicated itinerary 327 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 3: like that. I still think he's gonna be better off 328 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 3: trying to talk to a travel agent at least about 329 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 3: what the parameters are and his budget, trying to figure 330 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 3: out the best way. 331 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 2: To so find it. So, sir, find a good travel agent. 332 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 3: They're gonna charge you, but they're. 333 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 2: Gonna charge you, but it's gonna be worth it, probably, 334 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 2: And to find ratings on good travel agents. One place 335 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 2: you can go is checkbook dot org. Whom Kevin here, 336 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 2: our guest, is representing. So that was a really interesting 337 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 2: super call. Now you promise to talk about use your 338 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 2: credit card, we address that. No, watch out for hidden fees? Yeah, 339 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 2: what are some of the big hidden fees to watch 340 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 2: out for? 341 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 3: So the good news is that this problem has gotten 342 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 3: a lot better for consumers. It used to be than 343 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 3: most hotels, at least, you know, three star plus hotels 344 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 3: charge these facility fees, resort fees. When you booked a 345 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 3: vacation rental, you get with clean fees and extra guest 346 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,479 Speaker 3: fees and all this. The rate you were shown up 347 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 3: front was never the rate you paid. They'd say it 348 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 3: was one hundred and nineteen dollars a Ninety'd say, oh 349 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 3: that's a great price. But then when everything was said, 350 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 3: the good news is at least bookings in the US 351 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 3: and the EU and the EU for hotels and vacation 352 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 3: rental properties, they now have to show you all in pricing. Finally, 353 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 3: in this country they have to do that. This is 354 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 3: pretty recent. This is a rule the FTC made way back. 355 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 3: It finally got enforced. So now when you're looking at 356 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 3: hotel prices, yeah, they have to show you the all 357 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 3: in price. They may have to show you taxes, but 358 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 3: at least they have to. They can't just like add 359 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 3: these junk fees at check out that you didn't know. 360 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 2: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember seeing cleaning 361 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 2: fees more than the price. 362 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 3: Of these ridiculous And the other thing was like you'd 363 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 3: see these like you know, these big you know, beach rentals. 364 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 3: It's a seven ten bedroom house whatever, you these big 365 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,159 Speaker 3: est states, and you say, okay, well, I'm gonna have 366 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 3: ten guests, you know, to bring my family and my 367 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 3: brother's family with us. And then you go in and oh, 368 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 3: that looks like a good price. And you go to 369 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 3: checkout and they're they're charging us like one hundred dollars 370 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 3: per person for extra guest fees. And it's like, what 371 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 3: are you talking about it's an eight bedroom house, you're 372 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 3: charging me for extra guests if there's more than one person. 373 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 3: Of course there's more than one person. It's eight bedrooms. 374 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 3: So they've at least they'll still charge these fees, but 375 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 3: at least when they show them to you on these 376 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 3: booking sites, they have to bake in those prices, and 377 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 3: they also have to give you an option of saying, 378 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 3: instead of the per night rate, I want to know 379 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 3: my total cost. And so then you can actually do 380 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 3: these you know, apples to apples comparisons. You can sort 381 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 3: on price. You don't have to like go all click 382 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 3: several times, go away to the checkout screen to figure 383 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 3: out what're actually gonna pay. They fix that, but they 384 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 3: haven't fixed it for airlines. Wait a minute before we 385 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 3: go on, Yeah, what's a resort fee? Oh, they were 386 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 3: charging all these hotels. They were charging resort fees or 387 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 3: facility fees. And the hotels said, oh, it's to cover 388 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 3: the cost of you know, towels or the pool or 389 00:18:57,359 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 3: the exercise room. The problem is, like you got in 390 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:01,959 Speaker 3: New York and there isn't a pool, there isn't an 391 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 3: exercise room. There's like some little business center, with one 392 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 3: computer and a printer in there, and they were still 393 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 3: charging an extra thirty eight dollars a night. And the 394 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 3: reason they were doing was because they could get away 395 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 3: with it. They was just you know, it was just 396 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 3: bait and switch. And here's a fee that irritates me. 397 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 3: I suppose a small fee, a small pet fee. Yeah, 398 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 3: you know, I've seen pet fees like one hundred and fifty. Yeah, 399 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 3: come on, that's too much. I can I think it's reasonable. 400 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 2: I know sometimes pet damages in the room, pets. 401 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 3: If you're worried about this, right, you will see I 402 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 3: will say that they haven't cleaned up airlines baiting and 403 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 3: swas okay that you know, when you're shopping for airfare, 404 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 3: you still see every airline what they're showing your basic 405 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 3: economy fares, oh, which don't include seat selection, which don't 406 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 3: include baggage, which don't include you know anything that nobody, 407 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 3: nobody really pays, nobody really buys those fares. Instead, it's 408 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 3: a bait and switch. Makes it seem like, oh, here's 409 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 3: a great deal, well now now you click through, and 410 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 3: actually the real price is far higher. And it's especially 411 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 3: a problem with these, you know, low cost carriers right, 412 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 3: So I'll go on there and I see, oh, here's 413 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 3: a great price for you know, a trip to Europe. 414 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 3: And I'm connecting through whatever it's Brussels Airline or whatever 415 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 3: it is. And then you know, you actually go through 416 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:21,719 Speaker 3: and you see, well, in fact you want to pick 417 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: a seat, yeah, or in fact you want to check 418 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 3: a back, even bring a carry on with. This is 419 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 3: the price balloon. 420 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 2: This is a recent strategy. Before it would just be 421 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 2: the price basically, this is now they show you some 422 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 2: little bitty, little bitty price three hundred and forty six 423 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 2: dollars to USLO and then oh, you mean you want 424 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 2: to choose your seat, Oh, you can't even buy this way. 425 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 2: You gotta get main cabin. And that's a whole that's 426 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:49,199 Speaker 2: five forty five and that's just for the right to 427 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 2: choose your seat. And then when you choose your seat, 428 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,919 Speaker 2: that's fifty bucks more if you want this seat, or 429 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,680 Speaker 2: seventy five if you want that seat. And then there's 430 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,360 Speaker 2: the whole baggage stand which I have never worry about 431 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 2: because they don't take any but they nickel and damie 432 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 2: on that. And then somebody's airlines that. 433 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 3: Though they charge you for carry ons though, so you're 434 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 3: gonna get I don't even know that then, yeah, I 435 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:11,199 Speaker 3: mean it's just it's just on and on and so, 436 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 3: I mean, this is very frustrating me because I'm often 437 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 3: looking at airfare. I'm trying to find, you know, sweet spot, 438 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 3: the best rate, you know, many months in advance, and 439 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 3: I'll see a great rate and I'm like, oh, this 440 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 3: is not a really good price. I mean, it's it's 441 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 3: just a bait and switch because I'm gonna want to 442 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 3: pick a seat. I'm not gonna want to sit in 443 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 3: the middle seat in the middle aisle of a wide 444 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,119 Speaker 3: body aircraft. I'm gonna bring a carry on with me. 445 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 3: My wife's always gonna check a bag, and so it 446 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 3: just makes this more complicated than it needs to be really, 447 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 3: And the problem is, it's not just you know, the 448 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 3: low cost carriers that are doing this anymore. The major 449 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 3: airlines are doing it too. They all have these basic 450 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 3: economy fairs that's not what you're probably going to book. 451 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 3: You're gonna either book that and at a bag or whatever. 452 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 3: And it just makes the process of comparing fares a 453 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 3: lot harder than needs to be. 454 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 2: Now here's something I think this is going to be 455 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 2: a good tip, little little bitty fame. Maybe when you 456 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 2: buy something n foreign land, you all have the choice 457 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 2: in many cases to choose whether they use their currency 458 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 2: or US currency, and you should choose their currency correct, 459 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 2: because if you choose US currency, they'll be a fee. 460 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 3: You should use. You should use their currency. So just 461 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 3: make sure though that your credit card has fair conversion 462 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 3: right in most US credit cards, especially travel credit cards, 463 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 3: have better conversion rates than what that merchant's offer. And 464 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,159 Speaker 3: the other trick is when you go abroad and you 465 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 3: go to an ATM, it's going to ask you. You're 466 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 3: going to see a screen and it's going to say, 467 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:40,119 Speaker 3: here's the currency conversion. Do you accept this? And usually 468 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 3: you're far better off saying no, I don't accept it, 469 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:44,959 Speaker 3: because now it's up to your bank to decide what 470 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 3: the conversion rate is. And if these ATMs, especially in 471 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 3: touristy areas, especially in the airport, the conversion factor is 472 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 3: way off. Like if you're taking out what's you know, 473 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 3: equivalent to two hundred and fifty dollars, they may be 474 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 3: taking fifty bucks from you right because of the way 475 00:22:58,600 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 3: they're converting the currency. 476 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 2: And something else. If you have most non travel credit cards, 477 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 2: you'll be charged a foreign purchase fee. So it kind 478 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 2: of pays off to get a travel credit cards sometimes 479 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 2: instead of giving you three percent cash back or whatever, 480 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 2: or maybe you still get some cash back, but it 481 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,439 Speaker 2: will not the travel credit cards. Many are designed so 482 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: you don't have to pay that those foreign purchase Some. 483 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 3: Credit cards charge you like three percent anytime you charge 484 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 3: with a credit card overseas. Most don't. You need to check. 485 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 3: And it's not just travel cards that might not charge 486 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 3: you that foreign fee. Other regular credit cards will well 487 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 3: don't charge it either. I don't know if that makes 488 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 3: sense or not. It's not just travel credit cards. I'm 489 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,479 Speaker 3: saying double negatives, so it's making it more complicated it 490 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 3: needs to be. Just check with your credit card to 491 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 3: see if it charges a foreign transaction fee. You want 492 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 3: a credit card if you're traveling abroad that doesn't charge 493 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 3: those fees. 494 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 2: Okay, And after this break, speaking of fees, we should 495 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 2: talk about if you're going to bring local case, should 496 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 2: you bring local cash like buy euros and where should 497 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 2: you get those euros? After this on WBZ. 498 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's news radio. 499 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 2: Checkbook dot org. And that is a a website and 500 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 2: I believe still hard copy you. 501 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 3: Can get for now. Yeah. 502 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 2: Okay, that gives you recommendations for services, the types of 503 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 2: services and the and the service actually service providers, and 504 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 2: it is specifically to each locality, right yeah. 505 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 3: So, I mean we're a consumer group or a nonprofit 506 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 3: and a lot of the information put out is not 507 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 3: you know, regionalized, it's you know, right now we're talking 508 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 3: about advice for travels that's good for anyone, and a 509 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:53,479 Speaker 3: lot of our advice on how to avoid scams, avoid trouble, 510 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 3: how to you know, how to avoid wasting money on 511 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 3: things like home warranties and things like that. 512 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 2: It doesn't need to be realized, but for recommendation. 513 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 3: We do have ratings of local businesses here in the 514 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 3: Boston area and also in six other metro areas, so 515 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 3: in the San Francisco area, the Chicago area, Philadelphia, Washington, 516 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 3: d C, Minneapolis, Saint Paul for those regions. We have 517 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,239 Speaker 3: ratings of local services where you know, our members are 518 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 3: rating companies, and then we ourselves, we have researchers who 519 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 3: do a lot of price shopping to help people kind 520 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 3: of understand not just you know, you want a high 521 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 3: quality business, but you also want one that charges reasonable prices. 522 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 2: Okay, a lot of what we do is on costs 523 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 2: a little bit more on money financial stuff for travel. 524 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 2: We're talking about travel in this case, and checkbook dot 525 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 2: org put out an article on sixty travel tips to 526 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 2: help save you money and avoids rubble, and we're only 527 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 2: on number two so where I was obviously not going 528 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 2: to get to them all. But this is really solid stuff. 529 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 2: One thing that I got burned on one time that 530 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,239 Speaker 2: I want to share with everyone is I was in 531 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: I don't know where it was, but try to use 532 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,120 Speaker 2: the ATM to get some cash out because you've got 533 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 2: to have a local cash. It's easier now with the Euro, 534 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 2: but back then I put my card in to get 535 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,160 Speaker 2: some cash out of an ATM and it didn't take 536 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 2: a six digit pin, so I couldn't get it out. 537 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 2: So when I got home, I changed it to a 538 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 2: four digit pin. And I don't know if that's changed, 539 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:28,360 Speaker 2: but it was my understanding that some ATMs in some 540 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 2: countries in Europe and probably other places weren't designed yet 541 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 2: for a six digit pin. So there's that. Now, what 542 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 2: about cash? Do you recommend getting cash from your bank 543 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 2: before you go say euros or do you recommend getting 544 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 2: a little here and a little there. 545 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 3: I've never bothered. I've always just waited until I got 546 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 3: over there and gone to an ATM. But I avoid 547 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 3: the ATMs in the airport. You definitely avoid those those 548 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 3: cast exchange places in the right port. Then they're just 549 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 3: gonna rip you off. The change rate they're going to 550 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 3: charge is nowhere near what it should be. The ATMs 551 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 3: in the airport going to hit you with a big fee. 552 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 3: I mentioned before. If they say do you want to 553 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 3: accept this currency conversion rate, just say no. Let your 554 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 3: bank set the rate, because your US bank's probably gonna 555 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,120 Speaker 3: have a more fair rate to you. But you bring 556 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 3: up these credit cards. I mean, my other advice is 557 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 3: take all your credit cards with you. Don't just take 558 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 3: one if you have more than one, take all your 559 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 3: debit cards, take everything. Because the reason is. 560 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 2: For some it a lot better parking garage story. 561 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 3: Well this has gotten a lot better it used to be. 562 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 3: So Europe has had taped to pay for a lot 563 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,919 Speaker 3: longer than we have in the US. And so the 564 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 3: good news is that most US credit cards have tap 565 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 3: to pay. They have the little chip in there you 566 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 3: can pay for stuff. You can use your phone. If 567 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 3: you have Google, Apple Pay to pay for stuff, you 568 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 3: can do it in Europe. It's much more common to 569 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:50,719 Speaker 3: use your phone to pay for stuff in Europe than 570 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 3: it is in the US so far. The other thing 571 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 3: is like in a lot of these self service machines 572 00:27:55,400 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 3: like automated parking garages, trying to buy tickets for trains, subways. 573 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 3: I'm always in tolls when you're trying to just pay 574 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:06,199 Speaker 3: it a toll machine and they won't you know, you 575 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 3: have to wait till they accept your thing to the 576 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 3: gate lifts. I'm always in total panic mode because it 577 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 3: just some credit cards don't work well. Eighteen cards. Debit 578 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 3: cards tend to work better because they require the pin 579 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 3: right and in Europe, the normal way of paying for 580 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 3: something is they tap their credit card and then they 581 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 3: use a four digit pin to go ahead and push 582 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 3: through the transaction. And a lot of people in the 583 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 3: US with credit cards, they don't know their four digits 584 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 3: like me, because they don't use it. We just don't 585 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 3: use it that way. The good news this has gotten better. 586 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 3: Like my last trip of year, we just got back 587 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 3: from a trip to Spain. We did not run into 588 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 3: this problem. But I mean there's at one point we 589 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 3: were over there and I could not get our car 590 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,720 Speaker 3: out of a parking garage. Like we tried every credit card, 591 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 3: we had, all our debit cards, and the only way 592 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 3: we got it out of there was my wife's Banana 593 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 3: Republic visa car like this random card in the bottom 594 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 3: of a wallet that she hardly ever used. And it 595 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 3: was I think because as the other credit cards for 596 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 3: whatever reason, like we tried charging the state I don't know, 597 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 3: it was like a fraud alert or something, and there 598 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 3: was no way for us to okay that transaction. Things 599 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 3: have gotten better, but my advice is still take all 600 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 3: your cards with you, and especially for your primary credit card. 601 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 3: If you don't know the pin number, contact your bank, 602 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 3: have them issue you a new pin number. You'll have 603 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 3: to wait for them to mail it to you, but 604 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 3: then make sure you hang on too, because then they'll 605 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,479 Speaker 3: just work a lot better, especially with these self service machines. 606 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 2: I'm going to actually do that. I did not know that. 607 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 2: Next we're going to find out about why it's important 608 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 2: to check with the State Department's website concerning your destination 609 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: if you're calling abroad, that's important and that's coming up 610 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 2: on WBZ. 611 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's 612 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: News Radio. 613 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 2: Continue with continuing with Kevin Bresler, checkbook dot org travel tips, 614 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 2: really action about solid stuff. It's good to know. Why 615 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:00,800 Speaker 2: should you check with the State Department regarding your destination. 616 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 3: Well, the main reason it's just going to have you 617 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 3: know alerts and warnings that you'll need to know before 618 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 3: you go. You can also register with it. It just 619 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 3: makes it easier if something you know God forbid goes 620 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 3: really wrong while you're abroad, if you pass away or 621 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 3: some of your party doesn't. 622 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 4: Know. 623 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 3: But I have a lot of friends back home. When 624 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 3: I knew you wanted to help me out, and I 625 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 3: have a really close family and they know where we are. 626 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 3: I think the other reason to check is it's the 627 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 3: world of travel. Documents continues to evolve. United Kingdom just 628 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 3: put a new rule in place where you basically have 629 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,959 Speaker 3: to pay. I think it's about thirty bucks per person 630 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 3: to enter the UK, and some people aren't aware of 631 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 3: that sometimes until you get there. If you're actually if 632 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 3: you're transferring through Heathrow, I think it makes sense to 633 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 3: go ahead and go ahead and get that visa in 634 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 3: advance in case your flight gets canceled and you need 635 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 3: to go to a hotel near Heathrow, then we're not 636 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 3: going to go to the airport unless you you've done this. 637 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 3: The good news is it's like instant approval for that 638 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 3: type of visa. But for other countries, they may have 639 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 3: interi requirements you were not aware of. The State Department 640 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:07,360 Speaker 3: will tell you what those requirements are. And a really 641 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 3: big deal that you need to understand is you need 642 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 3: to check with that country countries you are visiting as 643 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 3: to how long your passport needs to be good for 644 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 3: before you board in this country. Because in the EU, 645 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 3: for example, in most countries, so long as your passport's 646 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 3: expiration date is more than three months three I thought 647 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 3: it was six. Well, it depends on the country, So 648 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 3: some countries it's three months, others it's as many as 649 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:37,720 Speaker 3: six months. So if you show up at the airport 650 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 3: here in the US and your passport report's going to 651 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 3: expire in four months or in two months, they won't 652 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 3: let you board that aircraft until you go and get 653 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 3: a different passport. And the reason is is that your 654 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 3: passport has to be good for as long as the 655 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 3: tourist visa is good for and a lot of these countries. 656 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 3: If you're American, you're on an American passport. The tourist 657 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 3: visa is like automatic. You don't have to do anything 658 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 3: to get to the e You on a US passport, right, 659 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 3: you can just get in with their passport on a 660 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 3: tourist visa. But behind the scenes, the tourist visa is 661 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 3: ninety days, and so if your passport expires within that 662 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 3: ninety day period, they won't let you in the country 663 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 3: because they're worried you're gonna your passports can expire for 664 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 3: you leave, and as you said, in some countries it's 665 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 3: as many as six months. And I've had I know 666 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 3: a lot of people who showed up the airport really 667 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 3: and they're going somewhere, and the people said, you're not. 668 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 3: We can't let you board this plane because the Netherlands 669 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 3: or Spain or the UK or whatever it is won't 670 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 3: let you in the country because your passport's going to 671 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 3: expire in three months. There's a lot of pitfalls out there, 672 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 3: and they had to go the next morning to the 673 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 3: state department some emergency center, right, wait four hours and 674 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 3: have a passport issued to them. 675 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 2: And then oh, I didn't realize you could get it 676 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 2: that quickly, so they. 677 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 3: Missed that pay Yeah, you have to go the next day. 678 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 3: And then the airline charged them to switch their you know, 679 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 3: their tickets. I mean, it's just a whole hassle. So 680 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 3: check your passport experience and the State department will tell 681 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,040 Speaker 3: you on the website. It will tell you, Okay, this 682 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 3: is how long your passport needs to be good for 683 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:00,120 Speaker 3: before you departe. 684 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 2: It happened, It was a very sad thing. Yeah, I was. 685 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 2: I had a connection in JFK and I'm walking to 686 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 2: the next gate and I see a poor man from Mexico. 687 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 2: I don't know if he was actually poor, but you know, 688 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 2: he was in a bad situation, pleading with them the 689 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 2: officials to let him go, and they go, sorry, sorry, sorry, 690 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 2: cannot go. 691 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 3: You gotta go back, And there's nothing the airline can do. 692 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 3: There's there's They have no power in this If if 693 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 3: the country that you're traveling to is not going to 694 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 3: let you in because of you lack of proper documentation, 695 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 3: or your passport isn't good for long enough for that country, 696 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 3: they won't let you board in this country because they 697 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 3: don't want you to get all the way over there, 698 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 3: and then you're just trapped in the airport abroad. 699 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 2: I actually don't know how the man made it from 700 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 2: Mexico to hear I guess the Mexicans didn't didn't check 701 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 2: is didn't check that we got here, and he was 702 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 2: just so out of luck. What a what a terrible thing. 703 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 2: Is just all that planning you did for your trip, 704 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 2: You took the time off, you bought the tickets, just 705 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 2: both it's all. I mean, if you can really get 706 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 2: that emergency passport. And by the way, where do you 707 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 2: do that? If that should happen, where do you do that? 708 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 3: Well, it depends on where you live. In Boston, they're 709 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 3: going to have a place where you can go at 710 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 3: the airport. No, it's the state department. I mean you 711 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 3: actually have to go to the State department to get these. 712 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,280 Speaker 2: Like in New York, you'd have to leave the airport, 713 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 2: stay in New York at night, go to the State Department, 714 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 2: which would not be open, and you'd have to go. 715 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 3: Right The friend of mine, see, I live in Washington, 716 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,360 Speaker 3: d C. So maybe it's different. But he went to 717 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 3: the airport he was going to board a flight to 718 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 3: Amsterdam and Kalem or whatever CID. You can't get on 719 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 3: this plane. Your passport's going to expire in two months. 720 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 3: And so he said, well what do I do? And 721 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 3: they said, well, here's what you're going to do. We're 722 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 3: going to rebook you for tomorrow. But in the morning, 723 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 3: you're going to show up at this office, the State Department, 724 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 3: at six am, and you know, explain to them you 725 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 3: need a passport issued that day. And he was able 726 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 3: to get it done, but he had to delay at 727 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 3: trip a day and it cost him like two thousand dollars. 728 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:58,440 Speaker 2: And what about a fee for the emergency fast track passport. 729 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 2: That's going to be significant too. Oh well, I don't 730 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 2: know if you to get the new passport. 731 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, they charge them extra for that too. I 732 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 3: mean it wasn't you know, as much as the airfare. 733 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 3: I will say this so the State Department website will 734 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:11,520 Speaker 3: also warn you. You know, I have all these travel 735 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:14,799 Speaker 3: advisories about you know, this is you know, warnings, and 736 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 3: you know they have different ratings of levels levels. 737 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:21,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, the state departments a little over cautious. 738 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 3: It's just like you wouldn't leave your driveway if you correct. 739 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 2: Really, yeah, they give. 740 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,760 Speaker 3: There's no place to safe in the world. The State Department, 741 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,320 Speaker 3: as far as I can tell, like, yeah, even Canada 742 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 3: is like, oh, watch out, people might be protesting something, 743 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 3: right back, right, that's right, You're always protesting something. 744 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 2: Exercise extreme caution. People might be protesting. 745 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:43,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, watch out for pickpocketers. Well, I mean, you know 746 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 3: here in Boston, you gotta watch out. 747 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 2: In the US would be like read really place because 748 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 2: it's kind of dangerous people protesting all the time. Yeah, goodness, gracious, 749 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:57,279 Speaker 2: all right, what's next? Let me see anything else about 750 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 2: the State Department. Yes. During COVID there were all kinds 751 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 2: of right, every country had different rules about COVID, Yeah, 752 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 2: what kind of proof you needed for your proof of 753 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 2: vaccination and then that relaxed at different rates around the country. 754 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:18,840 Speaker 2: So that was important too. That was a huge, huge hassle. 755 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's where the State of Part website really 756 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 3: came in hand. I mean, it told you exactly and 757 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:25,720 Speaker 3: they would update it every day exactly what Italy would require. 758 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:27,879 Speaker 3: But you know, you know, clear COVID test twenty four 759 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,280 Speaker 3: hours after before taking off and stuff. 760 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:32,800 Speaker 2: In some cases, the airline will actually tell. 761 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 3: You the airlines have gotten a lot better what you need. Yeah. Fortunately, 762 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 3: the most airlines have gotten a lot better about, you know, 763 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 3: not only telling what you need to do, but before 764 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,279 Speaker 3: you even check in. While you're checking in for your flight, 765 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:46,960 Speaker 3: they'll tell you what the requirements are, and if you 766 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:48,799 Speaker 3: haven't met them, then you can try to handle it 767 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 3: right away. 768 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 2: Don't assume displayed discounts are meaningful. 769 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:56,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean this is true of anything you buy 770 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,919 Speaker 3: these days. Right, somebody tells you something's thirty percent off, 771 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:02,719 Speaker 3: or a hotel rate is a special deal as not. 772 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 3: I mean, nobody charges the regular price anymore. Right. The 773 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,600 Speaker 3: other thing to do is look out for is I 774 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 3: often see this on travel websites. You're booking a hotel, 775 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,799 Speaker 3: room or vacation rental, and they're always pushing you. They say, 776 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 3: ninety three percent of the vacation spots and venice are booked, 777 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 3: or you know, three hundred and eighty three people are 778 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:24,239 Speaker 3: at this hotel. Right, they always want to instill this 779 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 3: sense of urgency. 780 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 2: Only two left at this rate, two left, and. 781 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 3: It's a it's a you know, a queen bed with 782 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:35,360 Speaker 3: a garden view handicap accessible, and there's only two of 783 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:37,760 Speaker 3: those left. But there's you know, the hotel is completely 784 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 3: empty otherwise, right, So don't. Here's my advice. Whenever anyone 785 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 3: is rushing you into making a decision, whether it's for 786 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 3: travel or getting a new roof or whatever, it's a 787 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:54,480 Speaker 3: huge red flag that this is a marketing trick to 788 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:57,280 Speaker 3: get you to act. Now, stop all this pesky shopping around. 789 00:37:57,480 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 3: You may think about it, you may, you know, book 790 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:01,879 Speaker 3: with a different hotel, different trouble. Just ignore all these 791 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 3: discounts because they're not legitimate. They're rack rates for hotels 792 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:09,680 Speaker 3: they rarely charge me. Okay, the Super Bowl, World Cup times, 793 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 3: maybe those hotels are going to charge you their highest, 794 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 3: you know, rack rates, but for the most part they don't. 795 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,840 Speaker 3: The discounts they say they're offering you are not legitimate. 796 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,360 Speaker 2: By the way, in general, when it comes to anything 797 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 2: that comes to you online with urgency, be very skeptical 798 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 2: of that. It's just a general warning because a lot 799 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 2: of times those are fishing scams. Any any urgency scene 800 00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 2: it makes you anything that makes you panic, stop and think. 801 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:43,320 Speaker 2: Call the people before you. If they say your bank 802 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 2: needs to have you click on this right now. Don't 803 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 2: call your bank. Separate get the numbers from a separate place, 804 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:53,400 Speaker 2: and call them up and say I got this. Is 805 00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 2: it fishing? I did that and it was and you 806 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:02,080 Speaker 2: know what, in thirty seconds? Do you like hot Wire? 807 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:06,040 Speaker 2: Do you like the the hotels where you don't really 808 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:06,879 Speaker 2: know what you're gonna get. 809 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:08,480 Speaker 3: In mystery hotels? 810 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, we get like twenty seconds to answer that one. 811 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:12,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I like them in the sense that 812 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,680 Speaker 3: it's really the only way to save significantly on hotel bookings. 813 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 3: Hotels basically they have agreements with all these booking websites 814 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 3: that they all have to charge the same rate for 815 00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 3: the same room in the same stay, and the only 816 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 3: way to really save money is to you know, kind 817 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:29,239 Speaker 3: of quote unquote unlock these special deals because they're not 818 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 3: showing you, they're not displaying the name of the hotel, 819 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:34,439 Speaker 3: and so there's you know, I think there's some risk there. 820 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 3: You have to prepay and then once you've booked, you're stuck. 821 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,360 Speaker 3: But it's the only way to save significant 822 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:41,239 Speaker 2: All right, more after this on wb Z