Hi -

Hotel a/v costs are high... they wanted $375/day to rent me a wireless mic.

So I went and bought a better one, a Sennheiser G2, for just $499 at B&H. Looks and works great. So for 30% less, I get a higher-quality mic that I get to keep forever and use in seminars for years, vs a one-time rental.

Now I know I'm likely in the minority of people who would do such a thing.. am I? Any thoughts on that - would *you* go buy a wireless yourself if it was a better mic, plus lower cost, than a rental one? Seems like common sense...

And don't get me started on $4 a bottle water, and 21% "service" charges... am I cheap? It would be more palatable if there was some copywriting to help sell the a/v costs, but there's just a b.e.o/quote... so I ended up buying my own...


-k

Ken -- No, I don't think you're a cheapskate for buying your own mic -- like you said, it's just common sense since you'll be using it over and over.

Last time I stayed at a Hilton, they had a bottle of water waiting for me in the room. Then I read the fine print and it said they would add $5 to my bill if I opened it. That's just stupid marketing; why don't they raise the room price by a couple of bucks and give everyone the water for free? Stupid nickel-and-dime stuff. What does the bottle of water cost them, with a bulk discount? Probably 25 cents?

Ken, I have the exact G2 wireless mic your using, good choice. Nope, your not cheap at all man, it was a good move.

Good to hear it!

here's the mic:
Sennheiser Evolution G2 100 Series UHF Handheld Microphone System (B)

it's a terrific mic, best handheld one I've seen, nice and heavy, crystal clear at distance, very well made... much better than whatever I would've gotten from a rental, plus it's brand new and works great...

good point re raising the rack a bit and comping the water... or having a mint on the pillow, it's stuff that costs pennies and makes for a great 'wow' guest experience, vs the 'hey I just checked in and now they're trying to nickel and dime me' w/in room $5 water charges...

funny thing, bottled water, I knew the ceo of one of hawaii's top bottled water companies, he told me they all just run it through carbon filters (like what you can get on amazon.com for your home faucet) and he said bottled water was all image, and admitted it was basically a bad deal for consumers, but he was happy they foolishly paid millions for bottled water....told me the particulate counts were only slightly better than tap and had zero health benefit... confirmed my thoughts about it... I never buy bottled water, that's a scam imho.

(hint if you live in a polluted industrial area, be sure to buy Distilled, not plain bottled, water... distilled water is much cleaner.. fortunately here in the rockies the tap is great, unlike so cal where I grew up)

-k

Simple, Ken. This country is full of people that feel entitled and would fill their suitcases up with the water.

not if there were only one or two bottles of water in the room.

I've definitely become a cheapskate. I'd rather spend my money less often and spend top dollar on top quality stuff.

The whole reason the country is getting fat is because Americans are addicted to convenience.

I know that sounds like a non-sequitur on the topic at hand, but it's the whole mindset of buying our way out of every hassle. It's making us lazy.

my 2 cents

Ken,

I don't know of too many business owners who don't watch their expenses. If you were there on a corporate expense account, then you wouldn't care. But as a business owner, you know that any extra expenses take money out of your pocket.

Mike

Getting the TV out to the car is always the hardest part -- bastids always have it bolted to the wall.

Hello
That isn't cheep at all . it's a good move .

A tip i heard for people who do a lot of traveling. Is to put a package together of your favorite cologne, shaving cream,hand cream ,tooth paste , and other stuff that you can't get onto a plane . and fed ex it to where your going . the cost of shipping it back and forth . Is less than replacing the items every time you travel . The person i heard it from (over the radio) claimed to send a full bag of stuff . And that it cost less than the trouble of waiting in line to check it in . Or while it got searched .

As far as the water goes . I drink a gallon of water a day during the summer . The tap water around here is loaded with chlorine . I personally am more comfortable buying a gallon of cheep local brand water for a buck . Than a 16 ounces of a national brand for $1.50. the local brand also taste better .


Ken

I'm buying a mic instead of renting it...


No question.



However for my morning coffee am I getting a cup out of my coffee maker that probably costs me .20?

Nope. I'm spoiled-- need my Dunkin Donuts "fix" for $2.06.