At last the fashionable world has caught up with me. "It’s chic to be cheap," Gene Sloan recently announced in USA Today (7 March 2003). Sloan interviewed Ted Moncrieff, senior editor of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler, who told him that "excess is out." Even Traveler's famously affluent readers are looking for a deal --- and boasting when they get one. Moncrieff goes on to say that people don't brag about a $50,000-a-week villa anymore unless the villa sleeps 20, is all-inclusive and in the end, it's just the most fabulous bargain.

Of course I’ve always loved a bargain. This winter a nose for the best deals meant that my husband Nelson and I could enjoy a an extended ski vacation in the US. Not only did we tour many resorts in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and California, we also experienced daily life in many communities across the U.S. We spent 92 days on the road, driving 12,000 miles in our Volkswagen, and did it all on a shoestring.

How did we pull it off? Let me count the ways.

Good Car Cents

Before leaving on a long trip, we always treat our car to a complete inspection. I also carry a directory of dealers with us, in case we need service on the road.

Sudden weather changes are common in the West, so snow tires are necessary for winter travel. Officials in charge of road safety can refuse access to cars not equipped with snow tires or chains.

This winter we learned the importance of filling the gas tank before crossing deserts, and not only for safety. The price of gas will blow your socks off. In mid-March 2003 we paid $2.89 a gallon in the Mojave desert and $2.63 a gallon when crossing Death Valley. Chalk it up to the learning process.

Lodging

The roof over your head is the main expense when away from home, so anything I can do to lower the cost will mean big savings in the long run.

official discounts: Members of Triple A, AARP and other associations get 10-20% off rack rates. Sometimes being a senior will get you a discount - no card needed; they can tell just by looking at you. But although wrinkles may mean bargains, I still get a kick out of someone asking to verify my age, just to make sure I’m over 65.

coupons: Our best lodging deals were found in TRAVELER Discount Guide Hotel Coupons, Travel Coupon Guide, Hotel-Motel Coupons and other, similar booklets. I’ve discovered that the prices quoted in these booklets are among the cheapest rates available. Many pages include coupons to clip and present at the advertised motels. These guides can be found at Welcome Centers, Travel Centers, tourist offices, gas stations, McDonald’s and local restaurants, and other public places. Coupons can also be printed from the following internet site:

Motel prices vary widely, but we usually managed to find motels priced about $29.95, although we occasionally went as high as $39.95. All prices quoted are in US dollars. Our best buy using coupons was a Homestead Suite in the heart of Denver, which we rented for the weekend at $31.99 a night. It came with a full kitchen and was right next to a beautiful golf course. As Easterners, we just had to take snapshots of people playing golf in January! Homestead Suites are located in 112 cities across the US. Special rates go to those who reserve on the internet. For even more discounts look up Suite Savings, a last-minute weekend rates program. If we had taken advantage of this program, our suite in Denver would have cost a mere $28.99 per night. Contact Homestead Village Guest Studios at tel. 888-STAY-HSD or check out their website at www.homesteadhotels.com.

early birds: As soon as we drive into a new state, we stop at the first Welcome Center to pick up our coupon booklets. The coupon pages show which highway exits have the most lodging bargains. We usually settle into a motel around 4 pm. The trick is to arrive early: as the motel fills up and rooms become scarce, coupons may be refused.

evaluation: Another advantage to arriving early is the chance to look over the immediate environment in daylight. Once we signed into a motel after dark only to find that our room was next to the railway! The whistle and rumble of cars on the tracks reminded us every 45 minutes or so, all night long.

It’s always a good idea to inspect the room before registering. I suspect we sometimes got a better room this way. In any case, if we’re not satisfied, there is still time to change our minds. On three occasions we turned down motels after previewing the rooms.

phone vs. walk-in: In Las Vegas we discovered that we got a better rate over the phone than in the lobby: $45 over the phone, but $49.95 for walk-in registration at the Excalibur Hotel. Other people have since told me that they have experienced the same rate split.

weekdays vs. weekends: It’s a known fact that most motels charge a higher rate for weekend stays. On Fridays and Saturdays, we choose motels outside of town or those with no attractions nearby. Las Vegas hotels have especially wide price ranges: weekdays are for tightwads like myself, the weekends for the rich and famous.

negotiation: You don’t have to be a hag to haggle. Some people (my husband, for instance) find it embarrassing to negotiate. But it’s no secret that hotel managers are often willing to give you a better rate if you plan to stay for more than one night.

As we drove to Park City, Utah, last February, a blinding snowstorm forced us to sleep over in Heber City, 17 miles away. We holed up in Mac’s Motel: "Clean - Quiet - Warm," its neon sign declared.The official price was $35 a night. Our room was indeed clean and comfortably warm; the Main Street traffic made quiet debatable, but we were glad to be there.

I asked the manager for a better rate if we agreed to stay for a week. As it turned out, we stayed at Mac’s for three weeks - our longest stay in any one place. Fatigue from daily skiing neutralized the traffic noise and we slept like logs. We paid $150 per week, taxes included, for a room with fridge and microwave. An hour away from Salt Lake City and only 15 minutes from the Park City ski areas, Mac’s at Heber City proved to be our best lodging bargain. Mac’s Motel is located at 670 S. Main Street, between McDonald’s and Pizza Hut. For reservations, call 435-654-0612.

meals

Our food expenses on the road are quite similar to what we pay while at home. Instead of eating in fancy restaurants, we opt for family fare. Many of our best meals were had in supermarkets. At chow time we dropped into one of the big ones and headed for the deli section. Some stores have a good variety of hot meals; others have only fried chicken and chips. If there is a seafood counter, you can obtain steamed shellfish. Our favorite supermarkets were those featuring hot soup, custom-made sandwiches and a salad bar.

Many motel rooms are equipped with fridge and microwave. We often had our evening meal as well as breakfast on site. We picked up a slick little egg-poacher that I now consider essential equipment for traveling. Each morning started out with a plate of fresh fruit bought the night before at a local grocery store. Most motels offer free continental breakfast, so we were able to round out our morning meal.

When we settled down for more than a single night’s stay, we invariably chose a motel room with kitchen facilities. A few days of shopping in the same supermarket made us familiar with the employees, the products and the local customs. Social interactions provide excellent opportunities to learn more about the area - people are always pleased when you show interest in their neighbourhood. This is how we learned about a first-rate eatery in Elk City, Oklahoma. For excellent Mexican food, efficient service and a warm "down-home" atmosphere, all at fast-foot prices, I highly recommend the El Charron restaurant.

Most US supermarket chains have a savings card program. Anyone can obtain a card by filling out a form at the service counter. To save on purchases, you simply present the card at the checkout counter. We were repeatedly surprised at how much we managed to lower our grocery bill. I now have 11 different cards which I’ll keep for future trips.

other savings

Instead of buying postcards and other souvenirs in tourist shops and boutiques, I discovered that many items are much cheaper in chain stories such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, supermarkets and department stores. Inexpensive one-hour photo service comes in handy too.

To call ahead for reservations and to keep in touch with those back home, there are also deals on telephone and e-mail services. Wal-Mart carries long-distance telephone cards at 6¢ a minute for calls within the US. Cyber-cafés can get quite expensive, so we always stop at the local public library. Even the smallest towns have libraries, and the internet service is usually free.

Last but not least, the Golden Age Passport to national parks is a terrific bargain. If you are a US resident and 62+ years young, you are entitled to purchase it for a one-time fee of $10. The passport is good for the rest of your life in all national parks, including major tourist attractions such as Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore.

welcome to the club

We have found that stretching our vacation dollar means that we can travel for longer, and visit many more places than if we flew to one resort and settled for a week or two. And the challenge of getting more while paying less is a big motivator. The thrill of each new bargain gets my adrenaline flowing, and I savour my prize. It’s a little power trip and I love it.

Cheap chic is catching on. Sloan and Moncrieff agree with Peter Yesawich of YPB&R, a marketing services firm specializing in travel. Tightwads of the world, hold your heads up high! Our day has come.