Travel is essential for many businesses. Whether it’s for a conference, a client meeting, or a speaking event, it’s imperative that you are able to freely travel for work, particularly if your career calls you overseas. That being said, business travel can be quite expensive, and even if your company has the budget to blow, you shouldn’t be negligent with your spending. In most cases, businesses are pinching pennies in order to reinvest their money where it really counts. When you’re traveling, it can be easy for costs to wrack up. Fortunately, if you are proactive, there are ways to cut the cost of international business travel.

Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty

After you have traveled for a while, chances are, you will form a preference for a certain airline or hotel. Once you have that preference, stick to it to benefit from their loyalty program. Frequent flyer miles will give you lots of great perks such as priority check-in and boarding, and you can often earn points towards free hotel stays when you visit one in particular frequently. Over time, this can save you quite a bit of money.

Don’t Check Your Luggage

Many people cannot imagine taking an extended trip without a large bag filled with everything they could possibly need, but this is really a waste of money and time. The key here is to pack smart. Do you really need three pairs of shoes? Probably not. Think strategically about the clothes you will wear. If you are going to a three-day conference, no, you don’t want to be seen wearing the same thing every day, but you can schedule your clothes out so you can repeat outfits on days when you will be seeing different people. Keep it simple and don’t waste space on things you won’t really need.

Pick Your Credit Card Strategically

There are many travel rewards programs available to you through your credit card, it’s just a matter of picking the right one. Instead of using cash, invest in a credit card that gives you travel points for every transaction. This way, you can trade those points in on international trips. Just make sure that you invest in a card that does not have foreign transaction fees.

Don’t Waste Money on Food

Of course, you need to eat, and if you’re going to be in a foreign country,  you probably want to indulge in some of the regional cuisine. That being said, you don’t have to go to overpriced tourist traps to do so. Start by asking locals where you can get the best meal in town; chances are, they aren’t going to recommend the typical tourist fare. In addition, try not to eat out for every meal. Find a grocery store and buy some simple ingredients you can use to make food. For example, you could grab some yogurt and granola for breakfast at your hotel, or some vegetables for a quick salad for lunch. Finally, when you are researching the area, look for coupons for local restaurants to save you money when you do eat out.

Think Beyond Hotels

These days, you don’t have to stay at a hotel when you travel. Now, there is AirBnB, which generally has more affordable options than hotels and allows you to really get a feel for what it’s like to be a local. There’s something quite nice about being able to have that homey feel even when you’re thousands of miles from your actual home, and AirBnBs often come with many amenities.

That being said, if you have to stay at a hotel, make sure you are getting the best deal possible. Visit a coupon site like HotelCoupons to find affordable options. If you have a AAA membership, you get discounts on hotel rooms. Make sure you are making the most out of your budget.

Shop Sapphire Portable WiFi

One of the expenses that many travelers don’t anticipate is the cost of keeping in touch. Many travelers are unaware of roaming charges until it’s too late: the phone bill comes and the sticker shock slaps them in the face. Those who are aware of roaming charges look to public WiFi networks, which, as we learned in our previous blog, leaves them susceptible to identity theft. However, living in this day and age without internet, especially when you’re traveling for business, is just not realistic. This is where Sapphire Mobile Hotspot comes in. When you use our portable WiFi, we offer data plans that are specially designed to keep you in control of how much you spend. You can pay as you go, or prepay for a certain amount, and with our mobile app, you are always able to check your account balance and make sure you are budgeting the right amount of money. Sapphire makes it incredible simple to save money while you travel internationally. Shop our portable WiFi here today!