Friday, February 27, 2009

Frugal Friday

This past week my husband and I attended a conference in a nearby city. We stayed at a hotel where everything was very expensive. First of all, they charged $6 for 10 minutes of computer time. I can hardly crank up my computer and get started in ten minutes! Also, using the wireless connection in our room required a hefty fee for 12 hours. Needless to say, I did without my computer time!

The hotel had no restaurant and room service was exorbitant. Fortunately, my husband and I took our cereal for breakfast. The tiny cartons of milk downstairs were $2 so that was our only expense for breakfast. Fortunately, we had a coffee maker in the room so we made coffee and they also provided tea bags, although I had also packed my favorite tea bags since I do not like coffee. My husband's other meals were covered at the conference but I was on my own for lunch. I scouted out some nearby restaurants and did not spend too much for lunch.

Still trying to be frugal, but I had a wonderful time!

6 comments:

  1. Pat, those prices are TERRIBLE! Is all lodging like that now?

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  2. it's so annoying when the hotels charge for internet usage. i'm like, shouldn't we be past that by now?

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  3. Wow! I ususally stay where there is a free breakfast and free internet or not at all! That was terrible! Did you have a choice where to stay?

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  4. Pricy! I hope that hotels are moving to free internet usage in the future. Remember back in "the day" when we had to pay for own home usage based on the amount of time we were online! Thank goodness those days are gone!

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  5. Two more frugality ideas:

    1. Hotels in that price range generally have minibar fridges. Buy a quart of milk at a 7-11 and stick in fridge. Remove a few items if necessary and replace before you leave. (Leave in plain sight so you won't be charged.)

    2. Check public libraries for free Internet access. Google "Free Wireless San Antonio" or wherever before you leave.

    Also, register complaints about the Internet costs with conference organizers so they can find a hotel with free Internet next time (Motel 6 offers it free, as does Day's Inn, etc.). And let the hotel manager know. We did that in Gatlinburg a few years ago and the hotel ran an ethernet cable into the conference "office" space. We took turns using that.

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  6. Great suggestions! Our room did not have any kind of fridge, so I used the ice bucket and iced down our milk. Next time (if there is a next time) I will take my own little collapsible cooler and use that for my refrigerated items.

    And I think I will send the hotel a message about my dissatisfaction with the internet access--especially since the LaQuinta was across the way with its "free internet" sign pasted across the front. Several conference attendees stayed there, but we were given the room, so we had no choice.

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