1 How badly do you want do you want this particular getaway? To help gauge that, think about the places you won't be able to go to because you're buying this one. Vacation deals are proliferating, so perhaps a better one is just around the corner.

2 Plan early. Make reservations as soon as possible. Need a particular weekend? Call before buying to check availability.

3 Study the fine print. What's the expiration date? Recent airline deals blocked travel on Fridays and Sundays, when it's most realistic for me to fly, so I passed.

4 How good is the deal, really? Many places offer various discounts that might be less restrictive. Shop around before you buy.

5 When in doubt, ask. Some places are willing to extend expiration dates, especially if you're not asking to go in the height of their season.

6 Sign up in areas you want to visit. For an August trip to the Wisconsin Dells, I signed up for Groupon in Madison, the nearest city, hoping for a hotel deal. We ended up finding a better condo deal on Craigslist though (see #4).

KAREN LUNDEGAARD