Brent and Michael's Secret Travel Hacks, Part 33!
Know the best pre-cut fruits and veggies, replace the airport lounge, find the menu's hidden value, shut someone up, know the filthy spots on a plane, wash your pillows, and get the chicken!
One more edition of our unusual travel hacks.
For other travel hack columns, go to Part Fifteen and Part Sixteen and Part Seventeen and Part Eighteen and Part Nineteen and Part Twenty and Part Twenty-One and Part Twenty-Two and Part Twenty-Three and Part Twenty-Four and Part Twenty-Five and Part Twenty-Six and Part Twenty-Seven and Part Twenty-Eight and Part Twenty-Nine and Part Thirty and Part Thirty-One and Part Thirty-Two.
Onto the latest hacks!
Actually contact Booking.com
Booking.com is a frustrating platform: they have a fantastic number of listings, including the indie or “boutique” properties we most enjoy, and they also have some really great prices and perks — especially if you’re a “Genius 3” loyalty member (which you get after using the platform fifteen times). But their customer support is terrible: it’s impossible to speak to an actual person, and they almost never side with the customer anyway.
But know this: when you do become Genius 3, you are given access to “priority support,” which means you can talk to an actual human being. Even better, we think they’re much more likely to resolve a dispute in your favor.
Their priority support number is: 1-888-850-3958 (U.S.). (The UK support number is +44 20 3320 2609, but you don’t need to be Genius 3 to access it.)
Get 20% off your total grocery bill
If you transfer a prescription to some American supermarket chains — including Safeway — they’ll give you a coupon for an impressive 20% off your next grocery bill, no matter how large.
And just because you’re “transferring” a prescription doesn’t mean you can’t then transfer it back to your original pharmacy.
Buy the best pre-cut fruits and veggies
When you buy pre-cut fruits and vegetables, the price is higher because you’re really buying convenience — and I respect that, especially when traveling.
But here are the pre-cut fruits and vegetables that I think are the best value: spinach (which is difficult to wash), carrots (to encourage healthy snacking), and especially broccoli (which, given that most people discard broccoli stems anyway, is actually twelve percent cheaper when bought in bags).
And here’s what isn’t worth it: pineapples (which spoils too fast), melons, and mixed berries.
Check out a handy chart I put together:
