Commentary

Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.

Ready to buy? Here’s the exact moment when you should make your offer

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Negotiating a deal is part art, part science.

The science part you probably already know. In the last few weeks, I’ve reviewed the best time to book an airline ticket or buy a car, a house, and a computer, among other things.

But one big question still looms: At what point during the actual negotiation do you pull the trigger? Do it too early and you could overpay. Do it too late and you might miss your opportunity altogether.

Check out these sites for objective travel insurance information

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Elaine Karlson is planning a vacation to Cooperstown, N.Y., to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and to watch her grandson compete in a baseball game. And she’s worried.

First, there’s the price difference between the refundable airline tickets and the nonrefundable ones — the refundable ones are three times as expensive. There’s also the question of what to do if she and her husband have to cancel.

Instead of paying extra for the less restricted ticket, she’s considering travel insurance.

TSA agents are getting ruder, and it's time to do something about it. So say an increasing number of air travelers.

Treated badly by the TSA? Get in line

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TSA agents are getting ruder, and it’s time to do something about it. So say an increasing number of air travelers, citing their own experiences of being harassed and harangued by the screeners who are supposed to be helping them.

Peeing near the pool.

Kicked off my cruise for peeing near the pool

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When Karen Del Zoppo’s husband suffered a heart attack two years ago, he sustained severe anoxic brain damage, which left him with the mental state and motor skills of a two-year-old.

Del Zoppo didn’t want that to stop the family from enjoying a vacation. As a registered nurse, she’s more than capable of caring for her mentally handicapped husband. So she recently booked a getaway for the couple and her brother and sister-in-law — a western Mediterranean cruise that left from Venice, Italy.

Review this! Travelers fed up with solicitations

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Is it my imagination, or are travel companies getting pushier?

The come-ons include repeated invitations to return to a hotel or restaurant, high-pressure pitches to “like” a company’s Facebook account and urgent requests for positive online reviews. As summer vacations fade into memory, the aggressiveness has never been more obvious.