DC on a dime

I'm in DC for an NSF panel. Being as I have two funded NSF grants, I get on the panel docket a lot. The first time I was here, I took a $50 cab from the airport. Now, I pay $1.85 to take the metro. In all the previous times, I've stayed at the Hilton - which is twenty steps from the metro stop, at the rate of $250 a night. The last time I was here, other panelists were bragging about how cheap their hotel was. I had the record high.

NSF gives us a daily stipend which is intended to cover food, hotel, transportation (outside of airfare) and incidentals. Anything we don't spend, we keep (but have to pay taxes on). I figured with all Michelle's hospital bills, she could use whatever I net out of the trip. With this motivation for my frugality, I did a little searching for the cheapest place to stay. See my accommodations at around $101 a night (including taxes). It's about a three quarter mile walk to the NSF building, but I've quite enjoyed seeing a different part of DC. It even offers a free breakfast - but since we have fruit and pastries at the panel, I've not used it.


This photo of Highlander Motel is courtesy of TripAdvisor