Three Questions to Ask Before You Book that Amazing Deal

I'm a huge fan of Groupon (and hoping they start making a profit soon).  And I was very happy when Groupon and Expedia joined forces to offer amazing pre-paid travel deals. And then I started getting other pre-paid deals from a lot of other sources: Living Social, Bloomspot, even TravelZoo jumped on the bandwagon.

Some of those deals are better than others and some of the sites are better than others. But in looking for a good deal, there are a few questions to ask:

1. Have I read the fine print? Some deals aren't what they appear. A recent Bloomspot offer looked amazing until I read the fine print that had many black-out dates, a $100 booking fee, and a $50/day resort fee. It wasn't much of a deal.
2. Will I be paying for things I don't want? Is it still cheaper than what I would pay for what I do want/need? A lot of deals are great for what they include-a wine-tasting tour, a spa treatment, a free round of golf, kids eat free. But if you don't drink, don't want a spa treatment or play golf and don't have kids, examine the cost before you leap. The included items might be the thing that make it a deal.
3. When can I use it? Will I have a chance to use it before the expiration? Will I be able to use it when I need to? I recently booked a deal for a vacation we were planning on taking anyway. I called the hotel to be sure those dates were open and told them I was checking before I purchased a Groupon. They were willing to hold my dates until I had made my purchase. Read the blackout dates carefully and book immediately for a holiday weekend or summer travel time.

Deal sites can be fun! They work well for the savvy, detail-oriented traveler. But if you can never remember to take your coupons to the store with you, think twice. Because people who never use the deal are the reason they are able to make it so great for the rest of us.