Smart Ways To Save Money While Traveling On Business Trips

Expenses on travel can be one of the most worrisome factors, especially for a business traveler. With the ongoing trends in the ever-changing economic landscape and the fluctuations in the prices of hotels, airfare, and other travel expenses, the need to gauge business travel expenses once again is pretty high. 

Cutting down expenses on business travel can be done without giving up on your reliability and comfort. Focusing on the extreme points of spending will help give a clear picture of where exactly we can save up. Even while on a business tour, happy traveling can be easily achieved simply by realizing what things can be thrown out of your overall budget and what can be assessed again. 

The key here is to act reasonably when it comes to business travel. Travel managers look forward to employees who use their reasoning and acumen to make certain difficult decisions concerning expenses. Cutting down on travel expenses can easily be managed by such people, where they can realize how and when to steer clear from their usual routines, and at the same time, manage to live as per their own and the company’s standards of comfort. 

Businesspersons can be somewhat thrifty, apart from being professional and responsible. While thinking about cutting down costs, or even where to start cutting down while traveling, take help of these valuable tips that will offer you a business trip of adequate quality in your budget. 

Ways to save money while traveling for work

Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to save money while traveling for work or on your business trips.

1. Flight bookings and air travel

One of the most significant expenses when it comes to business travel is booking flights. Airfare takes up a major chunk of your overall budget. It is fascinating to travel in business class with all the luxuries as a business person, but prefer not to. Try and steer clear of business class airfares for shorter routes or journeys. 

Another tip here would be to stick with airlines that you find reliable. Find an airline that offers you non-delayed flights, no cancellations, no rerouting, and fantastic discounts time and again. Sticking to such a company for a longer duration will help you and your company earn reward points or frequent flyer miles. The reward points can be used to get free hotel stays. 

Other rewards that come into the picture with choosing one airline constantly are WiFi access, VIP lounge access, priority check-in, and other benefits. This can relieve you or your employees from all the stress that happens during business trips. Not only will you solve the stress issues, but you will also save money in the long run. 

2. Travel only with Carry-on luggage

One of the easiest ways to save money while traveling for work is to not check in any kind of luggage. 

If you do not submit any luggage bags for check-in, you will end up saving time that you will not spend waiting to get your bag in the baggage claim section. It will also free you from paying the extra fee that comes in when you are carrying luggage over the capacity allowed on the flight. 

This also means that you can cut down on all the extra hours you will spend packing your clothes and accessories. You only need a few pairs of smart business casuals to work your way through the trip. Even if you have to carry a suit, it will be just fine in a carry-on bag. But, make sure that you simply hang it up as soon as you reach your hotel. 

Before you start your journey, make sure you adhere to the airline's policies when it comes to carry-on luggage. For example, Delta Airlines only allows passengers to bring a carry-on bag measuring 56x35x23 cm. You can also bring a personal item, such as your laptop bag or a briefcase. You can even take your jacket, umbrella, or anything else that is pre-approved. At the same time, airlines like Spirit do not allow you to bring your carry-on luggage for free. Watch out for these extra costs by reading in between the lines for the airlines you choose. 

3. Use alternatives to car rentals  

Dodge the extra transportation costs by opting for ground transportation or other car services instead of car rentals. While airlines are considered a major expenditure, car rentals can sometimes put a dent in your bank account, especially when saving money while traveling for work. Try to find great deals for ground transportation that adhere to the policies for transportation of your company. 

Some airlines offer their passengers a bundle offer to book airfare and car rental packages together that easily brings down the overall cost compared to booking them both separately. Use car rentals in such cases. 

You can also use relatively cheaper services like Uber or Lyft without breaking the bank. If car rentals are not your forte, these car services will surely help you out. These are readily available almost anywhere, super cheap, and reliable. Moreover, these car services can be easily accessed through your phone, and a car will be right in front of you in just a little while. 

4. Look for cheaper deals on hotels 

When booking your accommodations for your business trip, consider looking into what the hotel offers you and how it benefits your overall business travel plans. Many accommodation options offer free WiFi with conference halls/rooms or business lobbies to get official work done. These utilities will come in handy when you struggle to find a Starbucks to have meetings or use up all your cellular data for a personal hotspot. 

Some accommodations also offer airport shuttle service, lowering your overall transportation costs. While plenty of perks and utilities are available at a premium hotel, a lower-class hotel can also provide you whatever you need at a fraction of a price. And in most cases, these are the utilities you will need. 

A great way for better accommodation is to stay loyal to a brand as we recommended for flights above. Staying consistently at one hotel multiple times is beneficial as it helps organizations save money. You can also establish a partnership with your desired hotel/accommodation option and even an office space you know you have to visit frequently. 

Once you have established with the hotel that you are a long-term, trusted client, the hotel will start offering you discounted rates and deals that can save you 10-20% off the advertised prices. 

5. Use Coupons 

So this one is pretty simple. All you need to do is look for different coupon sites when booking conference rooms, hotels, or dining options for client dinners when looking to save money while traveling for work. 

You can take the help of websites like RetailMeNot and find coupons that can be applied to almost everything - chain restaurants, Uber, Expedia, Virgin America, and much more. 

With a coupon, you can always find great deals and discounts while on your business trip, and sometimes a free appetizer or a great discount on meals. 

6. Pay through Cards

Try to cut down on your cash expenditure as much as you can while on a business trip. Of course, you are not looking forward to putting yourself in credit card debt, but using a credit card for some expenditures on your travel offers you discounts, frequent flyer miles, and reward points that can be used later. 

So, if you are making any purchases, do it with your card, trade them in when you are traveling. It is easy and simple. 

Pro Tip: If you plan on doing a lot of international travel for work, get a credit card that does not have a foreign transaction fee. 

7. Thoroughly know your travel deductions 

When given an option to get your business travel expenses deducted, you should know what can be deducted and what cannot be. Meals, accommodations, airfare, rental fee, etc., for work purposes can be deducted in many organizations. Therefore, you need to know what your organization states on such policies clearly. This way, you will understand what receipts you need to save up and what receipts you can dispose of. This will not only keep your mind and life sorted but also will help you when you are trying to file your taxes. 

8. Cut down on restaurant food 

Figure out what you are eating and where you are going to eat when you are on a business trip. This might be the last thing on this list but can be the number one thing that could potentially give you stress overall during your travel. You can save money on food by cutting down on the number of times you are going out to eat. 

The best way to go about this is to take advantage of what you possess. The hotel you are staying at usually will offer you complimentary breakfast. Now since this is free, take full advantage of that. Be smarter and save up some food for your lunch if you are going to have it alone. You can also find more such meals around you or snack up from conference refreshment tables. This will curb the extra hunger you have and will make you save money while traveling to work. 

Another great way to save money while traveling is to wrap your day around lunch as your primary meal. Most restaurants offer great discounts and deals for lunch with good portion sizes, as big as their dinner portions. 

In cases where you have to go out to meet a client and entertain them, check out the menu of a restaurant you are about to take them to beforehand. You can check out the online menus, giving you the ability to make better decisions overall. 

Final Words

It is not that difficult to save money while traveling for work. Business trips can sometimes be challenging to manage, but you do not have to make it into a project. There are smart ways with which you can maintain your budget and still travel lavishly for your business. These were some of our tips to save money during business trips. Feel free to let us know of more tips that you have utilized to save money on your work trips.