My Free Vacation

I had a whole mess of United miles to burn. I used some for the plane ticket to New Orleans. Then I discovered that because I have a Mileage Plus Visa, I could use more for the hotel. I may have written that it only works for miles earned with the card and that I paid for the hotel with my card and was reimbursed by using the miles. Long story short, I didn't pay anything for my flight or my half of the hotel bill.

So I was checking my Amex card online today. Wow, did I spend a lot of money.

Between eating out, books and gifts, the cab fare (to and from the hotel and from O'Hare to my house) and miscellaneous cash out of pocket, I spent $736.

In my brain, it costs about $1,000 for a person to go on vacation. Did I spend more than that on my last road trip - when gas was $4.00 a gallon? Not by much. This time I spent $736 after airfare and hotels. How the hell does a family of four go to Disney World every other year?!

I daresay I have done my part for the economy.