Wonder Boy and I just booked a vacation to Costa Rica! I am absolutely thrilled by the prospects of lounging around in a bathing suit for days on end, going on river rafting trips and hiking through rain forests. Paradise!

The one little glitch, one that I will soon forget, I am sure, has been with getting our plane tickets. We finally made our flight reservations today and used my credit card with Capitol One because we get cash back. And who doesn’t like cash? Well my cash back comes at a price. Capitol one, per their customer service representative, would prefer that I call them before making large purchases. (For the record, the only purchases that go on my credit card are with internet-based retailers or for large purchases. I am a cash-based gal.) I tried as calmly as possible (not that calmly) to explain that I resented the very implication that I should call prior to making purchases. I do call before international travel, and then is pretty much pushing me to my limits. But to call before making other purchases? That I pay for with MY MONEY? Ugh.

Now before you reply and explain that this hassle comes with the safety net I get from Capitol One knowing that I won’t have to pay for fraudulent activities on my card should my card get stolen, please know that I am aware of that. But I have to think that whatever bot Capitol One has trolling through my spending habits has to see the pattern. Monthly payment to the YMCA? Check. (I get called on this every other month, btw.) Fondness for dinky sites selling useless but pretty crap? Check. Weird desire to buy every T-shirt made available online? Check. Love of international travel? Check. I am not that unpredictable, people!

But back to where I started. Costa Rica. Here I come.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.