Cheap! Cheap! When Getting the Best Deal Becomes a Burden

“No is a complete sentence.”

— Anne Lamott

And here comes another boundaries lesson…

If this life is some sort of spiritual classroom, then I have taken the “Boundaries 101” class far too many times, in my humble opinion. And yet, the damn tests just keep on coming.

Case in point was a challenge I had over the summer: planning a trip through Europe this fall with a dear friend of mine. The accommodations were booked months ago — by me.

I put an astronomical amount of time and effort into researching the best possible accommodations that would suit both our needs: her frugality and a bedroom of my own, so that I can work & write in the mornings. I am traveling with a friend who is, shall I say, beyond cheap.

And so, despite the fact that I spent a ridiculous amount of time over the summer (hours that would have been far better spent writing!) booking hotels and apartments that were reasonably priced, she then started asking me — in August — to cancel some of those reservations.

Why?

Because she found better deals. But here’s the problem: when she went to book those better deals (after having me cancel my reservations), she discovered that a big…