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Travel agent vs booking online Hey Taylor: I just talked to a friend who said he got a great deal through his travel agent. My first Taylor thought was, Kovar “travel agents still exist?” I guess they do, but do they actually offer better deals than what I can find online? - Brian Hey Brian: The internet, try as it might, has not yet destroyed the travel agent industry. Online booking has, however, changed the market in many ways, and this makes it a little tricky to answer your question. Sometimes travel agents will save you money, other times they will not. Here are some general points to think about when it comes to this topic. Bundling. This was an early travel agent tactic that kept this profession going as more airlines and hotels moved their services online. When you book your flight, you tack on a rental car and a hotel room and get all three things at a decent rate. Naturally, you can find package deals on the internet as well, but those are often between companies that have existing partnerships. It’s easier to get discounts on rental cars and hotel rooms than it is airfare, and travel agents can occasionally swing deals without having to work through a prearranged relationship. Inventory. Sometimes you can’t find cheap flights because the online booking companies have already run through their inventory. In this case, you might be able to work with a travel agent who still has tickets available. More often than not, I find the best deals online—it just depends on
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when and where you look. Still, there are companies that swoop up tickets at the right time and then sell them for less than the going rate, but more than what was paid originally. Finding these companies can be tough, and changing any flight details with them is almost impossible. Nevertheless, when you have very specific travel needs that Kayak or Expedia aren’t meeting, it’s possible a travel agent will be able to help. Forthright. Booking online, when you can’t really ask questions and have to deal with lots of fine print, can end up costing a lot of extra money by way of hidden fees. It’s possible your friend “got a great deal” because he paid the same price as everyone else but avoided some of those hidden charges, or at least knew about them ahead of time. I’m not saying every travel agent is 100% honest, but you can at least ask questions and feel like you have control over the process. For some, that’s enough to feel like great savings were achieved. Legal Disclaimer: Information presented is for educational purposes only and is not an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. To submit a question to be answered in this column, please send it via email to Question@GoFarWithKovar.com or via USPS to Taylor Kovar, 415 S 1st St, Suite 300, Lufkin, TX 75901.
Living with children Many if not most if not almost all of today’s parents believe in magic words. They do so because the mental health John professional Rosemond community has for fifty years or so told them that children can be reasoned with, a claim that exposes the general lack of intellectual rigor in the mental health professions. Magic words are words parents believe will magically change a child’s attitude or behavior. Parents who believe in magic words are often found explaining to their kids why certain behavior is hurtful, counterproductive, irresponsible, or just plain wrong (albeit they try not to use that word lest it precipitate a psychological apocalypse). In these one-way magic word sessions, said parents are searching for words that will fill their children’s brains with enlightenment. When enlightenment does not occur – as evidence by relapse of the attitude or behavior in question – said parents try again. The victims of these attempts to find magic words pretend to be listening as their parents carefully explain why their behavior represents “choices” that are not looked upon favorably and will not advance them toward riches and fame. When the parent in question has exhausted his supply of hopefully magic words, he asks the child the magic question, “Do you understand?” to which no child has ever answered, “Not quite, Dad. Can you go over that part again about how what I did hurt Billy’s feelings?” The child answers, “Yes,” which is reliable indication that the parent’s magic words went in one ear and out the other. The child knows that “Yes” will bring a blessed end to the stream of nonsense coming from the parent’s mouth, so “Yes” it is. And so it does. And sure enough, less than two weeks later, the par-
ent is once again streaming magic words at a child who understands nothing but will say “Yes” when called upon to do so. Children do not change their behavior or attitude because of magic words. They make changes in their lives as the result of trial and error – the latter, mostly. In other words, they change their behavior because of life experience. An irresponsible child cannot be talked into responsibility. A rude child cannot be talked into graciousness. A defiant child cannot be talked into obedience. And so on. Furthermore, it is a rule that the more parents talk, the less children listen. It is also a rule that the more parents talk, the less authoritative they sound. Instead, they sound persuasive, and parents who sound persuasive do not sound like authority figures. Generally speaking, getting a child to move off square one requires an offer he can’t refuse: what I call a “Godfather” offer. (If you’re scratching your head at that one, you’re under the age of fifty and need to watch the movie.) “According to the world’s leading expert on the subject, your seeming inability to do what you are capable of doing in school means you aren’t getting enough sleep. So, until your grades come up to par and stay there for four weeks straight, you are going to bed, lights out, immediately after dinner whether your homework is done or not. We are hoping that your sleep deprivation is cured in short order.” Those are magic words. Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond.com, parent guru.com. John Rosemond has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971 in the field of family psychology. In 1971, John earned his masters in psychology from Western Illinois University and was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.
