It’s no secret that when you’re traveling, expenses add up fast. Totaling up the final price for a business trip can be downright depressing. Whether you’re self-employed and on a tight budget, working for a company that compensates travel expenses very conservatively, or just don’t like to get snookered out of a few bucks, learning to take business trips while having dollar awareness and being travel savvy can be quite valuable. Watch out for these factors that can make your traveling expenses go up or down:
Travel Deals
With the ease and speed of air travel today, it’s easy to forget that there are other options. Trains, buses, and car rentals can be much less expensive modes of travel, depending on your destination. However, if you must travel by plane, try to book your flight at least three weeks in advance as ticket prices rise as a specific travel date nears. Make sure to check sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia for deals on tickets, and bear in mind that flying into a smaller airport in a neighboring city will probably be cheaper than flying into a larger airport in a booming metropolis.
Cell Phone Charges
If you are traveling internationally, watch out for extra cell phone charges. Many wireless carriers charge drastically higher rates for international calls. Data usage and text messages are also subject to higher charges. Be sure to know your cell phone plan before you leave, and line up alternate (less expensive) forms of international communication
Save on Wi-Fi
Where to access the Internet is something that a lot of travelers don’t think about ahead of time, and if you don’t plan ahead, you’re more likely to end up paying ridiculous fees to get online. Find out whether or not your hotel offers free Internet access. If not, find a local coffee shop with free Wi-Fi and get connected there. Bear in mind that some airports offer free Wi-Fi, but many do not. Tip for Android users: there are free tethering apps available for Android that will enable you to use your phone as your own personal Wi-Fi hotspot. You have to watch your data usage, but it’s one way to get around the Wi-Fi charges in airports and other locations.
Amenities
Watch out for little conveniences that come at seemingly low prices — they add up. Checked baggage is no longer free on most airlines, so try to pack light and use carry-ons if possible. Snacks on the plane, in-flight Wi-Fi, pillow and blanket kits, hotel mini-bars, and extra towels for the hotel pool are all unnecessary amenities that can really inflate your bill.
ATM Fees
You’re about to head out of the hotel when you realize that you’re out of cash. You see an ATM in the lobby and breathe a sigh of relief. But watch out! Many ATMs charge a fee for their use, and your bank may also assess a fee if you use an ATM outside of its network. Arrange to have an ample amount of cash before you leave on your trip, or use an app like ATM Hunter to find ATMs within your bank’s network. See here for more information on serviced offices and Serviced Apartments.
These are small things that can save you good amount cash. Booking in advance and checking for deals can make a lot of difference, this I have experienced. Quite a number of times I got very good deals with Orbitz.
Twitter: internetdreamof
Yup,the wifi part can be quite expensive.
I have never been on a business trip but I can tell you from the vacations I have taken, the wifi charges can be hefty!
You can use your phone for some internet, but it will pretty much be gone fast if you don’t have much of a plan.
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Twitter: corporatevineet
hmm. I believe staying the Hotel where the WIFI access is FREE can help. These days most of the Hotels do have that facility.
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As a Tech Expert and Columnist, I travel a lot. Here is one that I use to help find FREE wifi – locating free Wi-Fi in a major metropolitan area can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Your laptop may identify five networks, only to discover that none are open to the public (after wasting 10 minutes trying to connect to each one). Before you head out on the road, go online to JiWire’s global wireless hotspot directory (http://v4.jiwire.com/search-hotspot-locations.htm )
this is great post and remind that what thing you take when you will go on business trip thanks for sharing..
Oh, Those phone deals are killing me. Every time when I go somewhere abroad I’m fighting with phone support to ask for a decent setting. The other tricks didn’t happen to me.. yet))
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It’s really foolish to travel with lot of cash, that’s why it’s essential to know which ATMs are good for you on foreign soil. As using any ATM can cause high fees deduction.
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lol, rightly said Pankaj
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Hi, great article!
As for travel deals, can I give you another Travel Booking Options?
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Cheers and have a great weekend,
William
Twitter: prawfeed
OOps, I mean to mentioned that the Award was won on 2011 & 2012.
My apology!
Cheers,
William
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great article you have posted.some steps you have to take to go on a business in abroad
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I always out for business trip too…yup I agree what you share here..need always to play safe and plan properly your trip…thanks sharing it’s nice to let people know.