Money Saving Travel Tips

Travelling can get so expensive, especially if you don’t plan ahead. Business travelers rack up the biggest bills, sometimes exceeding their budgets by thousands. Small business owners that travel are at great risk of turning what could have been a profitable trip into a financial nightmare. If you are a business owner who has employees that travel or if you travel yourself, there are probably some ways in which you could save money on the road.

First, take a look at your biggest travel expenses. These probably include flights, rental cars, and hotels. These three major things are especially expensive if you book them at the last minute. Prices are based on availability, so as the supply dwindles, the cost rises. Long gone are the days of booking last minute flights to save money. Airlines have cut down on the number of flights so much that there are no longer last minute tickets available. Hotels and rental car companies very rarely lower their prices at the last minute.

You can avoid paying an arm and a leg for hotels, flights and rental cars in a number of ways. First, try to book your business trips at the beginning of the year. Many hotels and rental car companies release their promotions for the year starting in January. Get the right person on the phone to help you and they may even let you know when the best time to book will be. Ask specifically about what specials and promotions will be offered.

Spend some time researching different sites that offer package deals. Many times, you can get free hotel nights or rental cars if you book your flights through certain sites. Call your bank and credit card companies to determine what other deals you may qualify for, in the form of purchase rewards. Sometimes you can charge a trip specifically to get the reward and then pay it off.

Next you should concentrate on all of the day-to-day travel expenses that may come up. Gas, food, entertaining, and sight-seeing should all be considered. Keep a travel journal and make note of the money that you spend. This way, you can keep track of not only what you spent, but other needs that arose. Analyze your list and determine where you could have saved money. The next time you travel, you’ll be better prepared.

Some people travel internationally and really pay the price on things that they didn’t expect. For instance, international travelers need all sorts of information while they’re away from their hotels. They need restaurant recommendations, they may need to check on flight times, or they may need turn-by-turn directions to get where they are going on time. Language barriers and lack of information access can force travelers to constantly call home to get information like directory assistance. If you use mobile concierge services that service international locations, you can save a bundle of money and time. They generally cost under $10 per month and you can call them from anywhere in the world, 24/7.

About the Author: Joe Smith is a Marketing Associate of OnCall, a leading online source of mobile concierge services that goes above and beyond traditional directory assistance. Get international personalized assistance with phone direcory information, turn by turn directions, movie times, stock quotes, sports scores, and more at http://www.askoncall.com.