Originally Posted by
BigLar
I'm always on the road, and the air/hotel bill comes out of my own pocket. Naturally, I like to minimize the costs whenever possible.
Naturally, also, I try to maximize the benefit I get from flying a given airline and staying in particular hotel chains.
The prices are getting out of hand.
Fuel, of course, is driving the airlines to distraction and they have little choice but to raise prices if they can. The hotel chains, too, are bumping the rates up.
My current hotel just informed me they are raising my rate about 25%. I'm thinking of moving on to another job anyhow, and when I check the other possible locations, their rates have gone up anywhere from $10/night to $25/night and so on. I can't just arbitarily raise my billing rate to cover this; I'm under contract.
So, I'm seriously looking for something that either has a tremendous rate, or else it's a lot closer to home so I can reasonably drive it at least once or twice a week.
I've got a lot of miles in the bank (I know, I know) and a lot of hotel points. It's the status I'll miss. Without that, I'm just another schlub with no lounge access, no arrival gifts, no first class upgrades, etc. Call it the Henry Hill syndrome.
Bummer.
I'm a little confused. You are an independent consultant with one client to whom you're contracted on a long-term basis? This contract has you absorbing all travel expenses? Is that right?
If so, then:
a) are you free to leave? Does your contract not have a term?
b) If you are free to leave, then why aren't you free to renegotiate? "I am facing huge increases in my travel expenses that weren't forseen in our original agreement. I'd really like to continue working on the project and think there's a lot more for us to accomplish together, but I'm not going to be able to for much longer unless we can make a modification to our agreement."
If, instead, you're a 1099 employee who commutes for your own convenience, then I guess I'd still go in and ask for a raise under the same logic.
If I recall correctly, you're an engineer of some sort, right? Are these government contracts that have other issues than this?
(I should remember more about what you do, but as you once noted, you'll now forever simply be remembered as the guy who started the OMNI thread about how to pee at the urinal--that much I remember!
).