By: Revanche

Stupid stupid stupid (tax)

August 13, 2009

Aside from the spending reports from my recent travel, let’s just say I’ve … been paying so little attention to my cash flow that I have no idea how much I’ve spent this month. But that’s not the worst part – I’ve been going out sporadically, but no more than once or twice a week, and for pretty low-key stuff. Local burger joint, and suchlike.

No, my real stupidity is located in the travel reservation part of life. During my most hectic lead-up to two weekends ago, I made reservations at a Best Western for a single night stay in the middle of nowhere because that’s where an old friend was getting married. After days of squeezing in hotel and rental car research between other obligations, my travel companion and I came to the realization we just couldn’t afford it.

Cue: cancel the hotel reservation. Right? RIGHT???

Oh no. THIS idiot forgot about it completely.

Seriously. 100% completely forgot it until a note of the $98 transaction popped up on Yodlee charged to my trusty new credit card. When the truth dawned on me, I was as wordless as a much less cheerful Andy Runton’s Owly …..


“????” I said.

Then “!!!!!”

You may not think it’s physically possible to kick oneself and hang head in shame at the same time, but it is. Oh, it is. (“!!!!!”)

Now I’d better creatively replace that money. (“……”)

This is what happens when you stray from routine: mistakes that cost you big money. Normally everything that has a cancellation date is recorded meticulously on the day of the call, as well as on the day that I have to make the cancellation call by. My planner, however, has been languishing on my desk since July 1st, and that’s all my fault.

7 Responses to “Stupid stupid stupid (tax)”

  1. Ginger says:

    Oh man, that SUCKS!

    It’s a double whammy too because you decided you couldn’t afford it and THAT was the reason to cancel. OUCH!

    You’re right though. It is SO important to stick to routines and keep an eye on things… I just had a little mishap, myself.

    Here’s hoping the solution isn’t too painful…

  2. L.A. Daze says:

    I’ve done this before, but with a plane ticket. Sometimes we need those ‘d’oh!’ moments to get things back in order!

  3. I did that a few years ago – forgot to cancel a hotel reservation. So embarassing to admit but you can be sure I never forgot again!

  4. aaarrrrghhhhh! That’s EXACTLY the sorta thing I’m capable of doing. But…uhm…you’re not ready for senior moments. šŸ˜‰

    Oh well. Live & learn. Now, if you can apply that to something like “don’t leave the phone in the refrigerator,” you’ll be good.

  5. Miss M says:

    Any chance the hotel will refund at least part of the money? You could try explaining that you were laid off and hence couldn’t afford the trip. It’s worth a shot. I’ve paid the stupid tax many times before, it happens to everyone.

  6. moneyfunk says:

    Lesson Learned, right??? (I’ve been culprit to the same thing, but mine was due to torrential rains and mud slides. Couldn’t go and too late to cancel. Yelled at manager for 15 mins, got my way and avoided the charge to my card). šŸ™‚

  7. Revanche says:

    Ginger: Exactly so, my friend, exactly so.

    As I said, we’re channeling each other this week…

    L.A. Daze: Yipes – do you know, I have had actual NIGHTMARES about flight mishaps of this nature? Getting there on the wrong day, buying the wrong ticket, forgetting to cancel tickets … all nightmares that have woken me up from a dead sleep.

    krystalatwork: Yep, I’m hoping that having to admit to such an egregiously embarrassing oversight means I’ll NEVER do it again. *expensive lesson*

    FAM: Like body, like mind, I think! šŸ˜‰

    Found myself wearing a cap in the house the other day and it turns out I was doing that because my hands were full an hour earlier but didn’t want to forget to put the cap in its rightful place.

    Miss M: I’m not sure what on earth I’d say to them. I suppose it’s worth a phone call to see, but I’m feeling so stupid over it when their cancellation policy was crystal clear …

    moneyfunk: Avoiding the charge is one thing, completely forgetting about it until it shows up takes you to a whole other level of culpability. šŸ˜›

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