To try the Name Your Own Price” feature for hotels, click on the button on Priceline's homepage that reads, “Name Your Own Price-get deeper discounts.” When prompted, simply type in the name of the city you'll be staying in, the dates on which you'll need accommodations, and the number of hotel rooms you'll need.

Once you provide this information, you'll be offered a list of neighborhoods in your city of choice. If you choose New York City, you'll be offered a list of neighborhoods that includes "Midtown East", "Midtown West" and "Downtown." Simply select one or more neighborhoods that you'd be willing to stay in and then select your preferred hotel star level (e.g., four-star hotel). Then name your own price. Priceline will then check to see if any of its participating hotels will accept your offer. You will be required to enter your credit card information in order to place your bid.

Hotels in Priceline's Name Your Own Price network will often accept offers that are fifty percent or less of the usual rate. Why? Because the hotels would prefer to have someone stay in a room at a vastly reduced rate than allow the room remain vacant. Name Your Own Price can yield some surprisingly low rates, especially if you are looking for a room at the last minute. Priceline users have snagged four-star hotels in Boston for $100 a night and three-and-a-half star hotels in Philadelphia for $75 a night. In smaller cities, like Baltimore and Milwaukee, three star hotels can be had for as low as $40 to $50 dollars.

The disadvantage to Name Your Own Price is that you don't find out the actual name and exact address of your hotel until your offer has been accepted and your credit card has been charged. Never fear, though! The hotels in Priceline's Name Your Own Price network are familiar, reputable hotels-Omni, Westin, Hyatt, etc., and when you bid on a four-star hotel, you can feel confident that what you get in the end will be a room reservation in a four-star hotel. However, if you belong to a loyalty program or have a rewards card with a particular hotel chain, then Name Your Own Price may not seem so attractive.

After you submit your price and room request, it usually takes only a matter of minutes for Priceline to let you know if your offer has been accepted. If your offer is accepted, then your reservation has been made and paid for. If your offer is rejected, you will have to wait twenty-four hours before you make the exact same offer. However, you can make the place an offer again immediately if you change some detail of your request. (Simply raising your bid price doesn't count.) The easiest fix is to change your preferred neighborhood (for instance from Midtown West to Midtown East), add one or more neighborhoods to your request, or change your preferred hotel star level (for instance from four-star to three-star). It usually doesn't take more than two tries to place a successful bid. Once you get the message that your offer has been accepted by Priceline, you can relax and try to figure out how you're going to spend all that money that you by booking your hotel through Priceline.

Make your airline reservations as soon as possible once you know that you will be taking your cat with you on the plane. You will want to give yourself time to call around to a few airlines to inquire about their requirements with regard to pet transport. Each carrier has its own policies, and the policies are subject to change. Some airlines do not allow pets at all; others may allow pets to travel in the cargo hold but not in the passenger cabin.

Some airlines will refuse to transport pets when the outside temperature is either extremely hot or extremely cold. Every airline that allows passengers to travel with pets will charge a fee, and the fee will vary from company to company. In addition, most airlines impose a limit on the number of pets they will accept in the passenger cabin on any given flight.

The important thing to remember is that you will need to make a reservation for your cat as well as for yourself. If you don't give the airline advance notice that you're travelling with an animal, you and your cat may be prevented from boarding the aircraft. Call the airline directly for your reservation or use a flesh-and-blood travel agent. On-line travel web sites like Expedia and Travelocity generally do not enable customers to make reservations for pets.

If at all possible, take your cat with you in the passenger cabin rather than checking her as baggage. It usually costs a little extra to take your cat in the cabin, but it's worth it. Traveling in the cargo hold can be very dangerous for pets. Cargo holds are often not temperature-regulated. Depending on the time of year, your cat could be subjected to broiling heat or freezing cold.

If the plane hits turbulence, your cat's carrier could fall or be crushed by shifting baggage. Plus, a pet carrier can get lost in transit the same way a suitcase can. If you must check your cat as baggage, inform the pilot of the aircraft personally that she is in the cargo hold so that he can take steps to regulate the temperature.

Also, ask the airline agents to allow you to be present or at least within watching distance when your cat is loaded into the cargo hold. Baggage handlers will be less likely to throw your cat's carrier or handle your cat carelessly if they know that the cat's owner is looking over their shoulder. Whatever airline you select will require a veterinarian to certify that your cat is healthy and fit to fly. Try to schedule the visit as soon as possible after you realize you will be traveling with your cat.

Like physicians who treat humans, veterinarians are often booked weeks or even months in advance. When you call for the appointment, be sure to explain the purpose of your cat's visit. The receptionist is more likely to make efforts to "squeeze you in" once she realizes your request is time sensitive and won't take up a big chunk of the doctor's time.

While you're at the vet's office, you may want to ask about tranquilizers. Some cat owners give their cats tranquilizers before flying to prevent them from panicking or disturbing other passengers during the flight. However, many veterinarians advise against the use of tranquilizers during air travel unless your cat is particularly nervous. Cats tend not to respond well to tranquilizers under normal circumstances, and it can be tricky for your vet to calculate the right dosage to give your cat.

On top of that, the changes in altitude and air pressure during a flight can intensify the effect that the tranquilizers have on your cat. There is a slight but real risk that a combination of stress and an overdose of tranquilizers could be potentially deadly for your cat.

Once you have your flight reservations and a veterinarian's OK, it's time to think about the logistics of actually getting your cat on the plane and keeping her in one piece. First, you need to make sure that you have the appropriate pet carrier for the trip. If you absolutely must check your cat as baggage, you will need to house her in a sturdy pet carrier made of a hard, inflexible material equipped with holes or an open-latticed door so that your cat can breathe.

Make sure that the carrier is labeled with your name and your address and telephone number at your destination. The carrier should also be labeled conspicuously with words "Live Animal" and an indication of which side of the carrier is the top and which the bottom. It is important, especially for long flights, to include water and a small amount of dry food in the carrier.

If your cat will be traveling in the cabin with you, you will need to keep her in a soft-bodied pet carrier for the duration of your trip. The cat carrier must fit beneath the seat in front of you in the airline carrier, just like a carry-on bag, so it needs to be small and flexible. If you don't already have a soft cat carrier, you can easily find one at almost any pet store. A popular brand is Sherpa, which was designed by an airline attendant specifically so that owners of small pets could keep their animal companions with them in the passenger cabin.

Once you have your cat carrier picked out, it's time to get your cat ready for the big trip. Place her favorite blanket or one of your old T-shirts in the carrier. Your cat will find the familiar smells comforting. Leave the carrier with the blanket or T-shirt in it out in the open in your living or bedroom for a few days before you leave on your flight. This will give your cat time to get used to the carrier and she will be less likely to struggle when you place her inside when it's time to go to the airport.

When you arrive at the airport, you will need to send your cat's carrier through the x-ray machine. Before doing so, you will need to remove your cat from the carrier and hold her as you walk through the metal detector. Remember, security personnel at the airport will not allow you to leave your cat in her carrier when it goes through the x-ray machine. If by some chance, you are allowed or encouraged to send your cat through the x-ray machine, don't do it! The heavy dosage of radiation can be harmful to your feline friend.

If you are afraid that your cat may panic and leap from your arms, place a short leash or harness on her so that she won't get away from you. You can easily find a cat-sized leash or harness at a major pet store like Petco or Petsmart. It may be a pain getting your cat to wear a leash, but it beats having to chase her down in the airport concourse.

Once you board the plane, place your cat in her carrier securely under the seat in front of you. It's best not to take your cat out of the carrier during the flight. Your cat may cry a little, especially during take-off, but most cats surprisingly do calm down after the plane levels off and curl up for a nap. While your cat is taking her nap, you can feel free to take one too.

Once you're on the plane and in transit, the worst of the hassle of flying with your cat is over. You can just shut your eyes, nod off, and dream about how happy you both will be once you're on solid ground again.