bargain hunting

You could spend ages trying to outsmart the airlines, but it would be a loser's game. There are, however, some simple guidelines to saving money on flights.

For one, in the world of air travel, time is money; the less money you spend, the more time you're likely to spend in the airport. If you're willing to make a stop or two rather than fly direct, or if you'll take on a layover more than 12 hours long, you'll save some dough. (Just keep in mind all that money you'll be tempted to spend at Chili's to Go, Starbucks, and Cinnabon, and the savings might evaporate.) Here are the other key things to keep in mind when searching for that deal.

1. There is no one magic bullet

"People would like a simple rule, but in practice there isn't a single day or time to buy," Patrick Surry, the chief data scientist for Hopper, an airfare prediction app, told The New York Times.

Moreover, there are plenty of myths online about how to get the cheapest tickets. It is not cheaper to buy tickets on Tuesday, for example, and there is no evidence to support that searching incognito results in better-priced fares, says travel expert Nomadic Matt.

Because airlines using complex pricing algorithms that are based on everything from time of the year, passenger demand, weather, holidays, time of day, competitor prices, and much more, it's impossible to predict future airline prices. Websites and apps — like Hopper — "are basically taking an educated (but probably wrong) guess," he says.

2. Be flexible when you fly

If you're flexible on when you fly, you could save a bundle. You'll find a better fare to Mexico during its rainy season rather than at peak holiday tropical getaway time, and save big if you don't demand to visit Rome in the high-tourist season (and heat) of August.

It's always cheaper to fly during the middle of the week than on a weekend, and early-morning or late-night flights will save you money.

Even "the difference of one day can mean hundreds of dollars in savings," notes Nomadic Matt, so be open to the penny-pinching possibilities.

3. Be flexible where you fly

When you're locked into where and when you want to fly, "No voodoo can change that," Nomadic Matt says. But there are those occasions when the world is your oyster, and you get to choose when you slurp it down. "When you become flexible, suddenly the entire world opens up to you and you'll find amazing cheap airfare!"

Google Flights makes it easy. Go to Google Flights and click the map. Put in your dates, home airport, and watch a world open up. There's always a deal somewhere!

4. Check each of these travel booking sites and put Google to work

Each airline search engine has its selling points — and its shortcomings. For example, budget airlines like AirAsia, Ryanair, and even Southwest often won't appear on large sites like Kayak, Expedia, or Orbitz because they don't want to pay a booking fee. Other times, the cheapest airline on offer has a site that isn't in English.

Kayak searches for "hacker fares," which allow you to fly out on one airline and return on another for savings. Skyscanner calls them mash-ups. Hit a few sites to make sure you're seeing everything that's out there. Nomadic Matt recommends Momondo, Google Flights, and Skyscanner.

5. Don't spend more than an hour searching

"If you're spending more than an hour booking a flight, you're spending too much time," says Nomadic Matt. Harsh words for the hand-wringing, purchase procrastinators among us. "Spend 30-40 minutes finding and booking a cheap flight at a price you're OK paying and move on with your life. I never second-guess myself on flights. You'll go crazy if you do."

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You know that feeling you get when you buy brand name item at a discount? It's like you've beaten the system. You're absolved of any shopping guilt because you've saved money rather than spent it, even if that isn't actually the case. With the rise of discount outlet stores—which raked in over $50 billion in the past five years—retailers are keenly aware of our desire to buy things at prices that seem too good to be believed.

Turns out those deep discounts on brand name labels aren't always a steal. In February, Barneys New York was slapped with a class-action lawsuit accusing the luxury retailer of deceptive discounts at their lower-priced outlet stores. The plaintiff, Kristen Schertzer, claims she spent $450 at Barneys Warehouse on items that suggested a 50 percent markdown, when in fact, she alleges the products were never originally intended to be sold at Barneys.

"Barneys' scheme has the effect of tricking consumers into believing they are getting a significant deal by purchasing merchandise at a steep discount, when in reality, consumers are paying for merchandise at its regular retail price," according to the Schertzer's claims.

This not the first time consumers have raised concerns over brand name products sold by discount retailers, many of which produce lower-quality products for outlets, despite the implication they're more expensively made.

Banana Republic, Gap, Michael Kors, Cole Haan and Neiman Marcus have all been accused of selling lower-quality, outlet-only products as if they were deeply discounted items from their higher-end stores, when in fact they're not.

"I think outlet stores are configured to try and nicely mislead most people into thinking they're getting amazing overruns, amazing bargains," Mark Ellwood, author of Bargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World, told Marketplace in 2014. "When you walk into an outlet store, you have to think, this stuff was made to be cheaper."

In their independent investigation, Marketplace "found items in outlet stores made with less durable leathers and different fabrics than the comparable products sold at the retail stores."

Ellwood wasn't surprised by the findings. "The quality of products at outlets varies widely. Remember, this stuff was largely made just to be sold cheaply. So they're going to cut corners," he said.

Coach, one of the labels in Marketplace's inquiry, acknowledged the discrepancies. "Generally, our manufactured-for-outlet product will be less embellished — using less overall hardware and/or simpler hardware, may not have an exterior pocket, or may have a narrower gusset, may have a simpler (non-branded) lining, or may use a flat versus tumbled leather — compared to the retail bag that inspired it," a Coach rep explained.

Meanwhile, Nordstrom Rack—Nordstrom's outlet chain—confirmed to Racked in 2014 "that only 20% of what it sells is clearance merchandise coming from their stores and website, while the rest is bought expressly for the outlet."

In 2018, Neiman Marcus settled a class action lawsuit over false claims in its Last Call outlet stores and promised more transparency on items made for cheaper outlets rather than the flagship stores.

An earlier suit against Michael Kors over their outlet practices resulted in an almost $5 million settlement and an agreement by Kors to replace the MSRP price on outlet tags with "value". So when you see that word on Kors outlet price-tags, it's an indication that the product was made expressly for the outlet and suggests the quality of that item isn't the same as one you might find by the flagship label.

Confused yet? You're not alone. If you really want to know whether your discount is for real, or just a cheaper knock-off with the brand name stamp of approval, the FTC has some helpful guidelines. Here are some things to look out for, according to FTC consumer education specialist, Colleen Tressler:

  • Recognize that if you're buying something that looks new and undamaged, the price may be lower for a reason. For example, plastic might replace leather trim on a jacket, or a t-shirt may have less stitching and a lighter weight fabric. If top-quality is important, you may want to keep shopping. But if it's the style or the look that's key, quality may be a lower priority.
  • If you're unsure whether the store sells "made-for-outlet" only merchandise or how to tell the difference between it and regular retail merchandise for sale, ask the staff.
  • Shop for off-season merchandise. It typically comes at bargain prices.
  • Ask about return policies. Some outlet stores let you return unused merchandise any time as long as the price tag hasn't been removed and you have the receipt. Other stores have 90-day or 120-day return policies. Some don't allow any returns.
  • Many regular retail stores won't take returns from their outlet stores. That's something to ask your neighborhood retailer about, too.

So the next time you hit the racks and find a brand name handbag with a price tag that seems too good to be true, don't be surprised if it is. The label may be impressive, but the quality less so. That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy something if you love it, just research what you're really paying for before you hit the checkout counter.