When planning a vacation, most people think of activities and amenities to make their trip more enjoyable.
But there is a time when you need to leave an international trip for business reasons, such as work emergencies or personal commitments, and claim the resulting travel expenses on your taxes.
If you’re preparing to file your taxes, it’s essential to understand the difference between “essential” and “non-essential” travel.
Essential travel:
Any time you leave for work or school before or after a business trip, that time is considered essential. It means any expenses associated with these trips are considered as travel expenses reimbursement as long as you can justify they were required to continue earning income.
Non-essential travel:
Expenses related to personal trips, vacations, and other recreational activities are not deductible from your taxes.
So if you leave your business trip early to attend an individual event – like a family graduation or wedding – you can’t claim that extra expense on your taxes.
However, the converse is not valid: you can’t claim a deduction for business expenses on your taxes just because one of your family members asks you to take a personal trip with them.
Three non-essential travel expenses:
You can save your money by cutting back on these expenses while traveling via plannay travels or other agencies.
For all those persons whose job requires them to travel and go out of town for work or just the weekend, you know how much pain it can be to manage all the different aspects of travel.
From planning your trip to packing and getting to and from the airport in time, It can be a real hassle sometimes!
With gas prices averaging $4 per gallon (in California), you could end up spending hundreds and even thousands dollars depending on how much traveling you do (and especially if you’re taking a long car trip).
Tip of travelling
So here are some tips for saving money on travel expenses, even if the economy is not doing so well.
– Transportation –
Try to avoid flying whenever possible, because it’s probably the most expensive model of transportation there is (so take the train or car instead).
And if you have to fly, be sure to check out all your options before booking a flight, so you get the cheapest fare there is.
– Hotels –
You can save some money on your hotel stay by using discount sites to help you choose the best hotel location and price for the area you’re looking to stay at.
Also, if you plan on staying an extra day or two after your conference or event is over, you can try negotiating with the hotel manager for a reduced rate.
For example, Holiday Inn had offered 30% discounts on their hotels during the recession in 2008, so it’s always good to ask!
– Meals –
If you’re traveling around for business or just visiting someplace new, then ask around to see if there’s a local restaurant that has good food and great prices.
Many restaurants have discounts on certain days of the week, so you can plan your trip around those dates.
– Extras –
You can try to cut down on a few things.
For example, if you’re staying in a hotel, then it might be cheaper to order your room service through the menu instead of using room service, to begin with.
Also, remember that most amenities are complimentary at hotels these days (thanks to competition).
So don’t be shy to ask for things like free wifi or late checkout (when possible) before making your reservation.
The same goes for rental cars; most of the time, you can get in and out without using any bells and whistles.
For example, if you’re not planning on renting a car during your stay, don’t bother getting an upgrade at any car rental company. You’ll just be paying more for nothing.
– Technology –
If you have to work while you travel, there are always ways to keep yourself occupied without spending too much money.
Things like Skype, Google Voice, or Gmail video chat are great options for staying in touch with clients or just catching up with friends and family back home.
There are also some great resources out there if you’re looking to find a wifi hotspot on the go, such as WiFiMaps, which will tell you where the nearest hotspot is from your current location.
– Insurance –
Before going on any trip, make sure you have the proper insurance in place because things can always happen when you least expect it.
For example, if you’re driving around in a rental car or taxi, then make sure to get auto-safe driver rates before heading out on your trip.
And insurance is even more critical if you’re traveling overseas to a foreign country because if anything happens – you’ll be stuck there without the proper insurance.
It’s always better to buy travel insurance for any trips you take, whether they are long or short.
Once you have your trip planned out and know what you’re doing, make sure to sign up for some free email newsletters from those travel sites.
That way, you’ll get all the updates, and deal alerts sent right to your inbox without having to search around for it on their website.
Other things you can try.
– Sell some stuff –
If you have extra items you have lying around that you don’t need or use anymore, then try selling them on eBay!
That way, you can make a little extra money while cleaning up around the house and decluttering your place.
The same goes for your closet. You might have some clothes you never wear anymore, so sell them on Poshmark or eBay.
Also, keep in mind that buying something used doesn’t mean that it’s automatically cheaper. You still have to factor in shipping prices and other fees, so always do the math before buying anything.
– Share your place –
If you live with roommates or family members, then be sure to talk it out with them about splitting up chores or covering extra costs.
For example, if your place is in a good location near work or school, then maybe you can offer to do the laundry for everyone in exchange for free ride shares with them.
And when it comes to splitting bills, there are no hard and fast rules. So make something up that works best for all of you!
– Cut back on the little stuff –
If you have a daily commute to work or go to school, there are always ways to save money.
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For example, if your daily commute is by train, make sure that you’re taking advantage of all those discount ticket options they offer to save yourself some money. Stay updated with our latest tours and travel articles at SugerMint.