How to Stay on a Budget in a Business Trip?

The Bureau of Transportation reveals that American business professionals make about 405 million work-related trips in a given year. Considering the number of trips made, it is certain that the expense must be high too. From the cost of buying an air-ticket to staying in a hotel, nothing comes at an economical price.

Budgeting business travel has become more important than it used to be and is under extreme scrutiny. The cost-cutting CEOs want their workers to take minimum trips and remove all the unnecessary expenses from them.

While most of the economizing tactics are impractical or useless, let us present you with the most appropriate ways to bring down the overall expense.

Appoint an In-House Travel Expert

If your business requires frequent traveling, there is no way you can do without hiring a travel expert. There are multiple tools available on the internet which tell you about the traveling expenses incurred by people on a particular route.

Having detailed information on all such tools can help the person become a ‘travel bureau’. Let the hired person be familiar with Priceline, transportation passes, Booking.com, and car rentals, so that he can organize a well-budgeted trip.

Know How to Use Travel Apps

There are multiple travel apps available on both the App Store and Play Store. These apps will let you search for inexpensive flights as well as cheap hotels. However, it is advisable not to rely on only on one app.

Sometimes, a car rental will cost significantly less than a taxi. At other times, an Airbnb can prove to be a lot more expensive than a hotel. So, it is better to keep checking all the options for the best deal.

Keep the Same Hotel for Frequently Visited Places

There are high chances that your business requires you to visit the same places time and time again. It would be unwise to do research every time a trip is planned to the same destination.

You can set a deal with a particular hotel and ask them to give you a special discount because of being a frequent visitor. By doing so, you’ll be cutting down on a major expense.

Always Pack Lightly

You would never want to become a victim of the atrocious charges which the airlines have on checked luggage. While some allow free first baggage, there are a few that charge a whopping fee on it.

To be completely safe, you can cut the costs to the minimum and avoid the checked bags altogether. Since you don’t need a lot of stuff while business traveling, it is okay to carry a small bag with you. All you need to know about the size permitted of the in-flight luggage.

Book Ahead of Time

It is a known fact that the earlier we book our travel, the lower will be the cost. It is recommended that one must book 57 days prior to a domestic flight and 171 days before an international departure.

Usually, the flights are cheapest on Sundays owing to two reasons. One is that business travel bookings occur on weekdays and secondly, travel companies offer special discounts and coupons for individual travelers over the weekend. Moreover, if you hire a business travel agency, you’ll see how they can help you in planning the entire trip efficiently.

Plan Your Meals

Food can take a great part of your budget when you are traveling for business, especially if you are taking a large team along with you. Always book such a hotel which offers free breakfast.

Find out the most affordable restaurants nearby through relevant apps. You can even visit the nearby grocery store and pick up deli items, salads, or sandwiches. These items will stay light both on your waistline and your budget.

Save on International Calling

Besides air tickets and hotel, the most expensive things in international travel are call and data connections. Most of the hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity, so utilize this facility instead of wasting your data package.

When you switch your regular number to international roaming, you are prone to bearing very high data charges. There are special online services for people traveling abroad that allow you to make and receive calls at very cheap rates. So, make sure you know which services they are.

Conclusion

Before you leave for a business trip, make sure that everything is well-planned and streamlined. Review the receipts and double check with your business travel agency to see if everything is going according to the plan or not. Business trips play a crucial role in the progress and development of a business.