Authored by Gary Eugene in Travel Preparation
Published on 12-18-2008

There are times that traveling expenses go beyond your budget. If you are given allowance for your travel expenses on a per day basis or if you have other limitations on your allocated budget for your travel, it is very useful to learn some valuable information on how to control your cash outlays while on a business trip.

Most companies have a set amount for the travel expenditures of the company as a whole in a given year. Therefore, if you are one of those employees assigned to do some business traveling from time to time by the management, you should plan ahead and make some projections on your estimated travel expenses so that you can make some budget adjustments when needed.

When you are traveling, it is most likely that you are going to stay in a hotel and are going to eat at nearby restaurants. In that case, you may have a hard time of curbing your expenses considering the pricey meals and room rates these commercial establishments have set. The following are helpful tips to minimize extending your traveling allowance.

• Eat at home before you leave. Even if you in a hurry, it is good if you eat first at your house and make yourself full so that you would not be tempted to eat at the airport. They are known to have expensive prices.
• Pack smartly. As much as possible, just stuff your luggage with only the necessary items. The rule is: the lighter, the better. This way, you can avoid paying fees for some services in the airport.
• Consider going for a motel as a place to stay. If you are going to stay for one night, you may book one of those reputable motels. It can still meet your accommodation needs at very affordable rates.
• Transportation expense can be shared. If you are going on a business trip with a group, this is a good opportunity to cut on some ride costs, as you can share the fare or rental car fees.
• Buy groceries. Buy some fruits and some compact ready-to-eat food products. You will save a lot because you can reduce the number of times you go to a fancy restaurant.
• Go for public transit. If the place you are in has a secure mass transportation system, you may opt to use this. After all, this is obviously less expensive than renting a car.

By utilizing some economical ways to spend while you are traveling, not only are you going to save on your business trip, you also help your company to stick to its budget.