We spent the weekend traveling to Phoenix for a Cheer Competition. This is one of those things that you must do as a parent. Cheer is no different than Baseball, or Football, whereas you dedicate time and money so that you child can play a sport and interact with other children the same general age with the same general interests.
In the case this weekend, it was one of our “out of state” competitions. Which of course means hotels and long drives/flights to and fro. Oh yeah, and a a LOT of eating out.
Food is expensive, and there was five of us.
Just a travel tip. If you can, pick a hotel with a free breakfast included. The better the breakfast, the happier you’ll be. Simply because one can only survive on so many stale muffins. The Embassy Suites typically have an omelet bar where they make them to order. That’s usually the best you can get as far as free breakfast go. Others have buffets. That’s usually just scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and potatoes. Sometimes they’ll have french toast and a waffle maker too, if you’re lucky.
We have found that just staying at a hotel with free breakfast will save us roughly at least $70 per day. One full meal, if not two, depending on how good it is and how much we fill up on it. Cheer competitions, like most other sporting events, don’t have the best food and they charge you like it’s served on the Queen’s china. Best to avoid it by filling up on the free hotel food.
The competition went well and my daughter got to see her boyfriend. He lives in another state. As a father, this is the preferred method of allowing your daughter to date. Just saying. The trip home was another matter all together.
Puke, and lots of it.
From very early in the morning on the day we were supposed to drive back to California, my daughter began throwing up. She did it all morning. She did it all the way across two states, roughly 350 miles. It’s tough being a dad and having to listen to your kids suffer in any way.
We made it home and dropped the kids off. Got my daughter up to bed where she was resting from her difficult drive home. Then it was off to pick up the dogs from the kennel. Yes, that added expense.
K9 spa treatment?
You would think so anyway. I know it’s not but when it costs you almost $300 to house your two dogs for three days, you have to wonder. Tack that expense onto the $140 in fuel, $535 in hotel, entrance fees, parking, and who knows how much money in food, and this weekend really tallys up the expenses. And it’s only ONE competition.
Only two more left
The next one is a one day competiton and it’s “local”. Only an hour away. However, the last one is in Florida. It’s a flight, Disney hotel and all the related expenses, kennel, parking, food, etc.
Oy vey, and I’m not even Jewish.
This is it though. The last of the Cheer Competitions EVER. She ages out. That just means that we start paying for college instead though. It’s a never ending saga.
Soon I will drive all the way to LAX to pick up motorcycle suspension. Stay tuned for that, traffic jams and all.
See you then,
Dave
Economic Value
CONS: Long drives, Hotel stays, eating out, kenneling the dogs, and oh yeah, lots of puke.
PROS: Quality time with your family (sometimes, this can be a “con”), hotel breakfast/meal savings, being able to facilitate your childs dream and watching her live it