Top 10 Money Saving Tips for Small Business Travelers

With the tourism season quickly approaching, business travelers are exposed to rising costs of airlines, accommodation, and many other travel services. Being a small business traveler, you cannot afford the luxury of never-ending budget to invest in travel, and therefore savings is essential. Here are the top 10 big money saving tips you will love to learn about.

1 Use Flexible Flight Scanners

Prior to booking a flight, you need to check whether the flight you intend to plan offers good value for money. Similar to train tickets, peak times come with peak prices. It might be better affordable to get an early flight and avail the significant percentage off the price particularly if you are flexible about your travel schedule. For instance, Friday night is relatively expensive compared to other week days.

2 Travel with Carry-On Luggage

This will truly save you precious time and money. While traveling with just hand luggage, you will perhaps skip long waiting lines that require checking luggage for the flight and waiting for your baggage at luggage check after the flight. In addition, you will also save on the weight fee and doesn’t need to worry about any added charges. If you want to take any sort of liquids, prefer carrying them in small sizes that pass through TSA. Another convenient option is to buy a product of your choice as you get to your desired location. This will save you from spending money on an added luggage.

3 Shop Like a Local

Many business travelers often wonder why the stay in a new city is expensive. Well, food is one of the reasons. One smart approach is to figure out eateries where mostly locals go and choose meals that are popular among them. Since locals typically go with economical food options, it will therefore help you minimize your expenses.

4 Book in Advance

Reserving your travel arrangements in advance usually comes with cost savings compared to last-minute bookings. Therefore, when planning a trip, it’s advisable to secure your tickets, activities, and accommodations well ahead of time. For instance, if you’re considering a visit to Bethany Beach in Delaware, it’s wise to book your airfare, lodging, and even secure your spot at the finest golf courses near Bethany Beach (if that’s on your agenda). This principle applies universally to any destination you’re planning to explore. By planning and booking in advance, you can not only save money but also ensure a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience.

5 Use Virtual Credit Cards to Ease the Risk of Deception

Another important travel tip for small business travelers is to use a virtual credit card. These credit cards are created per trip and they minimize the risk of a corporate falling victim to fraud. That way, you don’t have to carry a physical card and get into the risk of being trapped.

6 Use Hotel Comparison Websites

Corporate travelers can save a substantial amount of money on accommodation expenses by using hotel comparison websites. There are many websites that compare the prices of several accommodations around the city or continent where you intend to travel and help you find the best deals. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, booking your stay in advance may help you in getting it at a much lower cost. On that note, travelers may want to look for websites where they can book in advance and at the same time, compare prices and save money! Similarly, for small business travelers, paying less for accommodation must be a priority.

7 Partial Day Stays at a Hotel

Whether you have a connecting flight or a few hours to kill in between traveling, you can always get an intraday stay at hotels. There are many startups that often give travelers more booking options according to their time and budget. For instance, if you have a layover in North Carolina during your international travel, you can check in to a Chapel Hill NC Hotel to spend your extra time. For business travelers, it’s a great way to get asleep for some time, store your baggage and carry on your business trip without paying for the whole night at a hotel that you may not even require.

8 Travel Management Service

Hiring a business travel specialist for your small business travel programs can really help in your overall business travel expenditures. Since they are specialized in the field, they offer you customized travel management programs and services eventually saving you time, money, and stress. By teaming up with a corporate travel management company, you can benefit from competitive rates on airfares and accommodation along with on-site promotions and exclusive deals. It gives you evident visibility regarding all your travel arrangements and assists you in making the right decisions that lead to prominent reductions in your costs.

9 Save on Airline Flights

Airline tickets can be reasonably costly so you need to be clever when booking one. You can do this by simply being flexible on the dates of travel and airline you want to use. You may consider using economy flights. Though once you make a reservation, its typically inexpensive even with a fixed travel plan. You can buy flexible tickets that provide you with an option of return dates if they are essential for your trip. Get alerts for airline promotions and discounted deals and enjoy a massive reduction on your corporate travel costs. You can look into many travel management software searches for the affordable prices and the most competitive rates on airlines. Also, there are certain price tracking tools that automatically cancel and rebook tickets when a cheaper deal to the same location is available thus saving you even more money. On average, you can save up to $150 per ticket.

10 Learn to love Uber

Some of the expenses associated with traveling can considerably add up to the total or expected cost of the travel. When it comes to ground conveyance, this seems fairly realistic. Many people frequently rely on trains or car rental. Though if you learn to love Uber, not only it’s affordable but will cover only the required distances when you need it.

Conclusion:

While you are running a small business, it’s important to run the fitted ship when your budget is concerned. Travel can be quite costly if it’s not managed properly. Though for many, corporate travel is essential. At times, it becomes a necessity to meet new clients or keeping up with the existing ones. You may call it the cost of doing good business. If you want to have business travel to be an expense that rationalizes itself, considering the above-mentioned tips will help you in any way.