Private Browsing...

   Sometimes it really pays to live with teenagers. While searching for travel ideas on the internet, my son told me that I should turn on "private browsing".  HUH?? What the heck is private browsing, I thought.  

   My son explained to me that when you search the internet, third parties can track you and see what you are looking at to track buying patterns, etc.  For example, if you go onto "IwantToRunAwayToTahiti.com" every day to check prices for your escape, they know that you really want to go and may not lower prices for you.  If I log on just for fun, they may quote you a different price.

   I really did not believe that this was actually true. It seems so unfair. I compared it to me going to Target three times a week and paying one price and my husband going in only once a year and getting a better price. That is insane.

   Unfortunately my son was right, at least in the case of American Airlines.  I was searching for fares for an upcoming trip.  I searched the same exact trip a few times before booking it.  The fare was  $686 with fees, taxes etc. I booked the ticket but put it on a courtesy 24 hour hold.  I then searched it in private browsing. The fare for the exact same trip (same day, time, flight & seat)  was $654. That is a 5% difference.   SERIOUSLY??? This seems illegal, but I guess it is not.
  
    Different browsers have different ways of turning on "private browsing" so good how to do it. On my mac, I use safari and you just go click on the drop down menu for "Safari" and  click "Private Browsing"

    I'm going to try this again and see what other variations that I can find. Has this ever happened to you? I'd love to hear other stories of this.