In the past, last-minute travel usually meant paying through the nose. But the Internet has changed all that. Now, sites like Hotwire.com help value-conscious business travelers make smart last-minute decisions that help keep travel budgets in check. Hotwire partners with major airlines, hotels and car rental companies, which offer their unsold inventory at big discounts that Hotwire passes on to its users. But in exchange for the discounts, you must be willing to live with some uncertainty.

Hotwire can work wonders when it comes to hotel and car rental bookings. For cars, you choose your dates, car type, pickup and dropoff locations; then Hotwire offers a price you can take or leave. The same goes for hotels, but you can only choose the hotel category (based on a star system) and a general location. The catch is that you don't know the name of the car rental company or the hotel you'll get until after you've agreed to pay the nonrefundable, discounted rate.

Booking flights on Hotwire is less of an option for business travelers, because you're only allowed to choose the day of travel--which means you could be on an early morning or late--night flight that may not work into your schedule. Still, the savings can be substantial. So if your schedule is flexible and your budget is tight, it's worth a try.

Visit www.hotwire.com.

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