You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


Last night, in hopes of cramming one last Oscar nominated movie in before tonight’s award ceremony, my lovely wife Michelle rented “A Star Is Born” for us to watch.

After a long day skiing (and a 4 hour drive back due to a 2-hour road closure on I-70), I wasn’t expecting to be able to stay awake, but man was I wrong. I was either on the edge of my seat, cheering, or sobbing my eyes out throughout the entire movie.

Not only that, but we watched every “bonus scene/video” possible, and THEN we decided to watch it again.

I think the pivotal moment in the movie was how Jack surprised Ally with a “once in a lifetime opportunity” – knowing she didn’t think she was ready (but he knew she was).

And She F**king Nailed It! (I’d include the clip, but it’s 1000 times better if you watch how they got there in the movie.)

Michelle was surprised at why this movie touched me so much, and quite frankly, so am I. I think the biggest reason is because of where I am now, and where I’ve been in my life. More specifically – the opportunities I’ve seized, and the opportunities I have let slip by because of being caught up in the grind of daily life.

It wasn’t until my mid-40’s that I discovered travel as a way to grow…

to find perspective…

to unplug from work…

to plug in with my family…

to find myself…

to visit more friends and family…

to have more friends & family visit me…

to give my family gifts that won’t start collecting dust two weeks after I give it to them…

Ever since that discovery, I’ve been making up for lost time. Even when I can’t travel myself, I look for travel deals that I hope one of my friends or family members can take advantage of. (And as long as you’re reading this blog, I’m not going to let the opportunity slip by to inspire you to visit more friends, family, or new places either.)

If you want to start visiting more friends, more family, and more new places, there is nothing more powerful than doing this one simple thing:

Whether you’re planning a trip or not, simply watch for opportunities to JGOOT (Just Get Out Of Town) every day.

If you’re not subscribed, here are a TON of free tips showing you how to find unbelievable trips yourself. (No, not last minute, not redeye flights, not standby flights, and unless absolutely necessary, not even using points. Just travel deals that are so low – you can’t help but consider getting out of town.)

Sound like too much work? No problem, but it sure would be unfortunate if the exact same Summer trip you’ll end up paying $400 per-person for – could have been snatched up 5 months in advance for $47 during a 48-hour flash sale. (Especially if you’ve got a family of 6.)

Happy travels!

Joel

https://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.png00Joelhttps://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.pngJoel2019-02-24 11:17:222019-02-25 10:30:03"A Star Is Born" and and unexpected reaction

Whether dealing with discount airlines, or one of the big three – all airlines use extremely expensive software and algorithms to extract every dollar possible out of every seat on every one of their planes.

But much like Achilles’ heel, even the millions of dollars airlines put into predicting how much customers will pay for a seat on their planes, they don’t always get it right.

About .1% of the time, the airlines get their “supply and demand” charts wrong and they find themselves in a bind. As early as 10 months before a flight, if they don’t have at least 15% of their seats booked, they realize they’re not on-pace to fill enough seats on the plane.

The way they fix that problem and get to their 15% target? They drastically slash prices on a handful of seats. Since staying on pace to fill as many seats as possible is EXTREMELY important to the airlines, these price slashes have to be enough to get someone’s attention so they can fill those seats in a hurry.

You never know when or where those price-cuts will happen, but one thing is for sure… They disappear FAST, and as soon as they do, the airlines go back to charging what they know passengers will pay.

Want to spend less than everyone else on the same plane as you?

Watch every day and look for the .1% of seats in planes that are 70% to 90% below normal prices.

Not when you get around to it…

Not 1 or 2 months before you’re ready to plan a trip…

Every. Day.

Unbelievably good deals to destinations all around the world are out there every day, and all you have to do is watch for them.

Don’t want to look every day?

That’s fine, but Murphy’s law says that perfect trip 6 months from now will pop up in the next week or two, and when you get around to planning for it in 3 or 4 months – you’ll probably pay double to triple than what you could have paid if you watched for that trip every day.

Don’t think .1% gives you enough options to choose from?

Think about this:

If the average international airport flies to 700 destinations around the world…

If you only took flights that were among the cheapest .1% of those 204,000,000 choices, you’d have 204,000 options to choose from (per year).

With that many options it’s virtually impossible not to find something that can work with your schedule.

Besides, how many trips do you need to take a year?

Is “The JGOOT Way” perfect?

No.

Will “The JGOOT Way” get you to exactly where you want to go, when you want to get there?

Absolutely not.

Will it allow you to take an annual vacation or two to amazing destinations at a price YOU are willing to pay (vs what the airlines (and hotels) are charging everyone else who doesn’t know any better?)

I’m in a few Facebook travel groups, and one of them in particular is an especially active one. The average post gets over 20 replies, but one in particular got over 100 replies in the first hour, and is up to over 350 comments.

The post was “How do you guys travel so much?” and all of the replies had one common theme; “You have to make travel a priority.“

Although I agree that the first step in traveling more is making it a priority, I couldn’t disagree more with HOW these people were making travel a priority. I can’t tell you how many responses utterly shocked me:

Other shocking responses:

Eat Ramen every day, and put the savings towards a travel fund.

Sell your car, take the bus and apply what you save on payments and insurance towards travel.

Seriously??? If you’re needing to take the bus, work a second job, or eat crappy food just so you can afford to travel – you’re doing it all wrong.

Why not just find a way to spend less on travel?

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Want a reliable system that can allow you to travel for as little as five cents on the dollar every time you travel?Try “The JGOOT Way” out for 30 days for a dollar.
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When asked what he attributes to his success he quoted a simple lesson his Dad gave him: “Skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.”

Want to spend so little, your friends don’t even believe you when you tell them what you paid for your vacation?

Stop “chasing the puck” by trying to go to a specific place at a specific time. Instead, find the 1% of trips that are 75% to 90% below market value, and go there.

They’re out there every day. But if you’re not watching for them – they’ll pass right by and someone else will get them.

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Want to use a service that will tell you where the puck will be every single day?Try our fare-finder service for a dollar.
We’ll share the most affordable 1% of trips on the internet.
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https://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.png00Joelhttps://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.pngJoel2019-01-08 13:30:102019-01-09 08:02:08From one of the greats

You just have to be watching for when they do (and guess what; If you followed steps 1-3 above, now you are! All you have to do is take about 10 seconds to check the subject line of what they send every day.

Remember – you’re not just looking for a good deal. You’re waiting for a deal so amazing – you think it’s a mistake.

More later…

PS – For extra credit, enter 4 to 6 bucket list destinations. After all, the more destinations you watch, the better your odds of finding something!

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Don’t want to weed through a bunch of emails every day to find the best deals?
We analyze over 700 destinations per day from your home airport, and only send you the best 4 or 5 deals we found.
That way, you can review the best deals on the internet over your morning coffee.Try it out for a buck!
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I bargained with my sophomore son and told him if he took a free ACT practice test on Friday, he could take a friend snowboarding today.

I was going to go boarding today too, but it was NEGATIVE TEN DEGREES outside, and was only going to get up to a high of 2. Ummmm… Hell no.

Unlike the out-of-state visitors who all paid thousands of dollars to ski in Colorado during the second-most crowded week of the year – One of the nice things about living just over an hour from the slopes is that you can occasionally say “no thanks” if conditions aren’t absolutely perfect.

Instead, you can grab your laptop, a hot coffee, and work by a warm fire while your kids freeze their butts off on the slopes.

Wanna know a secret?

Traveling for pennies on the dollar works the exact same way. Unlike the suckers who decide to look for a travel deal every once in a blue moon and settle on somewhere in Mexico (again) because that’s the only destination where they could find a flight for under $400, you can be a lot more picky about the trips you take and the prices you pay.

Mexico? Not unless it’s under $150.

Europe? Not unless we can spend less than $400 per person AND get a week of lodging included.

But there is a catch…

Since the majority of those fares only last days (if not hours), you HAVE to watch for them every day.

The best way to do that for free? Airfare Watchdog. Simply enter as many destinations as you want to go to, and they’ll send you the best price they can find to that destination. Every day.

99% of the time, you’ll say “no thanks” and go on with your day. But about 1 in 100 times the fare will be so low – you’ll think “Ummm… OK!!!” – and you’ll snatch the fare up knowing it will likely be the cheapest seat on the plane. (The best part? These trips are often months in advance so you can easily work your schedule around them.)

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Have more than a few places you’d be willing to travel to for the right price?
Every trip we send to our subscribers is at “Ummmm… OK!!!” prices that are virtually guaranteed to be the cheapest seats on the plane.

Right now, you can check out my premium trip-alert service for 30 days, for a dollar.
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.
In the late 70’s – long-distance calling was extremely expensive ($.10 to $.25 per minute), rates were very confusing, and most people only called for really special occasions. So AT&T launched a campaign about how their new calling plans allowed you to “reach out and touch someone” for $.02 to $.10 per minute and forever changed how people treated long-distance calling.

Now, nearly 50 years later, at $.10 to $.25 per mile, most people think flying is too expensive, meaning traveling across the country to visit a friend or loved one “just to say hi” is reserved for special occasions only.

Just like AT&T revolutionized the way people stayed in touch 50 years ago, “The JGOOT Way” is changing the way friends & family stay in touch today.

Every week, I share a few dozen different flights with my premium subscribers that are between $.02 and $.05 per mile. That’s about 1/4 of what most people pay to fly, 1/10th of what most people pay to drive, and believe it or not – a better value than what you would pay when using frequent flyer points. (Here is an article describing that math.)

As a JGOOT premium subscriber, any time you see a trip alert in a city where you know someone, you can either:

Have one-click access to the flights I found so you can go visit them

Use my “reverse search” link & fly them out come visit you.

(Fares I find in the Domestic US are rarely over $100, and as low as $29 round-trip, so there is rarely an excuse for not “reaching out and touching someone” you care about.

Don’t want to pay $.26 per day to have me find those deals for you? No problem. Here is a post on how you can regularly find $.02 to $.05 per mile flights yourself for free.

Every time my wife & I get together with friends, they comment on our most recent Facebook travel pictures saying “I wish I could travel like you.”

The funny thing is…

if you want to travel like me, all you have to do is… Travel like me.

When you travel like me, you spend an average of 85% less than what everyone else is paying for the exact same trips.

And when you spend 85% less than everyone else on the same plane as you, you tend to travel more.

It’s that simple.

Here is how you can take an entire family on trips that cost less than what most people pay for just one person:

For vacations, watch every day for deals that are months in advance. Don’t just look for “good deals”… Keep an eye on hundreds of destinations, watching exclusively for AMAZING “needle in haystack” deals that are too good to pass up. They’re out there every day – you just have to watch for them. When you find one that’s 60% to 90% less than what you’d normally pay, book it well in advance and plan your schedule around it. Trips my subscribers and I have taken include $110 flights to Cabo, $192 flights to Aruba, $154 flights to Cancun… $325 to London, $290 to Spain, and so on. (Those are all round-trip prices, BTW.)

I also keep an eye out every day for cheap fares where I have friends/family who I like to visit. I’ve booked $29 weekend flights to Indianapolis (where my wife grew up), $39 flights to L.A to visit friends, $84 flights to visit my brother’s family in Raleigh… When I found $50 flights where my friends Peter & Tania lived, I invited them to visit us for a ski weekend. The list goes on. None of these trips are trips I would have planned. But when you can take a long weekend visiting friends/family for those prices… Why not?

When my wife wanted to go to Hawaii, but my cheap ass refused to pay $1326 PER PERSON just to get there??? Points to the rescue. We went for $22 each.

When friends from Indianapolis snatched up a JGOOT deal to Turks & Caicos & invited us, we’d have normally had to say “no” because flights from Denver were over twice that. ($650). But we dipped into my stash of points, joined them for $96, and started a multi-family “friendcation” tradition that is now 3 vacations strong.

When we had to fly to a friends’ Dad’s funeral and couldn’t find tickets less than $450 each, we used points and went for $11.

If you want to travel like me, all you need to do is… Travel like me.

Don’t have the time to sort through hundreds of fares per day to find a needle in a haystack? As a premium JGOOT subscriber you can:

leave the haystack behind, and have the “needles” delivered on a silver platter every day. (With “needles” being unbelievably good travel deals that have been cherrypicked from thousands of regular priced trips.)

I’ll share a far more comprehensive guide than this one, webinars on how to easily collect 100,000 frequent flyer points in the next 60 days, and…

You’ll also have private access to my member-only group where you can ask questions & get answers from other premium subscribers who are regularly traveling for a fraction of what 98% of travelers are accustomed to paying “the traditional way”.

https://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.png00Joelhttps://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.pngJoel2018-11-18 11:18:022018-12-28 12:10:29"I wish I could travel like you"

Remember that scene from Karate Kid where the culmination of all of Daniel’s “karate training” painting fences, waxing cars, and sanding floors comes together?

Click on the video clip below and watch Daniel’s face as he instantly goes from exhausted, discouraged and pissed – to seeing a whole new world of possibility.

﻿

Daniel’s breakthrough is like travel

Just like Mr Miyagi had Daniel do a bunch of stuff he didn’t think would help at all with Karate… I’m about to tell you the most powerful thing you can do to find a mind-bogglingly cheap trip:

Look every day. Even when you’re not planning a trip.

Let’s first talk about how most people book a trip.

They decide to book two or three months before a trip. They spend hours hunting down the optimal times/dates, and sometimes they get an OK deal.

Sometimes, they give up and have to repeat the procedure several other nights.

Eventually they either settle on something that seems like the best deal they can get, or they don’t go at all.

“The old fashioned way” is impossible…

Looking for a travel deal “the old fashioned way” might get an OK deal with enough work. But getting an exceptionally good deal is simply not possible except by random luck.

The exceptionally good deals only last days or hours, and came and went while the average traveler wasn’t even looking. The result? The average traveler ends up settling for mediocre deals or not traveling as often – never even knowing they could have paid 50% to 90% less.

The JGOOT Way: “Give me 60 seconds a day & I’ll show you the world”

Whether subscribed to my free or paid service, you get 4 to 6 trip alerts a day – all from your home airport. Every one of them are the best travel deals I could find on the internet for that day.

Whether you’re planning a trip or not, take 60 seconds a day and read the emails I send you with an open mind.

Most days, the trips either won’t interest you, or they won’t fit your schedule and that’s fine. You’re only out 60 seconds.

But some days…

You’ll see a trip that’s so affordable you won’t even have to think about whether it’s in the budget. You’ll know that going any other time would cost two to ten times as much, and if you adjust your vacation schedule just a little – it won’t impact your budget nearly as much as finding that exact same trip “the old fashioned way”. (It won’t take as much time either.)

I promise

Whether you use my service, or set up dozens of free Google fare watches and watch fares yourself…

If you simply take a minute a day to look at trip possibilities for 7 days in a row – you’ll begin to see a whole new world of affordable travel that are physically impossible to find “the old fashioned way”.

Let’s talk about travel agent commissions.

Travel agents get 0% to help you book a domestic flight. (But they usually help in hopes that they can book your hotel & car too.)

They get between 4% and 8% to book an international flight.

They get 5% or so to book a rental car for you

They get 10% to 20% to book a hotel or cruise (That’s where the money usually is.)

NOW let’s talk about mistake fares…

Whether an actual mistake, or intentional fare dump to get 4 or 6 butts in seats to keep from cancelling an under-sold flight – travel agents get paid ZERO commissions on mistake fares.

On top of that, sites like Travelocity and Expedia HEAVILY discount hotel commissions when you bundle air and hotel together (including when you pay next-to-nothing) for the flight. (Sometimes, so much so – that you can get air PLUS hotel for less than the cost of the flight alone.)

The result?

Although travel agents can offer great assistance with “normal” trips – they cant compete when it comes to mistake fares unless they charge an additional fee to you.

Don’t get me wrong – Travel agents still provide plenty of value in the right circumstances (Just like Mom & Pop store owners offer way more value than the minimum-wage Wal-Mart employee when you need to pick out the right baseball glove.)

But when it comes to prices… Even if a travel agent rebated their entire commission back to you – they still couldn’t come close to the price you can find by booking a mistake fare on a major travel site.

So you’ve got three choices:

Pay a pretty penny for the convenience of finding a flight that goes to the exact place, at the exact time you’re looking for.

Have a little flexibility and use a free system to find the mistake fares that happen every day from your home airport…

Have a little flexibility and use a paid service that focuses exclusively on mistake fares. (Just don’t plan on them doing it for free – because they’re not going to get a dime when you eventually book a trip.)

With enough patience & flexibility – both choices 2 and 3 will have you traveling for 50% to 90% less than option 1. (And not some bullshit department store “Mark it up so we can say it’s marked down 50% to 90%…” crap…

Put a little energy into finding mistake fares, schedule trips around them when you find them and you will ACTUALLY pay 50% to 90% less than what most people on the exact same trip as you are paying.

https://i1.wp.com/justgetoutoftown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/65620548_s.jpg?fit=847%2C565&ssl=1565847Joelhttps://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.pngJoel2018-08-09 20:27:422018-08-09 11:53:03Travelocity did to Travel Agents what Wal-Mart did to Mom & Pop Stores

In case you didn’t know it. I’m a numbers guy. My co-author and I wrote a book about cracking Google’s algorithm with paid advertising (Google AdWords for Dummies), and after that, Google hired us to write two books for them to give to their advertisers. Now, I use algorithms to find mistake fares the same way.

But rather than writing a book about how to calculate the value of a flight – I do that math behind the scenes with every trip I share on JGOOT.

I analyze over 20,000 flight options per day, and rule out the 99.9% that are too expensive. In a nutshell, if you can’t find it on JGOOT.com, that’s because I already analyzed the dates you’re thinking of – and ruled them out as “too expensive to pay cash for”.

My advice?

Use this site to watch for ridiculously affordable trips that you can work your schedule around whenever possible. (Which should be about 1/2 the time.)

Don’t waste time searching for a good fare for “need to go to a specific place at a specific time” trips. They will almost always be too expensive and you’d be FAR better off just paying with points.

* Wondering why I bother with mistake fares if I can travel on points for practically nothing? Here is the math on why just about every fare I publish on JGOOT is a better deal than paying with points.

Have you ever been driving down the highway and have your heart skip a beat when you see a police car on the side of the road with a radar gun pointing at you? Fortunately, I just got a new car that has a pretty cool sign recognition technology that keeps track of that for me at all times.

Don’t get me wrong… I’m a safe driver, but it sure is nice to know my car is “watching” for the speed limit, even when I’m not. Now, whenever I see a cop with a radar gun pointing right at me, I’m a lot more relaxed because I know the exact speed limit (not just 10 miles before I started zoning out on a long-stretch of highway and stopped paying attention.)

What does this have to do with travel? Even if you’re good at finding OK deals whenever you want to take a trip – If you don’t have a system in place to watch fares FOR YOU every day, day in and day out – you’re going to miss a lot of amazing deals that will have come-and-gone by the time you get around to looking for them.

Here are three options.

Flexible on when you want to go? Airfare watchdog is great, and you’ll get alerts for the best prices possible for as many destinations as you want to watch. (Don’t forget to watch domestic flights where you have friends & family too. $29 and $49 round-trip flights across the country happen all the time, and it’s pretty cool when you get to call a long-lost friend or family member and say – “Hey – I just found $39 round-trip flights from your city to mine. Want to come out & go to the big game?”)

Have specific times you need to go? You’ll end up paying slightly more when you don’t have flexibility on departure and return dates, but mistake fares still happen during peak travel times, so watching every day will pay off. Either Google flights or Kayak.com are GREAT for setting up fare watches for specific dates. The more destinations you watch – the more likely you’ll find not just a good deal – but an unbelievably good deal. You’ll be surprised at how often you’re looking at your calendar to see if you could make a $224 flight to Paris work, or whether or not you could fly your parents out for a visit for $29.

If watching 2o to 100 fare alerts a day to find a deal sounds like too much work, I have a paid service that finds the best 1% of travel deals on the internet every day – so you don’t have to.

I watch 500 to 1000 destinations per day from your home airport, my team and I share the best deal we find in the following categories:

I also include business class fare discounts, one-click lodging options on Travelocity, Expedia, VRBO, AirBnB & Hostels.com, and one-click access to prices for 1, 2, 3 or 4 travelers.

It’s like having your very own personal assistant who will save you countless hours of research – for 26 cents per day. Click here for more details.

Just remember to watch every day.

No matter what method you choose – be patient and remember that finding these kinds of deals is a marathon, not a sprint. Actively watching every day will out-perform “looking when you’re ready” every time. I assure you – you’ll be traveling sooner than you thought, spending less than you thought, and going to cooler places than you ever planned on.

Happy travels!

PS – Speaking of police cars, if you drive one for a living – don’t forget that you (along with other first responders, teachers and non-profit employees) are eligible for a FREE lifetime premium subscription. Click here for more info.

https://i2.wp.com/justgetoutoftown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SpeedLimitReader.gif?fit=799%2C762&ssl=1762799Joelhttps://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.pngJoel2018-07-29 19:23:322018-11-27 16:29:16That feeling when you're driving and you see a radar gun pointing at you

Let’s say you got a coupon from Nordstrom’s good for any pair of shoes in their store.

You’ve been needing a new pair of running shoes… Maybe you should use it for that.

Ummmmm. NO! The coupon said ANY pair of shoes!

Pay cash for the $80 sneakers

Use your coupon for the $2200 Jimmy Choos

Use the same philosophy for traveling and you’ll NEVER pay for an expensive flight again.

Only pay cash for mistake fares that are 50% to 90% off.

Keep a stockpile of points for everything more expensive than that.

But unless you want a “George Costanza Wallet” full of credit cards, you have to be wise about how you spend your valuable frequent flyer points. Just because you have 50,000 frequent flyer points, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a good deal by using them to fly to Hawaii.

When flights are $850 or $1000 a piece – by all means – pay the $22 in taxes and use those points!

But when you can regularly find mistake fares for $280, you’d actually be a lot better off paying cash for the flight and saving your points for a more expensive trip some other time.

Huh? How is $280 a better deal than $22?

No matter what frequent flyer program you’re with, your points can usually be converted to cash in one form or another for a minimum of a penny per point. That means that 50,000 points is worth at least $500 in cash (and if used wisely, those points can be worth as much as $3000). Using $500 worth of points on a fare you could pay $280 for would be a huge waste. (Just like using a “free pair of running shoes” certificate would be a waste on some $80 running shoes.)

In a nutshell:

Always be on the lookout for mistake fares that might fit your schedule and never pay cash for a flight that is more than 50% below normal normal prices (preferably 90% off).

Always keep an emergency stash of at least 50,000 frequent flyer points and use them for ALL flights that aren’t at least 50% off. (In other words, if it’s not on JGOOT.com – you should probably pay with points.)

You’ll travel more, you’ll spend less, and you’ll spend WAY less time trying to find good deals when good deals aren’t available via traditional methods.

Don’t have frequent flyer points? Click here & discover how to get 50,000 to 100,000 points in the next couple months (and learn how to calculate what a “good” price for a fare is no matter where in the world you’re flying.)

https://i1.wp.com/justgetoutoftown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/choices.jpg?fit=2296%2C1722&ssl=117222296Joelhttps://justgetoutoftown.com/den/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/JGOOT-without-liberty1-300x116.pngJoel2018-07-22 13:24:452018-08-02 09:23:51Free pair of shoes from Nordstrom's! What would you choose???

After objection #1 (“Your deals seem too good to be true“), and objection #2 (“I don’t have the funds to travel right now“), third most common objection I hear regarding travel is : “It’s not safe to travel outside the U.S.”

I couldn’t disagree more.

Other than a handful of politically unstable countries, the majority of places around the world are just as safe (if not more safe) than right here in the U.S. As long as you have a little bit of self-awareness when it comes to not making yourself a target – travel outside the US is no less safe than any big city in the US.

Nas daily – one of my favorite travel vlogs (Video Blogs) has multiple videos on the subject. Nas has even left laptops, bikes & purses out for people to take in various countries, and items that wouldn’t last 2 minutes at most big cities in the U.S. can sit there untaken for hours.

If you do want to travel more, I recommend the following 3 things:

Set money aside for travel. (It takes FAR less than you think with proper planning, but without setting aside a travel budget – travel will continue to take a back seat to things like broken furnaces, braces for the kids, etc. Next thing you know, you’ll be looking back on your life – wishing you had traveled more.

Follow different travel bloggers to stay inspired and informed.

If you’re really concerned about your safety, take a self defense course. You’d be surprised at how little you need to know to drastically increase your odds of A) not being a target, and B) protecting yourself from the other 99.9% of attackers who have no training at all. If you don’t want to attend a class in your town, there are plenty of great resources online. Click this link (or this one) for a couple great ones that cost less than a month’s membership at a brick-and-mortar martial arts studio.