I am in the Baltimore/DC area today and tomorrow for work. I flew up this morning and will be meeting with a client tomorrow before heading back home tomorrow night. Luckily this is work travel so I get to earn miles, per diem, hotel points, and other little benefits. It is also a nice change from the office for 2 days.
When I am on the road, especially for work, I find little ways to save money. Since I have to eat out almost 100% of the time while on the road I have gotten creative. Here are a few ideas that I use regularly:
- Hotel bar/restaurant: Sometimes pricey, sometimes not. Today my hotel is offering 50% off appetizers between 4 and 7PM. Not bad! Being solo I can get a meal for under $10 based on the menu prices. Bonus I don't even have to drive!
- Find a hotel with cheap restaurants nearby. Do a little searching on yelp and google to see what is close. I also use my phone when actually there to narrow down my options based on distance and price. Sometimes I find some great local places I would have missed otherwise.
- Carry coupons: I have a few that I keep in my bag for chains like Chipotle, Subway, Quiznos, etc. If I happen to be near one I can stop in with coupons and spend less. The less I spend the more of the per diem I get to keep!
- Grab snacks from the grocery store at home and bring with me in my carry on bag. I don't have to stop for expensive gas station snacks. I have them with me already! Worst case I eat them when back home. I like crackers, nuts, and candy bars as they take little space and don't weigh much.
- Hotel Room: I always try to get one with a fridge/microwave and free internet access. It is nice to have the option of going to a grocery store if I want. If I am gone for more than one night this is even more important. Free internet allows me to be entertained and get things done while away.
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