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.

Welcome to Club Schlub!

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! ).

Status, schmatus. It all has to end at some point. If it's just not worth it to you anymore, then don't be scared to call it quits. It wouldn't be the end of the world.

I called it off about 4 months ago. I'm working my a$$ off, but getting better pay and sleeping in my own bed. Ironically, Mrs BamaVol took a night job as soon as I changed jobs so I see less of her than ever.

It hasn't sunk home yet. I'm still top-statused with DL for another 6 weeks and Hilton for a year, but I haven't been in an airport for 4 months and only one hotel room.

It will hit me when I fly in March. Lowly silver, no Crown Room membership, unlikely u/g, regular security, etc. But, I'll get over it. Turns out there's more to life. Who knew?

Do it and don't look back.

Good for you!

I thought quitting smoking was tough. These miles and points can really be addicting.

I've got a couple of options right now:

1. Re-negotiate my rate at the current place. I did the math and the upcoming Marriott Megabonus can be worked with a cost of 0.35-0.42 cents/point (my delta). At that rate, it's marginally worth it. (Meanwhile, I still have a reasonable deal with the local Hampton Inn, so I might as well make sure my Hilton Diamond stays current).

2. I'm looking at another gig back at one of my old places. The hotels have gone up, of course, but with the plane fare out of the equation (it's about a 3 hour drive), I make out better all around.

3. Follow through with a conversation I had up in First Class last week. This guy is the manager of Core Technology at a pretty good-sized company, and I think I impressed him. At any rate, he gave me his card and told me to give him a call. The location is about an hour or so away from my house, which means -- no planes, no hotels, and home every night.

Maybe if everyone lit a candle for me, something good might happen.

robb -- does the phrase "...and grab your socks" ring a bell?

You're kind of right. No, officially I am not an "independent consultant" according to the IRS definition. And the rate is set up front, and I absorb my travel expenses, although there are good tax benefits doing so.

Rate renegotiation is only possible (maybe) on an annual basis.

Think of, say, an electrical contractor. He bids on a job, and bases his bid on what he's paying for stuff like gas ($2.19 when he bids, expected to go to $2.49), and copper wire. A few months into the contract, he's paying $ 3.29 a gallon for gas, and copper wire has gone up 2X to 3X (which is true). So, he's not going broke, but he's sure as hell not doing as well as he'd like.

He learns from this, but the demand is not completely inelastic. There's only so high he can bid without losing out.

In my case, for example, the plane fare has increased about double since I started, and hotels have gone up 20-25%> I'm wondering if the whole thing is worth it.

<sigh>

But all them miles and points ....

Excuse me; I gotta go to the john ...

I don't think you're following my question.

If you bid and have a contract, then how can you quit? Aren't you bound to complete the job like the electrician in your example?

If you do have some kind of clause that does allow you to quit mid-project, then why can't you use that to renegotiate your rate? "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to quit per this clause in our contract. I won't have to if we can negotiate a contract with a little more elasticity to cover travel expenses."

Obviously, it's not quite that blunt, but the idea is: I can quit and you're SOL or we can change our agreement and I won't have to quit.

<---Former user of the "BigLar Procedure"

Truer words I have seldom read before. One day it will end - and it is not as though you are being stripped of your Doctorate, your professional qualifactions, or your home. We all love the perks but sometimes I think that they are perks for perks sake. Basically they are a path to receiving something that you would get if you paid for it.

If you had never had it you would never miss it.

of course it's harder to have something and see it be a loss than to never really have it...

I wouldnt stay in the job just for the miles and status but that would be a pretty funny story if ya did!

Status is the key these days... it is what is getting you the things you SHOULD get anyway, in many cases.

It's kind of like how at one time years ago, intermitent windsheild wipers on cars were considered a luxury item. Now, for practical reasons having a bit to do with ease of technology, standardization, and safety, they are on pretty much every vehicle (of course, I think my Volvo XC has them on the headlights too! hehehe)

Status is good but then you find yourself fighting two battles... One is to keep the account alive, the other is to keep the status alive. that's fine but heck, by now you must know enough about miledum to earn many many here and then just use those to sit in FC. You could do mileage runs too, or at least live on the dwindling status into next year, right? Consider it the same thing as fallilng out of love with a hottie. Oh well. NEXT!


MM

Because that's not exactly how it works.

Yes, I can quit in the middle. I've walked after a week because I didn't like place/deal/location/etc. My fault, but there ya go. I can be released on 20 minutes notice, too.

There are more people involved than just me/client, and indentured servitude went away a long time ago.

Don't think of it as a project contract, think more like personal services.
Good luck with that.

I actually have kept my job mainly to keep all of my programs at mid to top tier. Well, that and the fact that I'm home office based. If it weren't for that, I would have quit years ago as my job is miserable and I work with back-stabbing corporate ladder climbers.

As it is, all of my vacas are free and generally involve first class and four stars or more. I don't think the wife would accept anything less these days...

I'd take top-tier status in multiple programs and a crappy job any day. I've had job offers for significantly higher pay, but which involved minimal travel and commuting to an office every day. No thanks, I'll take the points.

Honestly, could you imagine flying with no status??? The very thought makes me nauseous...

Some threads attract certain posters, and I knew you would be along sooner or later.

Actually, sober reflection is leading me to your suggestion. I've got a relative ton'o'miles and points and my current status is top-tier all over. So, yep: I can live on accumulated stocks and dwindling status for some time. And, yes -- I have learned how to get miles/points from other sources.

It turns out that status with an airline is pretty irrelevant as long as you're flying in premium class -- you still get access to the lounges and so on. Hotels is where it makes a difference.

Marriott drops you one level at a time, and their Gold is good enough, so I'm set for a couple of years anyhow. I guess I can concentrate on Hilton (easier to get/maintain status) and still wind up with a solid set of credentials.

Heck, with the money I'd be saving, I could actually buy (gasp!) tickets!

AMEN sister. Seeing as most travel is on my own dime, I become more and more convinced that hotel status is not worth it to a person who pays their own way (some isolated cases I'm sure but for the avg Joe it isn't worth it) and I will probably go back to my old signature of "priceline rules".

I will come clean about my "need" for airline status though, I'll cross million miler status sometime this year so I can't say that I'm cutting ties completely with status.

I'm becoming less and less enamored with the travel itself, I love being at the destination but no longer get the thrill of while traveling to the destination.

So to the OP, I think you'll enjoy spending time with your sig other, I know I am but YMMV
--

It's getting worse ...

I had booked an award trip to Europe this Fall with three people ... on NW. I think you folks know how difficult that can be. Anyhow, I got J over the pond, but could only find Y on the way back.

Like any FlyerTalker worth his salt, I kept checking the website and, sure enough, I spotted availability within a day of when I had scheduled. So, I jumped on the phone ... because I'm a platinum, we found everything smoothly and booked it. All with no change fees or hassle.

Because I'm a Platinum, dammit!

Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in.