Credit Card Perks
If given the option to not use a corporate card, I would recommend getting your own. Credit cards usually give you thirty to sixty days to pay off the balance, so if you keep up with your expense reports, you should be able to keep a zero balance on the card. This will prevent you from racking up interest fees that would come out of your pocket. Go online and shop around for different credit cards. There are hundreds of cards, some that are free, some with different point structures and some that have an annual fee. Do not rule out annual fee cards right off the bat. A lot of these cards come with better perks. Try to use your consulting skills to create a spreadsheet of pros and cons. The goal is to maximize your net gain and there are many ways to gain on credit cards. Just want some extra cash? Get a card with higher cash back rewards. Want to travel for personal reasons and not just work? Get a card that gives 2x or 3x reward points on travel rewards. Be sure to review the entire guide of perks as well per card. Many offer purchase protection on electronics, flights, free concierge and lounge access at airports which is a must-have if you are prone to getting delayed a lot. All these perks can definitely make some of the longer travel days just a little less painful.
Double Hop Travel
If you want to save some cash on your personal travel and have some flexibility, try the weekend getaway trip while on the road. Instead of flying home, you can usually fly somewhere else as long as you fly back to your client on Monday and the cost difference is the same. If there is a cost difference, cover the difference out of pocket and only expense what it would have cost for you to fly home. This is a good way to save on the airfare of personal travel and get some cool experiences in. Remember to pack accordingly as you will not have a chance to go home and do laundry for about 11 days if you do this kind of trip.
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