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Our discount trip to Vegas was as smart as our smartphones allowed

Subhead
On Second Thought
Lead Summary
By
Lori Sorenson, editor

My friend, Carrie, and I recently took advantage of cheap airfare and an invitation to stay in her family’s Las Vegas timeshare.
I wouldn’t describe either of us as impulsive, but sometimes good deals are too good to pass up, and sometimes spur-of-the moment plans actually work.
Within days of spotting the deal we chose our dates and booked our flights. A few weeks later the schoolteacher and news editor landed in the desert oasis of Sin City.
Trip preparation was easy; our goal was to relax. Sunblock, pool floaties and insulated Bubba mugs were at the top of the packing list.
We also did some discount shopping — which amounted to downloading Groupon, Vegas.com and a few other deals on our smartphones.
Our resort was just south of the Vegas Strip, which meant we needed transportation.
We intended to try Uber, but a friend had shared a first-ride-free coupon for Lyft, which I downloaded and studied a few days prior to departure.
As it turns out, Lyft (not available in Rock County) was the most fascinating discovery of my first-time Las Vegas experience.
The app opens with a map showing a number of nearby available drivers, one of which can be summoned within seconds to our location (which is already known, thanks to the location setting on my phone.
The app tells us the driver’s first name along with the color, make and model of the car we should watch for. No cash is exchanged — not even a tip (which can be set in the app). It’s all done through the app, which is synced to a PayPal or credit card account.
I loved it.
Even after several rides, it didn’t get old watching the map on my phone as the drivers navigated the streets toward us in real time.
I felt smart.
Much like I did at the start of our trip, armed with our discount-loaded smart phones at the airport check-in desk.
Until my husband called moments after dropping us off.
“You forgot your phone in the car,” he said with a sense of urgency. “I’m still outside if you want to run out and get it.”
Knowing all my Vegas coupons, discount tickets and necessary apps were on my iPhone, I fell for the mean prank.
“Stay where you are, I’ll be right …”
It dawned on me after I responded. Ugh.
“That’s not funny.”
He was laughing on his end of the call.
So much for smart.
For the record, the trip was exactly what we hoped it would be, and our discount planning mostly proved to be smart.
As smart as our smartphones allowed us to be, that is.

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