A nifty Michigan travel Web site is trying to help out property owners with a new service and a discount.

The site is Rentalbug Vacation Rentals, at www.rentalbug.com, and as a veteran of searching for lake cottage rentals all over the North Woods I think it's one of the cleanest, easiest-to-use sites of its type I've ever seen.

In recognition of Michigan's struggling economy, Rentalbug is offering a 10 percent discount off its usual rate to cottage owners -- which start at $75 a year for a basic site with four pictures, property information and a guest comment section. Property owners should enter the coupon code SpringSale when they sign up.

Ferndale-based Rentalbug has also added a special section of properties that are available on short notice.

Rentalbug is the brain child of Melissa Morrison, a management information systems graduate of Oakland University.

"Rentalbug started in late 2004," Morrison said. "My boyfriend at the time, my husband now, we're always traveling around Michigan, and wherever we went, we could never find properties that we liked -- unless we were actually out in some of these remote areas ourselves. So I said, 'Well, let's just build it ourselves,' and that's what we did."

Morrison said research shows many vacationers traveling through Michigan plan their trip less than a week in advance, so the short-notice section was added to help them out, keep them in Michigan and take the stress out of last minute getaways.

Oh, and as far as the cottages go? I really like this one: www.rentalbug.com/michigan/1825.html. But there's also this one: www.rentalbug.com/michigan/7251.html. And here's a cool condo: www.rentalbug.com/michigan/7435.html. Choosing is SO tough.