# Frugality often a sense of timing



## NorthKC (Apr 1, 2013)

Just a little rant on how in an effort to try and be frugal but if you wait just one day too long, the prices go up like you wouldn't believe.

Case in point:
I have family in Ottawa (at least 8 hours drive) and they're still on the fence of where they planned to be for Thanksgiving (they've stayed there for past 4 years). However, I was hoping to secure a plane ride about 2 weeks ago when price was only $175 round-trip. As of yesterday, it was $260 which is still cheaper than driving there based on current gas prices. This morning, holy crap, price jumped to $500!! 

I was also watching the train prices. Yes, it's slightly longer than driving but more enjoyable. Just yesterday, it was $185 round-trip. Today, it's $394! Sheesh.

It's sometimes frustrating to be frugal and it really stresses that sometimes, it's worth it to lock down the price early and pay a small fee to get a refund if plans fall through than to wait too long and sometimes be forced to pay a higher price later.


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## MrsPartridge (May 15, 2016)

The price jump might be because of Hurricane Harvey and the oil production. Let's hope it comes down before Thanksgiving.


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## STech (Jun 7, 2016)

NorthKC said:


> Just a little rant on how in an effort to try and be frugal but if you wait just one day too long, the prices go up like you wouldn't believe.



IMHO, being frugal is booking an economy class flight, vs first class. What you did was gambling.


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## twa2w (Mar 5, 2016)

Couple of things
Companies have programs that track your looks and adjust prices.they bump rates hoping to get you to grab it then if you don't, throw up a higher price then sometimes bump it down a little. Dont be surprised if you get a slightly lower price in a day or so.
Also try signing into the booking site you are using, from a different device and different IP address with a different user login if you can. You may be offered a lower price. 

Also don't forget prices also tend to rise as you get closer to travel date as fewer seats are available. Thry will sometimes fall again closer to the date if seats are not selling as fast as predicted. Or continue to rise if selling faster.

People signing in from Apple devices are sometimes offered higher prices than from other devices. Not sure if this is still true but it was at one time. I booked tickets for 100.00 less than my wife was offered.. Both searched same site at same time, her on Apple, me on Android.

Travel companies have lots of tricks.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

twa2w said:


> Couple of things
> Companies have programs that track your looks and adjust prices.they bump rates hoping to get you to grab it then if you don't, throw up a higher price then sometimes bump it down a little. Dont be surprised if you get a slightly lower price in a day or so.
> Also try signing into the booking site you are using, from a different device and different IP address with a different user login if you can. You may be offered a lower price.


^^This

I've noticed discrepancies when booking flights/hotels at the same time as someone else on the phone. Now I use a VPN service on all my devices

I also have a login to a corporate travel agent and see different options on there. Don't use 1 source to search flights and don't use 1 device/IP either


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## NorthKC (Apr 1, 2013)

Actually, I'm well aware of that trick about tracking which was why I used different IPs and different device. No luck.

As for "gambling", I suppose in a way, it is. But isn't waiting for sales on certain items be considered a form of gambling?


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## crgf1k (Aug 8, 2015)

The way I look at being frugal is if I always choose the cheapest option available at the time, I've done my job. Once in a while the cheap item will break, the cheap insurance will backfire, or the item will go on sale next week, but 95% of the time I come out ahead. You're right, if you worry about prices possibly dropping in the future, it can be stressful.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

We buy on value. Sometimes the cheapest is the best value, sometime the more expensive item. Price is not always a good indicator of value.

Earlier this week I had to get a prescription filled for my spouse. She also needed an OTC product...physician told her to get the cheapest since they were all the same. Went to the pharmacy, got the prescription. Then asked for the OTC product. Pharmacist took me to the shelf where they had the product. A few brands, priced for $28-$40. I told the pharmacist that the physician recommended a generic brand since the products were all the same. She agreed, took me two aisles over to another shelf. Generic product was $7.49. Pharmacist also confirmed that the product was identical. Only difference was the packaging. It pays to ask the pharmacist. We have done this before on OTC products with similar results.


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## olivaw (Nov 21, 2010)

Absolutely true about the drugs. Costco Kirkland Low Dose 81 mg ASA costs less than a quarter the price of the name brand Bayer Aspirin. 

With one exception, we always use generic prescription drugs.


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## verticalguy (Nov 3, 2017)

Generic drugs contain exactly the same active ingredients of brand names. You save a fortune and get the same product. For me that's not even frugality, that's common sense.


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## Lost in Space 2 (Jun 28, 2016)

twa2w said:


> Couple of things
> 
> 
> Also don't forget prices also tend to rise as you get closer to travel date as fewer seats are available. Thry will sometimes fall again closer to the date if seats are not selling as fast as predicted. Or continue to rise if selling faster.


No always, in my case Frankfurt to Toronto it was the opposite, prices dropped once we got closer!


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

olivaw said:


> Absolutely true about the drugs. Costco Kirkland Low Dose 81 mg ASA costs less than a quarter the price of the name brand Bayer Aspirin.
> 
> With one exception, we always use generic prescription drugs.




this family takes almost no prescription drugs - last one i personally had was short-term antibiotic 6 years ago - but at the same time all are highly sensitive to side effects, not to speak of actual drug actions.

what i've found with generic drugs over the years is that the fillers are frequently different from filler chemicals used in the original brand medication. I don't know if the generics use cheaper fillers or what; but filler substances in some generics can hinder or complicate the beneficial effect of the very medication they are supposed to deliver.

pharmacies in the neighbourhood don't stock the brand names any more, they have to be ordered special, takes 2-4 days. Thus for offspring, for self, it's common to start a prescription with a few generic capsules/tablets while waiting for the original patented brand product to arrive at the pharmacy. That's how we get to try both.

i'm aware of the big cost difference. Since we have so few prescription meds, the cost doesn't matter. But if i had a constant chronic prescription, i would most certainly carry out research into what the filler substances are, for both the generic & the original versions.

on the other hand, for OTC products like aspirin, the discount ASA house brand on pharmacy shelves seems identical to Bayer


.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

We find that international air pricing is often priced the same 30 days out or less than it is months out. Some of our best air pricing has been 30-45 days out. This winter will be our fourth in SW Asia. By far the lowest fares were our first, booked 10 days in advance and our next one in Jan booked six months in advance. It is supply and demand.


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