I am a mobile worker, just like many business people these days, traveling with my suitcases in one hand and a plane ticket in the other; always on the move. To be more precise, I am a corporate trainer who lives her life in hotels.
I have a business card without an address. Ha! I am not making a point about how glamorous the job is; rather, I am fascinated by the fact that I have become, essentially, my own travel agent. I look for my own online deals; I employ my own strategies; make my own itineraries; book my own trips.
One of the most significant decisions for any traveler - whether business or holiday - is to figure out where to stay. For me I must figure out if I will choose a bed and breakfast? A condominium-cum-hotel? An out of the way traveler's inn on the outskirts of downtown? Will I choose a beach resort, a grand five-star hotel, a humble but practical apartment, or a vacation rental? Will I decide to pamper myself, or choose a hotel that is sensibly priced? My personal preferences are not rigid: they depend on a variety of aspects, including the value-for-money, peak of off-peak season, length of my stay, my mode of transportation, etc. Where will I be staying? Where will I rest my head? These are questions I ask myself daily; this is why I use the Internet to look up the best online deals and promotions for hotels. The only hotel I won't consider is the one that is owned by Norman Bates.
It's a hassle, I must admit, the extracurricular tasks. I would hire a personal travel agent, except that I'm a direct-to-direct kind of guy, and because the extra hard work does pay off anyway. Literally. After I have made my hotel bookings from online deals, I often find out that I was able to accumulate an incredible amount of savings - most of them coming from booking discounts, cash-back rebates, credit card points, membership discounts, and loyalty guest promotions. This is important: just like expenses that come from your own pocket, savings earned and made also take on a cumulative effect. And the numbers will surprise you every time you look at it; they always do.
Anyway, my traveling on business can be made rewarding when I am able to save big on costs other than that incurred in looking for accommodation. It helps me take my mind off of the amount of money I am spending. Imagine the things you have to spend when you're always on the move: food, communication and phone calls, transportation, coffee, the occasional night-out, and the occasional "I bought this in such and such" souvenir item. Thus, when I fire up the computer before a trip, I make sure to search website after website for affordable car rentals, airline tickets, travel luggage, accessories, supplies, tour packages and other money-saving online deals for travel. That way, nothing I spend on can be described as unnecessary - which is what a smart and frugal business traveler should always be able to say.
Black Friday Online Deals
With many families opting to take this year's summer holidays in the UK instead of going abroad, the recession is beginning to affect everyone. However just because money isn't as free flowing as it was maybe 12 months ago it doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a weekend break in a European city or the family holiday to Florida.
Flights can be expensive, but there are many ways that you can save money on your flights and accommodation, or even earn free flights and free hotels altogether. For example, you can save with schemes such as airmiles or save points with your regular purchases such as your shopping, your fuel or even on your utility bills. This way you can save for free flights and free hotels by making the sort of purchases that you have to make everyday using loyalty programmes and reward cards.
By using loyalty programmes you can be building up your points to earn free flights every time you pay your bills. The constant increases in petrol prices may be a thorn in everyone's side, but when every pound gets you one step closer to your dream holiday it may not seem quite so bad.
The weekly shop may be a chore, but just think of the free flights at the end of it and the queues in the shop might seem that little bit shorter.
Both Brad Alexzander & Ashily are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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