My last company was owned by a Belgian company, but the North American president who still ran the office after being bought out was extremely cheap. We would double up on hotel rooms at trade shows (I ended up changing rooms three days straight for a three day show, and one night staying in his room), staying out at O'Hare for a show downtown. All this while our European counterparts at the same show stayed at the Ritz Carlton.

For other trips, the finance department would Priceline hotel rooms, starting the week before at $30, then would drop the itinerary off and brag about finding a $37 a night hotel. One of my colleagues called from Dallas, where her hotel was in between a biker bar and a strip club, and didn't feel safe. I ended up booking her a new room and standing up for her - if the finance department wouldn't stay at a hotel with their families, they shouldn't book their sales staff at it.