Rant VIII: The Reckoning
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Dave
Staff member
We ended up going to a steakhouse because we go horribly lost and just stopped at the first good place we saw. Turns out it was a really, really expensive restaurant that ended up costing us $90 with tip. But it's all good. We budgeted out a buttload of money for this trip (I haven't eaten lunch at work for weeks now and other such fun, money-saving devices). Now, I only have about $250 left on my card, but Kerri got paid today so we transferred a lot of it over and we're good to go.
So about the rental car...
We don't carry a credit card. When we first got married we got ourselves in a lot of trouble since they were too easy to use while we were furnishing our house. So I cut them up in little ribbons. We did the same with our debit cards because we kept overdrafting ourselves. Like a lot. So I have this card that I put money on and use when I need to. I can't overdraft and I use it do do everything from groceries to booking/paying for hotels, etc. Except renting cars. It's good everywhere, except renting cars. They refused to take it to pay for my $180 weekly rental. So my daughter used her card. But that made her the primary driver. And since she's overage (25 is their age limit) that means an additional $15 a day ($105). To make sure I can drive it I had to be added as an additional driver...for $14 a day ($75 max). And then add in the additional $200 deposit that they add to every rental, and you have $180+105+75+200. That's $560. Now, she only had $470 on her card, so I had to give her the $100 spending cash I had in my pocket, then go back to the rental place. So we traveled with the money on my card that was SUPPOSED to go towards the rental car, but we had no real cash money in our pockets, which made just stopping for a soda or something kind of aggravating.
Now, you may be asking, "Why not drive one of your cars or go somewhere else?" That's a lot of wear on cars we have to rely on and last time we did it broke down to the tune of $500 and we had to rent then as well. And I went to a few other places and they wouldn't take the card either and most of them wouldn't let us use Sammi's card because she's not 25. So we ended up having to suck it up.
But we're here, the trip has been fucking expensive, but we budgeted and planned so it's all good. The hotel cost us $440 for the 4 days we're staying (after taxes and surcharges, etc.) but it's been awesome. We're at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Phenix City and it's clean, the rooms are quiet, the people are really nice, and breakfast is a real god damn breakfast with a lot of choices, not just a stale roll and old coffee.
Now I have a couple hours before we leave to go see my son. I don't think I'll be on that much in the next couple of days, but you never know. I'm watching you lunkheads!
PEACE!
So about the rental car...
We don't carry a credit card. When we first got married we got ourselves in a lot of trouble since they were too easy to use while we were furnishing our house. So I cut them up in little ribbons. We did the same with our debit cards because we kept overdrafting ourselves. Like a lot. So I have this card that I put money on and use when I need to. I can't overdraft and I use it do do everything from groceries to booking/paying for hotels, etc. Except renting cars. It's good everywhere, except renting cars. They refused to take it to pay for my $180 weekly rental. So my daughter used her card. But that made her the primary driver. And since she's overage (25 is their age limit) that means an additional $15 a day ($105). To make sure I can drive it I had to be added as an additional driver...for $14 a day ($75 max). And then add in the additional $200 deposit that they add to every rental, and you have $180+105+75+200. That's $560. Now, she only had $470 on her card, so I had to give her the $100 spending cash I had in my pocket, then go back to the rental place. So we traveled with the money on my card that was SUPPOSED to go towards the rental car, but we had no real cash money in our pockets, which made just stopping for a soda or something kind of aggravating.
Now, you may be asking, "Why not drive one of your cars or go somewhere else?" That's a lot of wear on cars we have to rely on and last time we did it broke down to the tune of $500 and we had to rent then as well. And I went to a few other places and they wouldn't take the card either and most of them wouldn't let us use Sammi's card because she's not 25. So we ended up having to suck it up.
But we're here, the trip has been fucking expensive, but we budgeted and planned so it's all good. The hotel cost us $440 for the 4 days we're staying (after taxes and surcharges, etc.) but it's been awesome. We're at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Phenix City and it's clean, the rooms are quiet, the people are really nice, and breakfast is a real god damn breakfast with a lot of choices, not just a stale roll and old coffee.
Now I have a couple hours before we leave to go see my son. I don't think I'll be on that much in the next couple of days, but you never know. I'm watching you lunkheads!
PEACE!
As in you stopped consuming lunch or stopped buying lunch at work? I work with a guy that buys fast food every single day for lunch and always grouses about not having money. Never listens to advice about bringing your lunch from home.
The parents are gone for the weekend! Time to throw a party and talk about steaks!
The last time that Dave went away, didn't @Shegokigo and @Amorous Eyes tart the place up?
*rubs hands together expectantly*
*rubs hands together expectantly*
Oh man I'm no Robert de Niro.
Last time I did this gesture to my co-worker (in jest, we'd be a great team for an office buddy movie) I totally poked me in the eyes.
The hilarity!
I agree with this.
Get with the tarting!
OMFG I hate the blackboard system this fucking school uses! It wigged out while I was taking a final exam and never recorded half of my answers!! I know my professor can reset it, but just the idea that I nowhave to retake it because the software is a piece of shit is absolutely infuriating!
Elaborate please. I have an idea of why, but I want to know.
What is it about vacations that makes them attack your wallet like a wave of metabolic boosted zerglings hammering on a Terran command center?
--Patrick
Dave
Staff member
Wife, two kids, bad luck. Not that these items are related in any way shape or form.
Should've went all Bonnie & Clyde (minus the murdering) and rob places along the way.
Might be more like Thelma & Louise, Dave's lady and his daughter teaming up to finance the trip.
Dave
Staff member
Just gotta watch out for the cliffs.
And oh my GOD you should see my son eat now! Holy shitsnacks! Dude can pack the food away! Kerri is wondering if we should take him out to a restaurant to eat - we only have so much money!
So livid right now at the obstructionist faculty at my university. They conform perfectly to the old-school, ivory tower stereotypes that I loathe to associate with.
fade
Staff member
That's a good part of the reason I left my faculty position. The white beards and the state of louisiana's stance on higher ed outside of lsu.
I actually believe that. They've been very naughty lately.
Looks like I'm moving back in with my parents sooner than I thought. A moving truck was procured for the end of next weekend. Which means I move to Halifax in a week. Which also means I have a lot of packing to do in a short time.
*sigh* I don't know. After the rough two years I've had, this just feels like another defeat in a long line of crap going on in my life. I don't feel like an adult. I don't feel like there's anything for me anymore. I don't feel like I'll ever have any kind of semblance of a regular job or stable career or even the possibility of a family of my own. I know I've said this several times now, but I just feel so goddamn broken.
Anyway, I don't know. Maybe this will lead to good things for me for a change. I wish I could get my hopes up, but I really don't have any hope for anything these days.
On the bright side, maybe I can hang out with @HCGLNS and his missus some times.
*sigh* I don't know. After the rough two years I've had, this just feels like another defeat in a long line of crap going on in my life. I don't feel like an adult. I don't feel like there's anything for me anymore. I don't feel like I'll ever have any kind of semblance of a regular job or stable career or even the possibility of a family of my own. I know I've said this several times now, but I just feel so goddamn broken.
Anyway, I don't know. Maybe this will lead to good things for me for a change. I wish I could get my hopes up, but I really don't have any hope for anything these days.
On the bright side, maybe I can hang out with @HCGLNS and his missus some times.
GasBandit
Staff member
When the engine stalls and the car stops, the first thing you have to do to get moving again is put it in 1st gear. Small steps, Nick.
This, this, this, this, a hundred thousand times this.
Halifax will hopefully have a ton more opportunities for you than Fredericton.
I am not coping well