With the state of the economy these days, businesses are understandably anxious about how much money it costs to send their employees on business trips. In the freewheeling days, a business traveler was usually armed with a business credit card and could rack up expenses, no questions asked. It has changed dramatically as now these companies have to watch every dollar spent.
From Airbnbs to hotels, the cost of lodging has to be evaluated as well as all of the other costs.
In this article, I will go over several of the ways that a business traveler can save money on a long term business trip.
Short term rentals
The days of renting a suite at a business hotel may be coming to an end. They were great for a while as they offered plenty of space and were generally close to where most business was getting done. But, that comes at a price.
Instead, look to short term rentals like Delsuites as they have everything the business traveler is looking for. A short term rental like those ones have lots of space so you can easily set up an area to get work done when you are not at meetings or entertaining clients.
They are much cheaper than staying at a business class hotel in a suite. And they are often much bigger than what you would get in a hotel for a far lower price.
Airbnb may seem like a good option, but often they end up being more expensive than a business short term rental. And they often lack the same amenities as they are simply just somebody’s apartment.
Getting fed
Keeping your employee fed during the trip can also add up significantly. It can hardly be avoided when entertaining a client as you don’t want to look cheap. But for all the other meals you will need to have a policy for your employee to work with.
For instance, give them a per diem for food so if they go over that, it will mean they have to pay it themselves. There are a lot of good options for food without having it be too expensive unless it can’t be avoided.
Also, since they are staying in a short term rental that is often equipped with a kitchen, encourage them to eat at their apartment when possible. On a short trip this is not very practical, but when they are staying there for weeks, they can hardly be expected to eat out for every meal.
Go for the points
Make sure to sign up for the credit cards that offer the most generous points package. Most companies go for the miles so they can end up with heavily discounted flights, but other points work well too.
For instance, points can be accrued for use in a hotel or for car rentals so that you save a lot of money all throughout the trip and not just for the flight.
