Savings Plan

60. Don't touch that dial. Never use hotel or pay phones for long-distance calls before inquiring about the charges, says Scott. If charges are too high, ask to be connected to your regular long-distance company.

61. Press the pound (#) key. If you're using a charge card to call from a hotel, avoid costly "connect" surcharges for each call by placing all your calls consecutively. Rather than hanging up after each call, press the pound key. After you hear the dial tone, dial the next number without redialing your account number.

62. Prepay when you're away. "Prepaid phone cards can be a good deal," says Scott. "You typically pay a flat fee of 20 cents per minute or less, no matter what time you call." Not only do you avoid a surcharge for each call (as with regular calling cards), but you gain significant savings if most calls are made during weekday business hours.

63. Consider a consolidator. Save a bundle by booking hotel reservations through a reselling consolidator. Altamonte Springs, Florida-based Central Reservations Service, for example, offers a discount of
10 percent to 40 percent on accommodations at no charge to callers.

64. Keep looking for lower rates. Always ask hotels if they give discounts for business travelers or any groups you may belong to. Once you arrive at your hotel-but before telling the clerk you have a reservation-ask about the lowest available rate. The rate they quote may be even lower than the one you were told over the phone.

65. Cash in on car rental discounts. Sometimes smaller firms offer better deals than national chains. Ask if you qualify for any discounts-for AAA or frequent flier program members, for example.

66. Avoid a collision course. Don't pay the high cost of collision and comprehensive insurance through a car rental company if you don't have to. Not only does your personal auto insurance policy probably cover you, says Scott, but many credit cards include car rental insurance if you rent a car using that card.

67. Call on all car rental firms. It's never too late to negotiate for better terms: "Even if you already have a reservation, it pays to do some last-minute shopping at the airport," says Scott. Cancellations and excess inventory may mean one agency can cut you a better deal than another.

68. Fly for free. Build your airline free-travel vouchers by using a credit card that offers frequent flier miles. Be sure, though, you're disciplined enough to pay off your card every month.

69. Don't give up on a discount. If you call an airline and learn all their discount seats are sold out, don't give up. "Airlines limit discounted seats on each flight, often based on the number of seats they expect to sell at full price," says Scott. "If a flight doesn't fill as rapidly as expected, they might open additional discount seats." It could pay to wait for a day or so and try, try again.

This article was originally published in the February 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Savings Plan.