Hello Foodie Friends,

Today’s post is from our guest contributor Jesse Clark

Going on a great trip away from home comes with many benefits. It’s a chance to take a break from the demands of business, relax, broaden your perspective, learn more about yourself, and so much more. However, while many people struggle with whether it will be beneficial or being too busy to travel, one of the top reasons people don’t travel is due to a tight budget. It’s true, travel can be expensive. But if you plan ahead and use money-saving strategies, you can go on a magnificent, rejuvenating trip without draining your bank account.

For those who want to travel without abandoning their budget and business responsibilities, consider these tips from Savor Our City.

Be open-minded and flexible.

When you book your trip, be flexible. Keep an open mind about your destination and travel dates. You can often find special deals on flights to certain vacation spots, and even if it’s a place you weren’t considering before, it might turn out to be the perfect getaway.

Also, spend some time on booking sites to observe the price differences on roundtrip flights regarding the days of the week. For instance, flying Tuesday to Tuesday — or even Saturday to Saturday — is typically much cheaper than flying Friday to Sunday. Moreover, you can save a significant amount of money by traveling during the off-season or shoulder season.

Opt for a vacation rental.

Unless you know people who live at your destination and they’ve opened their home to you, you will need to book a place to stay. While hotels come with many different perks, vacation rentals are simply a better all-around option for extended stays.

When you go through a hosting service like Airbnb, you can expect to have nice, clean accommodations. Plus, there will probably be more space to spread out, you’ll be able to comfortably cook your own meals, and you’ll have exceptional privacy. Oh, yes, and it’s a lot less expensive than staying at a hotel.

Lighten your workload.

One obvious way to reduce stress levels and ensure you can enjoy your downtime is to reduce your work obligations. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. These days, though, there are terrific services popping up that can help you with all sorts of business tasks.

Take a routine chore like filing the annual report for a business. Any entrepreneur can tell you that this is a must-do, yet nobody relishes the day they need to pull together all their data, then organize it and file a report with the state. You can simply pass this project on, though, through affordable services like ZenBusiness.com. They offer personalized dashboards to tend all the details your state requires of your company, will compile the data, and then file the report on your behalf. By leaning on a service that has all the bells and whistles to take care of chores like these, you can focus your time, money, and energy on your relaxing getaway.

Change your wireless plan.

This one is essential because it can save you hundreds of dollars: get an international wireless plan before you leave for your trip. Roaming charges can do a number on your budget, and a good long-distance plan will enable you to talk to friends and family while protecting you from unexpected hikes in your monthly bill. Also, consider switching to unlimited data, which will save you from steep overage charges while allowing you to use your phone for navigation, web browsing, social media, and other tasks.

You don’t have to empty your savings to take an awesome trip. Use savings opportunities and rent a car so that you can go where you want, when you want. Opt for an unlimited data plan to protect yourself from hefty fees, and be flexible with your destination and travel dates. Finally, ditch the hotels and go for a vacation rental for a more cost-effective stay.

Until we eat again…

I send you delicious wishes, xo

Denise