Built to Thrill

When it comes to a night out at comedy clubs, laughter doesn't come cheap. After paying for cover charges and the common two-drink minimums, audiences often find they are the punchline of a $50 or more joke. There's nothing to laugh about that. However, by utilizing online discounts, discount ticket booths, or by going on less popular nights, the budget-minded traveler with a sense of humor can get cheap laughs at clubs across the country. And that means more funny for less money. Austin, TX Cap City Comedy Club (8120 Research Blvd., 512/467-2333, capcitycomedy.com/)Austin is a little city that sets some big trends in the music and film industry, and Cap City Comedy Club fits in well here. Because of the university-educated audience it regularly attracts, Cap City is a draw for comedians taking chances and trying out new material. Though the venue seats 350, it has a small-town saloon feel and showcases comics you know you''e seen, but can'' quite remember where. David Letterman'' inhouse comic, Eddie Brill (he'' the guy who warms up the crowd before the taping), just finished a week here and Ralphie May of NBC'' "Last Comic Standing" will headline in October. Even the original ""iezel" Pauly Shore will be stopping by next month for one night only. Showtimes/cover charge Monday, 8 p.m.--Either $5 or free, depending on what management feels is fair based on performers that night Tuesday, 8 p.m.--$4.50 Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, 8 p.m.--$9 Tips Mondays are usually free Cap City offers online coupons for buy-one-get-one admission, as well as coupons for students waiving the cover charge (18 and up, only) Parking is free Boston Improv Asylum (216 Hanover St., 617/263-6887, improvasylum.com/)Pirates, guys in drag and ax-wielding maniacs running around a stage and taking direction from the audience might be why this place is called an Asylum. The colorful shows put on by this improv-only troupe- voted "best comedy club" in Beantown-- suitable for ages 13 and up. The Asylum players, or "inmates" as they are called, develop scenes and sketches based on audience suggestions at such a frenetic pace, it makes you wonder if they took all of their meds in this cuckoo's nest. Showtimes/Cover Charge Wednesday, Thursday, 8 p.m.--$15 Friday, Saturday, 8 & 10 p.m.--$20 Tips Mondays are often free, or under $4. For students only, the club's website offers coupons for two-for-the-price-of- one admission and $2 off (Wednesday and Thursday shows) BosTix (artsboston.org/) booths in Copley Square or Faneuil Hall Marketplace sell half-off day-of tickets for cash. $3 parking available Showtimes/cover charge Wednesday-Saturday, 8 & 8:45 p.m.--$10-$15 Tips Online coupons for free admission (or $5 coupons if under 21) are available every night except Saturday There is no cover charge for ages 21 and over on Thursday nights Chicago Second City (1616 N. Wells St., 312/337-3992, secondcity.com/)In Chi-town, Second City is rightfully known as an institution. Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Chris Farley are only a fraction of the recognizable names that logged time here. In addition, the sketches of Second City were the basis of the television program SCTV. Second City'' formidable presence and cost-effectiveness is the reason that it'' the only entry for clubs in Chicago. Showtimes/cover charge Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30 p.m.--$17 Friday, Saturday, 8 & 11 p.m.--$19 Sunday, 8 p.m.--$17 Tips Second City offers free improv sets every weekend about an hour and 45-minutes after posted showtimes and tickets aren't required for these sets Discounted tickets are available on http://www.hottix.org/ the day of a performance for $12 or under Children's shows are offerred on Saturdays at 10:30 AM for only $8. Validated parking available Audience members under age 16 require adult supervision Los Angeles Comedy Store (8433 Sunset Blvd., 323/656-6225, thecomedystore.com/)The Comedy Store opened in April 1972, but it took Richard Pryor's big comeback in June of the same year to give the club life. Since then, the massive club with three stages, including a Vegas-style showroom, has showcased the brightest of stars. More recently, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and "Man Show" host Joe Rogan have frequented the club. Showtimes/cover charge (The schedule for the three rooms at the Comedy Store changes frequently based on show, performers or even who did the booking, so it is best to call for the details of a specific night.) The main room Saturday, 9 p.m.--$20 The original room Sunday-Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Free Sunday-Wednesday, 9 p.m.--$5 Thursday, 9 p.m.--$10 Friday, Saturday, 9 & 10:30 p.m.--$20 Sunday-Friday, 8 or 9 p.m.--Free Saturday, 8 p.m.--$10 Tips: No one under age 21 allowed. Acme Comedy Co. (708 N. First St., 612/338-6393, acmecomedycompany.com/)Even though the Acme Comedy Co. is located in the historic Itasca building with brick walls and columns, there is nothing stuffy about this intimate Minneapolis mainstay. Comics Steven Wright and Margaret Cho stop by to try out new material, but even they have to sign-up for Monday'' open-mic nights. In fact, Chris Rock recently arrived too late and was unable to perform. Showtimes/cover charge Monday, 8 p.m.-free open-mic nights Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m.--$10-$12 based on the popularity of the comic Friday, Saturday, 8 & 10:30 p.m.--$12 Tips There is a student discount for $5 off of weeknight shows. Acme has a birthday special where you and five guests can see a show for free during the month of your birth (weeknights only). On Tuesdays, Acme's cover is just $2 per person. Half-off day-of tickets are available through TC Tix (located at Target Center Skyway Level, all metro Marshall Field's Stores and tctix.com). New York City Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal St., 212/254-3480,comedycellar.com/) Simply put, this Greenwich Village venue is THE comedy club of New York City. When you see a comic here, you know they've arrived on the cusp of fame. "It's the most difficult room to get into in this city," says comedienne Betsy Wise, who goes on to say that a spot at the "Mecca for stand-up comedy in New York" is a rite of passage on the way to fame. The basement club of the inexpensive Olive Tree restaurant, the Cellar is cramped and cigarette smoke seems to linger in the room, despite the smoking ban that took effect in the city last Spring. But it's a sure thing to see a star any night of the week at this "home club" where Jerry Seinfeld, Colin Quinn, Dave Attell or Jon Stewart stop by frequently. Showtimes/cover charge Sunday-Thursday, 9 & 11 p.m.--$10 Friday, 9 & 10:45 PM, 12:30 a.m.--$15 Saturday, 7:30, 9:15, & 11 p.m., 12:45 a.m.--$15 Tips Free admission coupons for weeknight shows are available online It can add up to less money to buy an appetizer for the drink requirement Be nice to the servers since they have the power to allow audience members to stay for more than one show Ages 18 and up welcome Washington, D.C. ComedySportz DC, Ballston Common Mall 3rd Floor, 4238 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA., 703/294-LAFF (5233), cszdc.com/Billing itself as "competitive improv comedy" for the whole family, from toddlers to teens, ComedySportz is the longest running comedy troupe in DC, making it the capital'' best place for a joke--next to Capitol Hill, that is. The idea behind Sportz is to make comedy a sport with two teams of comics pitted against each other in games, scenes and musical bits. The audience's role is to act as cheering and jeering fans for their teams and to make suggestions to the referee. Be warned though, the ref can hand out a brown-bag foul to anyone he chooses, and make them wear a bag over their head! Showtimes/cover charge Thursday, 8 p.m.--$8 Friday, 8 p.m.--$12 Saturday, 7:30 & 10 p.m.--$12 Tips Sportz's open-mic improv night is on every 2nd Friday of the month, and is only $5 to watch or join. Outside drinks and snacks are allowed into Sportz, but alcohol is prohibited $1 Parking is available Most Friday night shows are adults only

For the seasoned road warrior, frequent flier miles are high-altitude currency, tucked away in a fat piggy bank for some spending spree down the road, whether for business or play. Yet it may be better to break the bank sooner than later. As older airlines hemorrhage money and newer airlines practically give away flights, the value of flying is in decline. That means the miles that buy the tickets to fly are declining, too. So, rather than clinging desperately to those miles like dot-com stock offerings, watching them lose value while hoping they somehow turn around, take that trip to Kauai. Otherwise, you might have to settle for Kansas City. Times weren't always so dire. Back in 1981, when American Airlines debuted its frequent flier program, "AmericanAdvantage," the system better favored the consumer. Today, as other carriers have followed suit, cobbling together their own schemes to breed passenger loyalty, miles are earned on everything from groceries to long-distance phone calls. Everybody has miles stockpiled somewhere, so simply having them is not such a big deal. To make matters worse for travelers, the rules of the vast, complicated frequent-flier miles game are constantly shifting. And, they usually tilt in favor of the house. Better understanding of how the game works will help you milk the most out of your miles: 1. Redeeming miles is tough, getting tougher If you want to fly to say, Dayton on a Tuesday, sure, you can probably lock in a seat. But that dream vacation may be much harder to lock down. Airlines use sophisticated "yield management" software to perfect the art of knowing which flights are the most desirable, broken down per flight, by day. In any given year, only about 10 percent of all available seats may be available as "rewards" to passengers who want to cash in frequent flier miles. But sometimes, every seat on a flight will be blacked out for those freebie-seeking passengers, and no one will be the wiser. That's the gist of a shocking internal American Airlines memo leaked to a frequent flyer website and picked up by the The Wall Street Journal in April. The memo (which was used to train new reservationists) acknowledges that even on some completely empty flights, there are no award seats available, even if the passenger books months in advance. Seats may open up eventually, it all depends on how the flight sells. In other words, the system is far from transparent, and customers ultimately lose out, according to Tim Winship, contributing editor for Frequent Flyer magazine. "The airlines are worried about squeezing every last possible penny out of the demand out there," Winship says. "They don't want to displace a revenue passenger with a rewards passenger." 2. Watch out for other tricks Another common complaint among business travelers is that airlines change the rules in mid-game, sometimes moving the finish line for an award. Whereas 25,000 miles may have been enough to land you a domestic, round trip restricted coach award--the de facto industry standard--you may end up racking up tens of thousands of more miles before a seat actually becomes available. Or you may encounter a reservationist who "suggests" you double the amount of miles for the frequent flyer seat to 50,000 and--bingo--the previously unavailable frequent flyer seat becomes available. Certain travel agencies, such as Award Planner promise to find you a booking using your miles--often for flights that you've been told have no availability for reward tickets (they know all the tricks apparantly). But for this service they charge a fee of $39.95; $99.95 for an annual membership. Another zinger: rush charges, slapped on for making reservations too late. These can range anywhere from $25 to $75, depending how far in advance of your departure date you book. And there are other fees. Air Canada, for example, now charges passengers $25 Canadian per award ticket, if not purchased through its website. A few years ago, the same ticket would have, with miles, been totally free. Regular business travelers are starting to notice, and lose faith. "They make it impossible to travel anyplace desirable other than during monsoon season," says Jessica Wollman, a producer with Scholastic who flies about twice a month. "I usually hoard my miles and entertain fantasies of trips to tropical islands but end up using them for practical stuff, to get to weddings and job interviews." 3. At the end of the day, airlines win Many people think that the way airlines make money is by "breakage," that is, by failing to redeem their miles for awards (more on this later). They don't. Their partnerships are the real profit-centers. Take American, for example, which has the most participants, at 45 million (a somewhat disingenuous number; it includes every person who has ever signed up, living or dead, according to Winship of Frequent Flyer). American boasts 1,500 partners, especially among hotels and rental-car companies. For every mile they award, the partner must pay American Airlines about two cents. It almost goes without saying that this adds up to hundreds of millions in revenue a year. Compare the real, out-of-pocket cost of transporting you as a passenger. When you factor in the meal, a little jet fuel, and perhaps the time spent processing your ticket, that free ticket cost a measly $15. Clearly, frequent flier partnerships pay off with huge profit margins. 4. Blame JetBlue and Southwest for the rules changes With a lot of fanfare, these upstarts came along and essentially slapped time limits on their versions of frequent flier miles. That means, if you don't use hit a certain magic number within a 12-month period and then redeem the miles in for a free ticket, your miles simply expire. To use industry lingo, JetBlue and Southwest are increasing the "breakage" frequency. You're losing miles almost as quickly as you can rack them up, so these airlines don't worry giving away seats. So unless the passenger is a constant jet setter, this will be a losing proposition. On the other hand, with older carriers like American, United, or Delta, the rules have always been more generous: The life of a frequent-flier account is automatically extended within a three-year period whenever there is any form of activity within it. "I learned quickly that those JetBlue miles aren't worth it," says Jay Akasie, an M.B.A. candidate at Columbia University who flies about a half-dozen times a year. "As far as miles programs go, I'd stick with the older carriers any day." 5) When your airline goes bust, don't be so sure your miles won't The airline industry is mired in a slump, slammed by soaring fuel costs and stiff competition from aggressive discounters. To be fair, miles don't always vanish. In 2001, when TWA filed for Chapter 11, American Airlines purchased all of its assets, including its "Aviators Program." Members, and their miles, were instantly grand-fathered in. Regular business travelers on National Airlines, however, weren't so lucky. When the Las Vegas-based airline went kaput in 2000, so did its "National Comps" program. All that customer loyalty was for nothing. 5. Wheeling and dealing miles could get you grounded Savvy travelers, for business and pleasure, should know it's perfectly acceptable to give a plane ticket earned with frequent flier miles as a gift, as long no money is exchanged. When money changes hands, or it is bartered, that's a different story. People to watch out for: coupon brokers, who match sellers and buyers of award tickets. It's a practice flies in the face of the rules of frequent-flier programs, which stipulate in strong terms that miles are for use by you and you only. (You're not supposed to even transfer tickets to your spouse.) If you do go the route of buying somebody else's award ticket, be warned that if the airline finds out, it could easily confiscate it. Conversely, if you try to make a quick buck by selling your award ticket, and the airline somehow learns of it, it can close down your account immediately. There are some exceptions. Air Canada, Continental, and Northwest are now allowing passengers to transfer unwanted miles into another person's account with the same airline. But there is a fee and limits on many miles you can actually transfer. 6. Funneling miles between different airlines will cost you dearly The online agency Points.com through its contracts with different carriers does allow the exchange of miles between various frequent-flier programs. The catch is, they can only be moved among accounts that are actually registered to you. Even worse, you will generally lose a whopping 90 percent of the value of the miles in the conversion process to fees. Industry analysts agree that this is usually not a wise path to take unless the traveler is absolutely sure she will never use the miles, or if the airline itself is in peril. In this event, for a business traveler, that extra cost to unload the miles may not be a big deal. 7. Keep tabs on miles yourself With so many cross-promotions out there, it's sometimes to keep track of your miles' running total. While hotels usually do a pretty good job of making sure the miles you earned for your room end up in your account, retailers can be downright negligent, since there is usually not the adequate infrastructure in place to convey all those miles from the store counter to your airline. At best, huge time lags will be involved, which could be disruptive to travel plans. Save all receipts, and give yourself a wide lead time before booking your reward ticket, to make sure you get the miles that are coming to you. 8. Besides miles, don't forget preferred customer perks Miles, unfortunately, won't get you inside those comfy airport clubs that can be the only refuge of peace, quiet, and cleanliness in crowded airports. Why? Airport clubs are separate revenue generators for airlines. They would rather stick you with an annual subscription than let you get in for "free." Along the same lines, frequent business travelers may want to focus more on scoring "elite" status, based not on your lifetime flying miles, but how much you actually fly in one year. These tiered elite rewards can lead to seat upgrades--as available, of course--which for many harried road warriors are infinitely more valuable than any free trip to Tortola. 9. As currency, miles don't go far Most airlines state it plainly; frequent flier miles are good for one thing only: airplane tickets. For many travelers, that's too bad, because more creative uses for them would likely help to spend them sooner. American Airlines is one of the few exceptions to the rule. In limited quantities, you can redeem your miles for rental cars and hotel rooms, which could be seen as somewhat ironic. While American is limiting the number of freebie seats on its flights, according to the WSJ report, the airline is also turning back the clock to the way its frequent flier system operated a decade ago, when these kinds of cross-redemptions were available. For those travelers who just want some gift for all those thousands accumulated miles, this policy adjustment may come as good news. 10. It will get worse before it gets better As some airlines continue their possible death spirals, they may become desperate to create revenue by any means necessary. That could mean more hidden restrictions on when you can fly, higher upfront fees, and more widespread raising of award levels. Yet the ad onslaught continues. The Citibank AAdvantage card is currently offering 10,000 bonus miles just for signing up, while United is currently topping that with 15,000 sign-up miles. Yet however tempting, it's clear these miles are worth a lot less now than just a few years ago. And the system doesn't seem like it will clue in travelers about how it works any time soon. "There is no transparency, and that is what is outrageous about the whole system," says Winship of Frequent Flyer. "Consumers are totally in the dark about all this."

If you're headed to the Caribbean this fall--when prices are cheap but hurricanes are possible--travel insurance seems like a sensible purchase. By the time some policyholders figure out what's covered, however, they're battling it out with a claims adjuster. "The onus is on the insured to know what's in their policy," says Peter Evans, executive vice president of InsureMyTrip.com. "If it's not specifically stated, there's no coverage." Log on to insuremytrip.com, quotetravelinsurance.com, and tripinsurancestore.com to compare plans; what they cost, cover, and pay out varies widely. But after reviewing a policy, there's one important question left: When are you not covered? You bought insurance after a weather warning was issued "Preexisting conditions" aren't covered by health insurance, and events deemed "foreseeable" aren't covered by travel insurance. To safeguard against the weather, your insurance must be purchased before the National Weather Service (nws.noaa.gov) issues a storm warning. The weather's not bad enough Insurers will only pay when travel gets delayed or canceled. If the airlines and the cruise ships are operating, you can either go on the vacation or lose your money. Your cruise itinerary changes When a port is expecting a rough storm, cruise lines often substitute a different port where the weather is more promising. If the cruise takes place--even if the new ports are second-rate--the insurance company doesn't owe you a dime. Plead with the cruise line instead; it might give out vouchers for future cruises. You're not delayed long enough Benefits don't kick in the moment your flight is delayed. Instead, there's a waiting period--typically 5 to 12 hours, depending on the policy--before you can book a hotel for the night and expect to get reimbursed. The delays have made you want to cancel The initial flight on your seven-day trip to St. Thomas is postponed overnight, and you have to stay at an airport hotel (covered under your policy, thank goodness). The next day, flights are still delayed. You want to scrap the trip, but you can't--not if you hope to get reimbursed. With some policies, more than half of your vacation has to be delayed before you can cancel and be covered. The hotel is ruined, but the airlines are flying A hurricane hits Jamaica two weeks before your trip, ripping the roof off your hotel. If flights are running on your departure date, insurance might not do you any good. Even if your hotel is completely destroyed, most policies don't have to pay, as long as you can still get there. One exception is from Travel Guard, which words its policy more broadly than others and ponies up if the destination is ruined.

Bruce Todd finds it hard to resist driving other people's vehicles. "I've been driving people's cars for ten years now and ninety-nine percent of the time I've had fun doing it," he says. "It saves the cost of a rental car. And in the end, I always meet the owners, who are appreciative and congenial." Such was his summary of the automobile transportation industry's best-kept secret--the driveaway. If rental car fees are a tad steep for your pocketbook, "driveaway" may be the way to go. What is it? It's a mutual favor that you do for someone you haven't met and may never meet. They let you drive their car for free with the stipulation that you take it where they need it to be (usually this involves long distance driving). It enables cost-conscious travelers to cut vacation expenses to a stunningly low figure. How it works While driveaway offers do pop up occasionally on popular internet bulletin boards such as Craig's List (craigslist.com), most vacationers who engage in this activity don't go the casual, person to person route. Most contact one of the many professional auto delivery companies across the United States. "We are a service almost like a matchmaker", says David Burke, owner of Auto Driveaway New York City (225 West 34th St., Suite 1201, New York, 212-967-2344, autodriveaway.com). "We connect people who like to travel, but don't like to spend a lot of money, with cars headed in the same direction." Not everyone will be eligible to become a driveaway driver. As a general rule, drivers are expected to pass a screening test, which for most consists of driving record verification. Some offices will run your driver's license against a national listing of bad drivers. Participants must also be 21 or over to apply. If approved, they are required to leave a bond deposit of about $300, which is returned once the car is transported safely, within the expected time frame, to its destination. Finally, drivers are expected to cover anywhere between 300-500 miles a day. It can also take a bit of time to find a car that's going in the direction you want to travel. Flexibility is the key here. If you can travel at the drop of a hat, or if you're willing to go to a nearby city to start your driving vacation, your chances of finding a match increase exponentially. Drivers should also look into "staging." If a car is not going exactly where they hope to go, they may be able drive one car from point A to point B, then another car from B to C, and so on. Neatness also counts. Drivers are expected to keep the car tidy and to clean it before drop-off. If you deliver a car filled with crumbs and candy wrappers you can be sure that the driveaway company won't accept your application next time. The "Big Kahuna" in Driveaways Cornering the market for volunteer drivers, Auto Driveaway moves more than 18,000 vehicles a year just with its standard driveaway service and has over 50 offices in the largest traffic markets in the U.S. and Canada. No other company works with as many non-salaried drivers. It has built a regular clientele on both sides (drivers and car owners) of its driveaway business. To ensure that vehicles are delivered in the same condition in which they are received, it requests that drivers fill out a condition report prior to departure. In addition, it supplies drivers with an itinerary plan and estimated mileage allotment. In return, the driveaway company gives its volunteers an additional mileage allowance for reasonable detours and occasional sightseeing. There's also a fairly generous amount of time allotted to compensate for unexpected road construction delays and inclement weather. Each of Auto Driveaway's separate offices adheres to general guidelines, but is free to determine its own rules and regulations, so it is difficult to summarize a hard-and-fast policy. If you pick up a car from its Los Angeles branch, you will not be expected to call them unless you have a serious problem on the road. Not so in Orlando, where the owners expect drivers to check in every day or two. In the words of Allan Cornman, owner of the Orlando office, "We are pretty liberal and understanding when it comes to unexpected delays, and we will waive most penalties if the driver gives us a good reason, and communicates with us regularly during the course of the trip." All offices start you off with a free tank of gas (after that you must pay yourself) and require that drivers not be on the road from 10pm until 5am for safety reasons and insurance reasons. There's no drinking, eating or smoking permitted in any of the vehicles, and there can be no more than three passengers in the car at any one time. The competition With just three offices (in Dallas, Culver City and Highland, Indiana) Schultz-International (9905 Express Drive Unit #2, Highland, IN, 800-619-7707 or 219-934-2000, transportautos.com) is a much smaller company, but still quite reputable. The deposit here is $335, of which you get $300 back when you deliver the vehicle to its owner (when driveaway companies have a limited number of terminals in other cities, they usually schedule a door-to-door delivery). Upon departure, the company will specify the route you are to follow and supply you with a tank-full of fuel for free, after which you will be responsible for any additional gas, as well as your own food and lodging. With Schultz you are eligible for a "gas bonus" if you're driving a larger vehicle. The company, however, does cover the cost of insurance. As is the practice in most driveaway companies, which advise that you drive no more than eight hours a day--leaving some time for rest stops and meals--Schultz-International also provides a time frame for delivery of the vehicle. Driving from Chicago to anywhere on the West Coast, for example, you would be expected to complete the trip in as many as seven days, while a trip to a southern destination like Atlanta will grant you four. Things to keep in mind One important thing to remember when planning a driveaway trip is that while its money-saving and sightseeing qualities are hard to rival, it is still a serious undertaking. When drivers lose track of time and miss the delivery deadline without a valid reason (driveaway companies strongly encourage communication and regular updates from their drivers so that they stay aware of any possible delays), or exceed the mileage allotted for their trip, they will be fined accordingly. "Knowing that you're running late and not reporting to us equals stealing a car," says Mr. Cornman. But despite the time restraints, this is usually a hassle-free method of travel. "In all 15 years since we've been open, we've only had one minor driveaway incident," reports Don Harris owner of the Tampa branch of Auto Driveaway, "The A/C in the car failed, and the driver, whose companion was an elderly woman, had to stop at a nearby city and have it fixed." (The client paid). According to Harris, the vast majority of drivers encounter no problems whatsoever. He goes on to say that driveaways attract a wide variety of participants from "winter residents returning to the Northeast to young international travelers touring the country, to elderly couples taking that long-planned trip out west." Why not join them? Even with rising gas costs, there's no better--and cheaper--way to get where you're going.