Anyone who travels on business has discovered that the cost of lodging almost anywhere has dropped in tune with the persisting recession. But for families who don't often travel and wish to plan an affordable vacation, those "savings" are relative. The $300-a-night room in the Big Apple that's $175 now may still be way out of the price range.

There are ways to reduce the accommodation costs in virtually any budget range, by employing effort and research. Following are a few:

Subscribe to e-mail weekly "travel bargains" newsletters. For consumers who can act quickly, sites such as Travelzoo, Shermans Travel and Kayak post terrific lodging deals in their Wednesday missives. It's not uncommon to see a posh resort property or a hip urban hotel whose rates are usually over $225 offering deals for as little as $99 a night. The catch is this: One has to act very quickly - sometimes within hours - to nab a hot bargain.

Such sites often also offer large discounts - up to 70 percent off - on theater performances, entertainment park admission or sports events.

Take a minor risk in a "known" location. Companies such as Hotwire and Priceline, which act as intermediaries between consumers and hotels, are a source of excellent bargains for travelers who aren't particular about which hotel they're in, so long as it's in the right area. Hotwire might offer, for $89, a San Francisco hotel room that might go for $169 if booked directly through the

property because Hotwire markets what are expected to be unfilled rooms. The catch here is the traveler must prepay, but won't know exactly where he is staying until the credit card transaction is processed.

Priceline takes the bargaining to a higher level, enabling consumers to bid on lodging by offering a top limit of $125 for a 3-star hotel in New York, for example, or $100 for a 4-star in Seattle. The hotel may decline the initial offer but might accept a subsequent one 20 percent higher, so bidding can be time-consuming. To attract customers who don't want to hassle with haggling, Priceline also offers direct bookings at listed hotels.

Pre-pay the tab. Many recession-weary hotels are offering rate reductions of 25 percent or more to consumers willing to prepay for their stay. In such deals, the policy is all important. Cancellation fees may be steep, and some properties may offer no refund at all.

Stephanie Enright is a consultant at Enright Premier Wealth Advisors of Torrance. Write to her by e-mail at senright@enrightpremier.com or by fax at 310-316-0401.