pinniped

I actually had a boss get annoyed at me a few years back for coming in too far under budget. He was concerned that I'd ruin the following year's forecasts and budget for travel to that particular city (one we all went to often).

Reasons I was coming in under budget were mainly related to advance planning of airfare. My self-interest in the diligent planning was to always use my preferred carrier at such good fares that no one would suggest I fly some other carrier. (I'd typically get $300 R/T's where colleagues who didn't think much about their travel plans would pay $750-800 R/T a couple days before their trip.) But I also did things like park on the street (legally) instead of in the hotel parking garage for insanely high rates.

So eventually I started making up for it by eating like a king (we were still on itemized receipts at the time) and taking lots of clients out for dinners - even more than usual.

Still never could bring myself to stick the client with a hotel parking charge. Even though it would have scored me more hotel points, it just felt irresponsible to pay Marriott $35-40/nt. for absolutely no reason at all. Buying a client an absurdly overpriced martini or two? Sure...no problem. But something about paying to park just irritated me...