Business Trip Expenses

[Mark Gambo]

When those of you who have to travel, how much money do you normally get for meals and incidentals? Additionally, does your company give you money for taxis or rental cars?


Thanks

[GaryMazzone]

We get paid in full for rentals. I need to submitt receipts for all meals and rental but all is paid back in full. We also normally submitt the bill to the customer.

[Valleysboy1978]

I always take my own car because I then get more money per mile (about 75c per mile)
I get around £30 per night for food and incidentals (about $55)

[space_monkey]

Yeah its about $5 for breakfast, 8 for lunch, and 14 for dinner. Usually just save all my receipts and turn them in at the end.

[techgnome]

Company AmEx when I can... otherwise I get a receipt (even for the Taxi), and accounting cuts a check for anything that was out of pocket and not on the AmEx card.

-tg

[FunkyDexter]

Meals, accomodation and travel all paid with no set limits, just submit the receipts. I guess technically this means that I could eat at the Ritz every night but I suspect I might find limits geting imposed quite quick if I did

[kfcSmitty]

The pay for all accommodations, rentals, gas, 10 bucks for breakfast and lunch and 29 bucks for dinner.

Of course all except the meals require receipts.

[Mark Gambo]

Ok, thanks everyone. I just wanted to see where we fit in.

[bgmacaw]

One place I worked years ago acted like they wanted us to live off the land. They hated paying IT people for travel and were used to having independent contractor sales reps who paid their own expenses. I had to pay for plane tickets, car rentals, hotel rooms, etc. with my own credit card and hope the reimbursement was paid before my Amex or Visa bill arrived. They also would only cover $10 a day for food.

Another company was much better. They provided a company Amex for meals and took care of other travel stuff through travel agency accounts and the like. They didn't care how much you charged on meals as long as it was reasonable and you documented it.

More recently, I haven't traveled as much as I did in the 80's and 90's. The Internet makes a lot of travel unnecessary.

[Xcoder]

I always take my own car because I then get more money per mile (about 75c per mile)
I get around £30 per night for food and incidentals (about $55)

Do you take in account the usage of your car in terms of engine use and how often you will have to take it to service? Another thing is the impact of the milage at the moment you try to sell it.

No limit when it comes to accommodations and transport as long as the receipt is submitted, although the company gets picky when it comes to food.