I never expected to eat a delicious meal on an airplane. Frankly, I never expect to have a reasonably edible meal on a plane – that’s why I bring my own food.
But flying back from the Financial Blogger Conference I was given a chance to eat celeriac puree for the first time, along with beef short rib bordelaise and green beans.
These things were prefaced by an appetizer salad: a few strips of hot-smoked salmon, a small pile of chopped cucumber and tomato, a few fancy salad greens and a dab of dill crème frache. Oh, and a pecan tart for dessert.
Celeriac puree is pretty tasty, and the appetizer salad was so good that I wanted it to be the entrée. In fact, the foods almost made up for getting the first-class stinkeye. Almost.
Yep, I flew first-class to FinCon14. My tax guy had urged me to spend some money this year. Spend it I did: My round-trip ticket from Anchorage to New Orleans cost me $1,777.
Or, rather, it cost my LLC that amount. It’s a business expense, I kept telling myself every time I got the vapors over having paid that much for a single ticket. The amount was dizzying, and I wasn’t even in Europe.
Plus, first-class stinkeye. In years past I’d delivered those particular iris-daggers myself, glaring genteelly at those folks who not only got on the plane before anyone else but also got more seat room, more leg room, free drinks, cloth napkins and a nice little ceramic cup of heated cashews and almonds.
Mostly they didn’t meet my eyes. Why would they? Nobody likes being resented. I sure didn’t.
Coddled and cared for
Here’s what I saw in the eyes I did meet: Irritation, a touch of envy and outright anger. Sometimes all three.
It’s not what you think, I kept wanting to say. I’m not paying for this! Well, my business is, but dude, I’m not rich! I stay in hostels! I ride the Megabus!
Yes, the seats were roomy and yes, the drinks were free. The fragrances of our meals (three options, if you must know) probably wafted back into coach and they probably drove people crazy. When I’m sitting there I try to ignore the olfactory dinner bell, concentrating instead on my bagel and apple. But I always know the folks up front were getting a better deal.
They even get real knives instead of plastic ones, I’d imagine. Nobody in first class has to deal with sporks. They don’t have to pay for their food, either.
Um, yes, we do: In my case, $1,777.
Being coddled and cared for was lovely indeed, and the extra leg room was a big help after three days of walking-walking-walking around New Orleans. I’m writing this from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, waiting for the final leg of the journey to begin.
But I better not get used to this. No way can I afford to fly first class any time soon. In fact, my next trip (Philadelphia, South Jersey, New York City) is going to be standby on a buddy pass courtesy of a friend who works for the airline. Depending on how many other people are in line ahead of me, I might be in for a wait: On one memorable occasion in Seattle I was bumped off every single flight between 11 a.m. and 11:45 p.m.
The price is right – about $200 round-trip – but there won’t be any celeriac puree.
Related reading:
- Hitting the road? Here’s what you need
- The broken bus adventure
- 13 travel essentials that don’t weigh much
- On the road to nowhere in particular
We save our credit card airline miles (yes, we pay it off every month) and fly business class on international trips. It’s heavenly, but our grandson (we’re raising him, so he travels with us…a treat for us!) seems to think we should always travel this way. Instead we cram ourselves into the cheap seats for all domestic flights and save the luxury for the long hauls. I know what you mean about the stinkeye. Maybe I could get a shirt that says “We’re using miles”.
I second saving the upgrade for really long flights. My parents went business class to England years ago and it made the trip much easier. I commend you on raising your grandson. He has no idea how lucky he is to have you!
That is exactly our modus operandi. We fly coach around the U.S. Heck, I can do five hours standing on my head in the restroom if I have to. But we’re getting to the age when those overseas flights in coach are absolute killer. We try to save enough points to do those in business class.
As a frequent flyer, I get upgraded to first class every once in a long while. It’s nice, but I wouldn’t pay for it. If you want extra leg room, pay the $40 per leg to get Economy plus, or equivalent.
I’m really curious why you *had* to spend money from the LLC. And wouldn’t there have been other things you could have spent it on that would be income-generating? Or at least efficiency-making? Say upgrading your computer system or taking a training course? Given your frugal nature and recently lowered income, I’m not clear on why this was your choice.
Hey – I say do what you want. It’s your money. In fact, I think everyone should fly first class once in their life, if that’s your dream. So feel free to tell me to MYOB. Ha.
In fact I did buy a new laptop recently. So I’m definitely going to have some bidness expenses this year. That plus my much-lower salary should mean that I won’t owe a ton o’ taxes.
I’m also wondering why your tax guy was so adamant about you spending money? I never understand when people talk about tax deductions. It’s like they don’t get the concept that you must spend $100 to get back $25 in taxes. The math just doesn’t add up. I would have thought you could have spent the money on a website upgrade, a new laptop, etc. First class airfare just seems like a waste.
The issue comes when you’re a corporation. If you make too much profit, the IRS may decide you’re not paying yourself enough. Even if your rate is perfectly reasonable.
Last year, I paid myself something like $16 an hour for customer service. That’s a very decent wage for customer service (especially around here) But my profit was substantial enough that it worried me. So this year I had to raise the pay and start paying myself separately for blogging to make sure that my profit isn’t suspiciously big.
Personally, I still think the tax guy’s advice is outdated, given her new circumstances. She’s not going to make enough of a profit to be worrisome, thanks to having slashed her income. But on the other hand, if you *are* going to treat yourself once in awhile then you might as well make it the tax deductible expense, right?
This plus this plus this. If the company is buying, I’m accepting.
I completely agree with Samantha. If you purchased a first class ticket for TAX REASONS, you need a new tax guy. It is one think to pay yourself a higher salary so you don’t have excess profit per the IRS. (I am assuming in this situation the issue might be employment tax on a higher salary versus K-1 income) It is another thing to spend $1,000 too much on an airplane ticket to lower you taxable income. Based on the salary data you disclosed recently, you have an effective FIT rate of about 13% and Alaska has no state income tax. (also assuming that your salary number was the whole picture and didn’t omit K-1 income from your LLC) So you paid approx. $1,000 too much to save $130 in taxes? Or possibly to save $250 max if you also saved on self employment taxes? I can’t even believe I read this post from the same person who takes the Mega Bus and sleeps in hostels. It is ALL your money, whether you are traveling on business or for personal reasons. I am not “judging you” as I frankly don’t care how you spend the money you earned and I know you can afford it. I just hope you are making your decisions based on reliable data.
P.S. It is sickening to think that people are so quick to judge someone who makes a comment that is intended to make sure you understand tax consequences.
I think Donna explains it more clearly further down in the comments. It was suggested she spend the money because she needed to fly anyway, and since it is a business expense she shouldn’t internalize it the same way she does a personal expense.
Flying “first class” sounds so snooty, but most airlines have eliminated business class for domestic flights, meaning there are only two classes of service available: coach and first. On domestic flights, then, first has become business class. And it was called business class because…well…it was usually used by people flying on business who likely need the extra conveniences of getting on and off the plane faster, and getting fed a meal (so they don’t have to spend time they could be working seeking out a meal). As a person who has done her share of business travel in the past and works with with people who do it all the time, there is a reason a company is willing to spend that extra money for an employee to not fly coach. (Hint: so they can spend more time working and less time dealing with external stuff that can be outsourced cheaper.)
Considering that Donna also has to take multiple flights and spend most of her day traveling to get to and from her home, first class really does “smooth the edges” and she should feel comfortable doing it!
Linda,
As the CFO of a national sales organization, I am in the process of implementing the Concur Expense/Travel program at work this month, and during the set-up process we were told that the vast majority of employers will only reimburse upgraded flights on international flights, and even then it is generally an exception that requires approval and often limited to upper management. This is also our standard policy. Our employees keep all their points for both credit card charges and miles, and if they want to use their points to upgrade, that is their choice. However many will tell you that they can stay plenty productive on a 4 to 5 hour domestic flight, even in a standard seat.
My husband is self employed and we consider all of his business expenses as though they were personal expenses because at the end of the day, the profit all ends up in the same place. We would never spend unnecessary money just to get a tax advantage that only returns half of what we spent. That doesn’t mean we don’t spend money when needed.
This just doesn’t seem like the same Donna who I have been following since she published her first article and I hope she is making her decision based on good advice.
Good for you, Donna! We generally fly steerage — er, economy — but if there is a legitimate business reason for 1st class, I say go for it.
Back in the day, I was on a TWA flight to Denver from Pittsburgh that left early on Sunday morning and was barely half-full (These days, that flight would be canceled!). Anyway, we got the first-class treatment from the flight crew. Best flight I ever had.
I hate to say it, but it sounds as if you feel guilty for flying first class — why should you feel guilty?? And why should anyone else be the judge of how you or I should fly or spend money? Self-righteousness, jealousy — which seems to be rampant in this country. You’ve worked hard for the money you have and if you decide to travel first class once (or every time) why do you have to justify this choice to anyone!
Isn’t the very reason we live frugally is so that we have assets available when we need them or choose to use them as we see fit? Choosing to attribute the cost to your LLC is, whether others think so or not, a financially astute move.
Personally, one of my passions is travel. I sacrifice and save all year long, or for years, in order to travel. I use frequent flier miles too but sometimes I have paid for premium economy and once got a great deal on first class seats because of back or leg problems. It’s sickening to think that someone has to judge you on this issue — you’d think they’d have more important things to think about such as the flight reaching its destination safely!
The flight is a business expense no matter where I sit — I’m attending the conference to speak as well as to learn. But it simply never occurred to me that I could go first class. The tax guy suggested it and from now on I will always fly that way.
For personal trips? Definitely flying steerage, because my money just goes further. As you noted, I save where I can so I can spend where I want — on more than one trip per year. If I flew first class for all of them there simply wouldn’t be that many.
Thanks for reading, and for leaving a comment.
I almost never get to fly anywhere so I wasn’t aware of the first class stink eye. My tendency would be to shake my head and feel sorry for the folks who were being reamed for the price of their first class tickets. Unless I was so wealthy that the money simply doesn’t matter, putting out that kind of money would make me bleed through the eyes. Of course, if we were ever to take a really long flight, I would probably want to pay out the extra money for first class for the sake of my husband’s back.
First class (and international business class) is such a treat and it sounds like you really got to make the most of it. Good for you!
While I found it tolerable to fly coach for many years, even on long international flights, these days I really need the extra legroom that comes from seats in the front of the plane. I find myself usually paying the extra $40 to $50 per flight just to be able to have enough room to stretch my legs out a bit more and to reach what is under the seat in front of me.
Extra leg room certainly doesn’t compare to the first class or business class, though. I’ve only been able to take trips like that a few times. Sometimes it was for business (and my work paid) and other times it was using miles. Either way it was so worth it!
If I had a hat, Donna, I would doff it to you. I have never understood class envy; if others wish to travel first class, then by all means, do so. We all pay for what we want–or at least, most of us do. The leanings of this world towards entitlement and envy seem to encourage those who do not–or cannot–have what you have to assume that one is particularly privileged, and seem to insist that one cannot–must not– have something better than someone else has. It’s a load of codswallop, and I would go just a step further to point out that this attitude seems to instill some measure of guilt in folks like you. Why???? If you can afford an indulgence from time to time, enjoy it. You worked for it–savor it! Celeriac puree and all…!
Good for you!!! I am so glad you enjoyed it and I cannot think of anyone more deserving after a lifetime of frugality. Were you offered champagne?
Not sure about the champagne, but the guy next to me had four gin-and-tonics. As per usual, I drank a couple of Diet Cokes and a couple of waters. Somebody’s gotta keep standards low, and I’m just the person for the job.
I flew first class once and the guy that I was sitting next to decided to tell me after takeoff that his father was an alien. So I don’t mind sitting in coach anymore. I just think about the half-human, half-alien guy and I’m fine with being in back. There are more pure-breeds in back, my people.
So true. You can pay all that money and then sit next to a half-alien. Or a crying baby. Or a drunk creep.
I like to think that I don’t give the stink eye. Maybe a little jealousy when I see the more comfortable chairs and extra legroom. But mainly I just like to look at the people who chose first class because I’m curious what kind of folks decide to pay that much more. I guess that comes off as judgmental, but it’s honestly just interest.
Like I said, I might feel a momentary pang when I look at them. But then I think about how much more it would cost and suddenly I’d rather just deal with a little less leg room.
Of course, my flights to FinCon are also significantly shorter than yours. That helps.
While I recently had a touch of “must be nice” about the lie flat seats while flying cattle class, it was, as usual, mostly amused. *I* choose not to spend 10X more on the flights that I fly, and I don’t have the miles to upgrade (or I picked the airline that makes it impossible so the joke’s on me!) so whose fault is that? Not the actual first class passengers’.
If the differential weren’t so damn much, you betcha I’d do first class once in a while. Mostly, I’m just happy when someone I *like* is appreciating the meal since they do look fantastic, versus some small kid or teen. As a small kid/teen flying, I barely noticed what food was on offer and EVERY seat was roomy, first class would have been totally wasted on me. 😉 Plus I imagine the experience to us would be something like Pat Rothfuss’s and it cracks me up every time I read it: https://twitter.com/hashtag/InFirstClass?src=hash
It’s one of my “someday…” things: some day, in the far off future, I will have so much money that paying through the nose as currently defined will be nothing more than a drop in the bucket. On that day, or when I figure out how to do it without beggaring myself, we will fly first class! 😀
Yep. As noted, I fly regular-class the rest of the time so this was an incredible luxury to me. My legs and back thanked me, too.
I’d have to be making a really obscene amount of money to be able to justify first-class from Alaska on a regular basis.
Thus far, I’ve only used miles to upgrade to first class, but I did get close to buying a first class ticket to New Orleans for FinCon. The cost for the upgrade was much lower than what I usually pay for even coach tickets, but the flight to NOLA is a much short flight than those I usually fly.
When I do fly first class, I try not to read anything into the stares and glares. Bit I never really noticed anyway.
It was great to catch up and chat!
Agreed! We Jersey folks have to stick together. Hope to see you during my NY/NJ tour.
I work for the Navy so it is always steerage. I save up for special trips and spend what I’ve saved to enjoy myself. There are certain trip wires in tax code and if you cross them you pay a ridiculous extra amount. So if it was my choice between paying a ridiculous amount to the tax man or a ridiculous amount to the first class ticket man, I would be enjoying my good meal and comfortable seat:)
I suspect that the people who felt you should have spent the money on some other business expense rather than a first class ticket are people who do not enjoy any form of travel whether business or pleasure. I contend that one of the tenants of frugality must surely be knowing how to get the best deals which would also apply to travel. That being said, there are some destinations which NEVER seem to have good flight prices from a certain airport.
While we have been able to arrange most of our flights with frequent flyer miles (accumulated in a number of ways) in recent years, we also go to extremes to find the lowest fares on reliable, but low cost carriers. Saving money on travel takes work. However, travel deals and how to get them are a breed of their own.
In the spring, DH and I traveled to Peru, an 8-hour flight from where we live. The tickets were FAR LESS than $1,000 a piece round trip which was a bargain already by any stretch. But, we were able to upgrade for $250 per person including any taxes for the overnight flight home and you can bet it was worth every penny. Shorter in-country flights are usually in the economy section…there are plenty of aliens in the economy section too! But, I don’t have to travel in economy to PROVE my frugality skills and neither do you, Donna (but, as you said, thanks to being a business expense you can now consider flying business/first class for that type of travel).
Everybody or most people have a weakness for something. I don’t need or choose to have the latest techi gadget or a daily cup of Starbucks but some do. I’ve worked for 45 years and I DO CHOOSE to spend some of my money seeing and learning about the rest of the world and other people — I earned it, I’ve saved for it, and it’s worth it to me. Not all of us have to resort to spouting class warfare or being loathe to mingle with whoever might be considered NOT FRUGAL in first class so that they can say they are more comfortable sitting with “their people,” whatever that might be construed to be –should we think that only the people sitting in the economy section are sane/normal/worthy/saintly….? Maybe they should give sitting in first class another try — they might learn something about getting the best travel deals.
It all keeps coming back to my frugal mantra: “I save where I can so I can spend where I want.” Ditto on the latest tech gadget and the daily java. Everyone else’s mileage varies because differences.
I was able to use some frequent flyer upgrade certificates for some flights to Paris for business in the last few years. However, many times there were too many people who had requested and I was on a waiting list and never got a Business class seat. Same thing for Shanghai. That was the flight I really wanted the upgrade for but no joy. Company policy is to not pay any business. Eventually my upgrade certificates expired. It’s really a shame because you log all these miles (and collect points which I get to keep, thankfully) and accrue upgrade certificates which you rarely get to use.
I’m a bit too fat to fit in the regular plane seats and the middle seat is always more narrow than the window or aisle. Due to this I will only fly first class now, using credit card miles of course. I also don’t fly that often. Also, I have vertigo issues it also helps to have a smaller area to focus on.
As for the daggers from coach flyers. That is their problem. They could be in first class too, if they pay for it. So the choice is theirs alone where they are sitting.
that was too much also 🙁
LOL, after all this discussion about this, what I now find most distressing is everyone’s impulse–perhaps NEED–to explain, defend or justify WHY you purchased a first-class ticket. Can you think of one man in your lives who would do that? Just enjoy it and skip all the whys and wherefores. 🙂
I’m with Denise… why does anyone need to explain, defend or justify flying first class? And why would anyone question someone who bought first class tickets for business or otherwise? It isn’t a “frugal” competition. LOL! There are no “frugal” police lurking behind magazine stands at the airport. I think one of the problems with society these days (be it 3D or virtually) is the habit of comparing ourselves to others for good or bad. Hey, I know, it’s human, and it’s something I work on, too. But the way I see it? Unless someone is withdrawing money from my bank account, it isn’t really my business. That said, Donna, you’ve inspired me for years. Thank you.
Bwahahahahahahahaha! I am tickled to death you flew first class, ate celeriac puree and totally enjoyed yourself. You know how much I love it when one of your posts generates a bunch of ballyhoo. I am grinning ear to ear.
Thanks! As noted, it’s back to reality — and standby reality, at that — for my next trip. But it was nice while it lasted.
I don’t worry about what other people think.
Some people cannot afford a cheese sandwich. This does not mean I am going to stop eating cheese sandwiches.
My purchase descisions are based on what I can afford, not what others can or cannot afford. And they are nobody else’s business.
Truth is, most of us sitting up front did not pay full price. Most of us have enough status with the airline through years of frequent flying. So we have suffered for it. Alot. We have flown more in a few months than the average person does in a lifetime.