Click the play button on the video window to the see the storyHis friends call him the
Priceline.com guru.
Spend a few minutes with Rahim Ramji and you'll understand why.
Over the past seven years, Ramji has placed hundreds of bids on the site, picking up many secrets along the way.
"I was in a dorm meant for three people and ten people were living in it," admits Ramji. "I tried to escape as much as I can and that's how I discovered Priceline."
Until now, only his friends had access to Ramji's money saving skills.
But for the first time, he's sharing his strategy with the rest of us.
"You have to know the tricks of Priceline," claims Ramji.
When it first launched,
Priceline.com specialized in low fare airline tickets.
But these days, you may find the best deals on hotel rooms and rental cars.
"I actually had my wedding (in the Valley)," said Ramji. "I had to book a whole bunch of rooms. I got the Mesa Marriott for 41 dollars and the Mesa Hilton for 31 dollars."
Priceline works somewhat like
eBay in that it requires you to bid auction-style for hotel rooms.
Unlike
eBay, rooms don't go to the highest bidder. Hotels work with Priceline to set a minimum price.
If you hit that price, you win a room.
"They're only selling 80% of their rooms at rack rates so they're dumping unbelievably low rates on Priceline," says Ramji.
Ramji uses the message boards on the websites
biddingfortravel.com and
betterbidding.com where Priceline users, like him, post information about their winning bids.
"A lot of people don't use Priceline because they don't know what hotel they're going to get," said Ramji. "By going to the message boards at biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding, it takes out the guess work."
Using that formula, Ramji has scored some simply unbelievable deals:
The Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, regularly $239 a night, Ramji won for just $95.
The Hyatt in Valencia, California, with an advertised rate of $129 a night, Ramji got for half that price.
"The deals are here every day, the prices are loaded, you just have to bid," said Ramji.
Ramji claims to have just as much success bidding on rental cars as well, routinely winning cars for as little as just $9 a day.
"I travel every month now because it's so cheap," admits Ramji.
By following his advice, Ramji says you can too.
And, like him, never pay full price again.
