How to Save Money on Business Travel Expenses

But the good news is that there are several ways to lower the cost of business travel. Here are a few simple tips for small business owners looking to save money on business travel expenses without cutting back on trips:

How to Save Money on Business Trip Car Rentals

Small businesses that rely on frequent road trips with a rented car or international car rental, can save money by doing the following:

• Business owners should try to sign up for a frequent-rental program to take advantage of free rental days or rental discounts.
• Instead of renting cars by the well-known companies, such as Hertz, Alamo, or Budget, business owners should seek out the smaller companies that operate away from the airport or travel center. (Many of these companies may even provide a courtesy shuttle to the airport).
• Stay away from the "extras," such as rental insurance, GPS systems, and an advance fill-up of gas.
• Pay attention to the fine print for restrictions, such as mileage caps.

How to Lower the Cost of Food Expenses on a Business Trip

With business travel, food is an unavoidable expense. But there are several ways to keep the food costs from reaching astronomical proportions:

• Business travelers who will be staying in a particular area for more than two nights then should consider hotels that offer extended stay rooms. These rooms come equipped with a full kitchenette. Business travelers could then head for the local grocery store and put together their own meal at a fraction of the cost.
• Take advantage of the free breakfast offered at many hotels
• Business travelers should stay away from using the hotel's room service to avoid paying unnecessary room service fees as well as exorbitant food and beverage prices.
• Where possible, business travelers should bring along their own snacks to help stem a munchies attack.

Business Air Travel May Not be Cheap; But it Doesn't Have to Break the Bank

There are several tips and tools that can help business travelers book cheaper flights.

• Business travelers can save money on airline tickets by booking trips a month in advance. Where possible, schedule flights for the middle of the week (Tuesday- Thursday). For domestic flights, business travelers should consider discount airlines, such as IndiGo.

In short, with a little forethought, planning, and flexibility, business travelers can save a significant amount of money on their business travel expenses.

by Soumya Prakash on 06/04/2013 in Business