You may have heard me say this before, but in today’s economy, everything is negotiable. And now, there are actually resources to help you jump-start the competition.

For starters, there’s a site called Cruisecompete.com.

The way it works is that you can browse specific cruise lines, dates and destinations, and then choose your preference.

Within a few minutes, you’ll get competing quotes from travel agents and tour operators vying for your business.

The Web site Insuremytrip.com uses a similar method for travel insurance.

But as always, don’t take any information for granted.

Look at each company’s credentials and also check its rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Competition on the web is only exceeded by competition in person.

If you’re traveling somewhere with several hotels in close proximity, call up the director of sales, and ask for the lowest rate.

Then call the guy down the street and see if he can beat it. Trust me, in this economy, you’ll be surprised at how much that price goes down.

For more information, don’t miss our Budget Travel section.

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