jackal

Bidding is a relatively straightforward process; the first time I bid on Priceline was when I was actually looking to stay somewhere, and I encountered no problems. I wouldn't worry about doing a "dry run."

If you're wanting to get a feel for the more advanced rebid process that this tool automates, then yes, you might want to "practice" on an absurdly low rate in your hometown. Even still, the manual bidding process this tool uses (either when using an unsupported browser like FF or via the "Manual" link that apparently appears if you're using IE) would be enough of an introduction that I'd just recommend just using the manual mode when you're working on your next hotel stay.