The majority of contractors are self-employed. That means they can’t get freebies as part of their job, like flights and accommodation paid for by their companies. You will doubtless know that you can offset your expenses against the tax you pay. However, the downside is that you make fewer profits if you are extravagant with your spending.
If you have to travel a lot for the work you do, and you have to stay over places for one or more nights, it’s likely your expenses won’t be cheap. But, did you know that there are plenty of ways to save on your work expenses? Here are a few brilliant examples to illustrate what I mean!
Don’t Drive to and from the Airport
Have you got to travel a fair distance? If so, you will probably take a flight to your destination for reasons of time and convenience. Many people don’t live close to their nearest major airport, and so they will “park and drive.”
The trouble with that approach is that you end up spending lots of money on parking fees. Plus, you always hear horror stories about cars getting vandalized inside “secure” parking lots.
It’s a better idea if you take public transport to the airport and back. Sure, it’ll take you long and isn’t as convenient. But you save yourself a lot of cash, and that money can get put towards your other travel costs!
Staying Away for a Few Weeks? Rent an Apartment!
We all know that hotel accommodation is expensive. Especially when you have to stay away for a few weeks at a time.
The hotel you stay at might offer you a discount, but it’s nothing significant.
A better option is to stay at a short-term apartment. Places like Ultris Arrow Canyon let you stay for as little or as long as you like. Such accommodation is cheaper than staying at a hotel, and a damn site more comfortable too!
Use your Smartphone for Discounted Dining
When you’re not working, you need to eat some food at some point. You could eat somewhere local to where you’re staying. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the cheapest place to eat out.
The brilliant thing about smartphones is you can download lots of free apps for finding discounts! Some services like Groupon let you pay in advance, and, in return, you get a cheaper meal when you arrive at your chosen restaurant.
There are plenty of ways to eat out for less in today’s modern world. You just need to make sure you know of them before you decide where to eat!
Get a Cashback Credit Card
Most contractors will put any expenses onto their credit cards and settle the balance later. They will usually wait until they get paid from their clients before clearing those balances.
If that’s something you do, I urge you to get a cashback credit card. In a nutshell, if you make eligible purchases, you can get some money back from your purchases. If you do a lot of traveling, you will doubtless get a lot of cashback!