Advice for working on the road - Full Time Travel Work

BoozeCube

Von Clippowicz
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So I recently got an offer to go back to work with a company I used to work with before doing Business Consulting, when I worked there before I enjoyed the job mostly and the pay is decent I was making slightly over six figures here before and they offered me an increase to come back. The down side to it though is that it's pretty much full time travel. Anywhere in the U.S. and Canada primarily.

What this typically consisted of was flying out Sunday, picking up a rental car, checking into a hotel so I could be ready to go in first thing Monday mornings, I would work with the client during the week usually billing between 40-50 hours then Friday I would fly back home depending I would get in late Friday night or sometimes early Saturday morning which would leave me with enough time to do laundry, hit the dry cleaners, and have a day to rest before flying back out again.

Depending on the client and the business I would work with if we got the job open I would be there for a varying amount of time. Usually 2-3 months sometimes longer. If the client didn't open then I would get on another flight to open with a new client on Tuesday, Wednesday, ect..

The-Bobs.jpg


Typically when working with a client I know that I am going to be staying in that city for a couple of months which makes it easier to plan flights, I also have the option if I choose to stay in the city over the weekend to expense the hotels and car lets say it's in a city I haven't been and want to check it out instead of flying home. I can do that, or alternatively I can use the flight to bring someone to me, like if a girlfriend wanted to join me for the week or weekend or whatever.

The other perks of doing this job was that I was racking up a ton of airline miles, hotel points, car rental points ect. which is nice but when you live out of a hotel room taking a vacation to a hotel room isn't super exciting. The way it works is I book all this stuff and the company reimburses me which actually it's the client that is really paying for it all but that is besides the point. I typically get the full sized cars but they really don't want us renting high end luxury cars understandably. Hotels are kind of the same usually places in the $150-200 a night range I typically prefer to stay at the Hampton Inns or the Garden Inns, Homewood Suites of course depending on the town if it's a small Podunk place I may not have many options. Flight's I typically try and stick to Delta since I have the highest status with that airline currently, then lastly I get $70 per diem to spend on food or whatever, I never really count this as pay but I get to keep whatever I don't use so maybe I should.

Why am I telling you guys all this you ask? Well the last time I did this after months on the road it started to wear me out a little and I felt like I was always on the go trying to catch up. Depending on the flight going from the East to West coast and back I might lose most of my weekend flying ect.

I haven't decided if I am going to accept the offer or not but I am strongly considering it. If I do I was hoping you guys might have some advice or maybe experience traveling or just offer tips and shit to make the life on the road easier and smoother. Here is a list of some questions and also some tips I have learned from the last time.



Since I end up using my credit cards to book all these expenses I am thinking of applying for some different ones. Last time I simply used a card I had that gives 1.5% cash back on everything. Not really a lot of money but considering I am charging tens of thousands per year it's a nice little bonus. I think last year I used what I built up to buy some Christmas presents. Still I am wondering if there are better option here. Credit Karma is always recommending me a Chase Sapphire Preferred card which seems to be a travel card which might be a better option. Anyone have an experience with these or any recommendations?

Eating on the road, I have been trying to diet better and watch my weight but last time I worked here I ended up eating out and having fast food very often. I still actually did lose weight while I was on the road but what do you guys do to eat healthy when you are away from home? Keep in mind my food budget for the day is $70 although most hotels usually include some sort of breakfast even if it's meh.

I am always renting different cars, so is there any good ones that stand out to you guys to try? I personally have a VW Passat and actually like the car so I usually rent that when available but maybe I am missing out and should be trying different models.

I listed my preference for hotels but anyone have any good suggestions or can tell me if I am missing out not booking with one over another.

It also gets lonely while on the road, but I have hooked up with some locals before when I know I am going to be working with a client for at least a couple of months I take a look at the local watering hole, Do you guys go crazy with tinder, bumble? Do you travel with your fully suction autoblow 5000, or maybe of you prefer the BBC Wakandan Vibranium Cuckmaster? Or maybe you guys blow your load on the hotel towels like savages knowing you are gonna get new ones the next day. The point is any thoughts on this area while on the road.

I have thought about investing in some noise canceling headphones to avoid the screaming shit children that so many neglectful parents let run wild on the plane. I don't mind flying but I am a taller guy and could stand to lose some weight so when I am in coach it's always somewhat uncomfortable but manageable, when I get first class obviously it's a much better time. Still I wonder if I should buy a Nintendo Switch or something, maybe some books. I typically try not to work on the laptop on the flight I find it to cumbersome mostly because I have a stupid big gaming laptop which is getting older so I should get something new that's a little bit of a trade off in power and size. What do you guys do to make flights more enjoyable?

I am sure I am missing some things at the moment and if you guys have any questions feel free to ask so I can clarify anything.

I typically go with 1 checked bag and 1 carry on. My carry on has my laptop, a portal printer, business cards, basically everything I need so I can be ready for the client even if somehow my checked bag got fucked.

So one of the things I pretty much always do after checking into my hotel is hit up the local Wal-Mart and buy a case of bottled water for like $2-3 to shove in the hotel fridge this actually ends up almost always saving me money since I like having something to drink on demand.

Oh and lastly the T.S.A. prescreen shit where you basically get to pay the government money to not treat you like a terrorist, get to keep your shoes and shit on, get to skip all the others in line. It's so fucking worth it.

I typed way more shit than I first thought I was going to but yeah. Help me out FoH crew I need to master the art of traveling so it doesn't knock my ass out this time around.
 
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Izo

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IrGQdSe.png

Have you tried some makeup? Go for it - make a thread of the traveling consultant. Maybe a little J53 action?
JnO1drG.jpg
 

alavaz

Trakanon Raider
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I travel for work 6-12 times per year. It's usually either short flights to one of two places on the east coast or ridiculously long ones to a middle eastern shit hole. The only thing I can do on a flight to make it not suck is go to sleep. I've gotten pretty good at doing it drug free too. I always get a window seat so I can lean into it.

I'd try to fly American if I were in your situation as they do a 500 mile upgrade thing where you can put yourself on a list to get upgraded to first class for 500 miles. All of my buddies that fly American seem to get first class all the time with that. I fly Delta but only because they're my best option for flying home which I do for free once a year with my miles.

If you buy a lot of shit on Amazon, their Chase card is awesome for rewards. I use my Delta card to buy all my flights and stuff, but since you said you're not really in it for personal travel, cash back is probably the better idea.

I don't really have much advice on making hotels not suck. I usually do what you do, hit up a walmart and buy stuff to eat/drink so I'm not always going out. I tend to just play games on my laptop at the hotel but if I'm some place with interesting tourist stuff I'll get out and go sight seeing. Places with trains or a metro system are awesome to sight see on the solo. I also like to bring my firetv stick and hook that up to the TV so I'm not stuck with Hotel cable. I have a VPN at home that I connect to from the US and then I have a VPN service I use when international. For both security and ease of use purposes.
 

Big_w_powah

Trakanon Raider
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I do a lot of travel domestically within Texas. Most of it is driving so I can't help with flights

But Hotels I stay in probably 10-15 nights a month.

I tend to hit up the local walmart, or shop before the trip depending on where I'm going, for food; Maybe try a local diner or something one night.

I bring my personal laptop for games.
 

Lanx

<Prior Amod>
60,524
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So I recently got an offer to go back to work with a company I used to work with before doing Business Consulting, when I worked there before I enjoyed the job mostly and the pay is decent I was making slightly over six figures here before and they offered me an increase to come back. The down side to it though is that it's pretty much full time travel. Anywhere in the U.S. and Canada primarily.

What this typically consisted of was flying out Sunday, picking up a rental car, checking into a hotel so I could be ready to go in first thing Monday mornings, I would work with the client during the week usually billing between 40-50 hours then Friday I would fly back home depending I would get in late Friday night or sometimes early Saturday morning which would leave me with enough time to do laundry, hit the dry cleaners, and have a day to rest before flying back out again.

Depending on the client and the business I would work with if we got the job open I would be there for a varying amount of time. Usually 2-3 months sometimes longer. If the client didn't open then I would get on another flight to open with a new client on Tuesday, Wednesday, ect..

The-Bobs.jpg


Typically when working with a client I know that I am going to be staying in that city for a couple of months which makes it easier to plan flights, I also have the option if I choose to stay in the city over the weekend to expense the hotels and car lets say it's in a city I haven't been and want to check it out instead of flying home. I can do that, or alternatively I can use the flight to bring someone to me, like if a girlfriend wanted to join me for the week or weekend or whatever.

The other perks of doing this job was that I was racking up a ton of airline miles, hotel points, car rental points ect. which is nice but when you live out of a hotel room taking a vacation to a hotel room isn't super exciting. The way it works is I book all this stuff and the company reimburses me which actually it's the client that is really paying for it all but that is besides the point. I typically get the full sized cars but they really don't want us renting high end luxury cars understandably. Hotels are kind of the same usually places in the $150-200 a night range I typically prefer to stay at the Hampton Inns or the Garden Inns, Homewood Suites of course depending on the town if it's a small Podunk place I may not have many options. Flight's I typically try and stick to Delta since I have the highest status with that airline currently, then lastly I get $70 per diem to spend on food or whatever, I never really count this as pay but I get to keep whatever I don't use so maybe I should.

Why am I telling you guys all this you ask? Well the last time I did this after months on the road it started to wear me out a little and I felt like I was always on the go trying to catch up. Depending on the flight going from the East to West coast and back I might lose most of my weekend flying ect.

I haven't decided if I am going to accept the offer or not but I am strongly considering it. If I do I was hoping you guys might have some advice or maybe experience traveling or just offer tips and shit to make the life on the road easier and smoother. Here is a list of some questions and also some tips I have learned from the last time.



Since I end up using my credit cards to book all these expenses I am thinking of applying for some different ones. Last time I simply used a card I had that gives 1.5% cash back on everything. Not really a lot of money but considering I am charging tens of thousands per year it's a nice little bonus. I think last year I used what I built up to buy some Christmas presents. Still I am wondering if there are better option here. Credit Karma is always recommending me a Chase Sapphire Preferred card which seems to be a travel card which might be a better option. Anyone have an experience with these or any recommendations?

Eating on the road, I have been trying to diet better and watch my weight but last time I worked here I ended up eating out and having fast food very often. I still actually did lose weight while I was on the road but what do you guys do to eat healthy when you are away from home? Keep in mind my food budget for the day is $70 although most hotels usually include some sort of breakfast even if it's meh.

I am always renting different cars, so is there any good ones that stand out to you guys to try? I personally have a VW Passat and actually like the car so I usually rent that when available but maybe I am missing out and should be trying different models.

I listed my preference for hotels but anyone have any good suggestions or can tell me if I am missing out not booking with one over another.

It also gets lonely while on the road, but I have hooked up with some locals before when I know I am going to be working with a client for at least a couple of months I take a look at the local watering hole, Do you guys go crazy with tinder, bumble? Do you travel with your fully suction autoblow 5000, or maybe of you prefer the BBC Wakandan Vibranium Cuckmaster? Or maybe you guys blow your load on the hotel towels like savages knowing you are gonna get new ones the next day. The point is any thoughts on this area while on the road.

I have thought about investing in some noise canceling headphones to avoid the screaming shit children that so many neglectful parents let run wild on the plane. I don't mind flying but I am a taller guy and could stand to lose some weight so when I am in coach it's always somewhat uncomfortable but manageable, when I get first class obviously it's a much better time. Still I wonder if I should buy a Nintendo Switch or something, maybe some books. I typically try not to work on the laptop on the flight I find it to cumbersome mostly because I have a stupid big gaming laptop which is getting older so I should get something new that's a little bit of a trade off in power and size. What do you guys do to make flights more enjoyable?

I am sure I am missing some things at the moment and if you guys have any questions feel free to ask so I can clarify anything.

I typically go with 1 checked bag and 1 carry on. My carry on has my laptop, a portal printer, business cards, basically everything I need so I can be ready for the client even if somehow my checked bag got fucked.

So one of the things I pretty much always do after checking into my hotel is hit up the local Wal-Mart and buy a case of bottled water for like $2-3 to shove in the hotel fridge this actually ends up almost always saving me money since I like having something to drink on demand.

Oh and lastly the T.S.A. prescreen shit where you basically get to pay the government money to not treat you like a terrorist, get to keep your shoes and shit on, get to skip all the others in line. It's so fucking worth it.

I typed way more shit than I first thought I was going to but yeah. Help me out FoH crew I need to master the art of traveling so it doesn't knock my ass out this time around.
TLDR: i just became Amod Amod and might have to quit


as an alternate:
"FUCK"
 
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moonarchia

The Scientific Shitlord
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Booze, unless you really really like traveling and not living at home, just hard pass on the job. Or sell/rent the house and invest in a nice winnebago or something.
 
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Lanx

<Prior Amod>
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is your home life good? this type of job really affects life at home

only sounds like gf atm?

My wife traveled for a year on one project, but i'm a very understanding husband and at that time we were going on 15yrs, so it was like no strain really, honestly she was going crazy more than me.

At times it felt like she'd just come home to get a fresh set of clothes, then she got the OK to charge her dry cleaning back also, so she came back even more in-frequent, again i was fine, but she was going crazy.
 

Big_w_powah

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Are you married, Big_w_powah Big_w_powah ? I mean how can you get family life to work if so?
Short and sweet answer? Yes I am married. I really can't get family life to work.

My wife and I have stayed together off of loyalty. But I'm so close to being able to cut that shit to a minimum I can taste it.
 
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Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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I've always used hotels.com. It's hard to beat the free night every 10 hotel stays. As for what to do on flights, I have to agree with alavaz. I sleep. I even sleep on the flight from SFO to LAX. Can't even help myself anymore. I do have a DS with a bunch of classic NES games, but I would consider a Switch for longer flights like the east coast. I also just predownload a bunch of shit from Netflix through their app.

For a credit card - the Chase Sapphire Preferred is legit. Double points on flights, hotels, and restaurants. You really rack up some serious rewards quickly.

I've used Tinder/Bumble while on the road and it's been OK. But I'm never in a place as long term as you. So it's purely a hookup tool. Just update the profile to mention I'm in town for business and am peacing out in a few days.
 

BoozeCube

Von Clippowicz
<Prior Amod>
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is your home life good? this type of job really affects life at home

only sounds like gf atm?

My wife traveled for a year on one project, but i'm a very understanding husband and at that time we were going on 15yrs, so it was like no strain really, honestly she was going crazy more than me.

At times it felt like she'd just come home to get a fresh set of clothes, then she got the OK to charge her dry cleaning back also, so she came back even more in-frequent, again i was fine, but she was going crazy.

My home life there really isn't much of one. A couple of years back I posted about it in the depression forums. Long story short a few years back I had an amazing partner and I felt like she and I were doing great we had been together for about 6 years, we were living together and had to places one here in the U.S. and one in Germany. We were actively trying to have a kid and then she ended up leaving and very soon after started to see another guy. I was working in the adult industry at the time I co-owned a German sex subsidiary that her and I both worked at which might of been part of our issues since we were together 24/7 practically.

After she left I fell into dark times and spent the next year or so dumping loads into every porn star who would let me, which while fun was unfulfilling. Then my German business partner tried to fuck me over with the business and we ended up in a 2 year old legal battle which I eventually won, but after the time, stress, and legal fee's ultimately wasn't worth it.

I am now in my late 30's and I am not married, have no children, and currently only casually date. It wasn't until maybe a year ago I will really over my ex anyways. So aside from my dog which when I did this job last time I had stay with my mother there isn't anything at home to keep me planted. At the same time it is also hard to start up relationships when you are only around on the weekends and stuff.
 

Lanx

<Prior Amod>
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My home life there really isn't much of one. A couple of years back I posted about it in the depression forums. Long story short a few years back I had an amazing partner and I felt like she and I were doing great we had been together for about 6 years, we were living together and had to places one here in the U.S. and one in Germany. We were actively trying to have a kid and then she ended up leaving and very soon after started to see another guy. I was working in the adult industry at the time I co-owned a German sex subsidiary that her and I both worked at which might of been part of our issues since we were together 24/7 practically.

After she left I fell into dark times and spent the next year or so dumping loads into every porn star who would let me, which while fun was unfulfilling. Then my German business partner tried to fuck me over with the business and we ended up in a 2 year old legal battle which I eventually won, but after the time, stress, and legal fee's ultimately wasn't worth it.

I am now in my late 30's and I am not married, have no children, and currently only casually date. It wasn't until maybe a year ago I will really over my ex anyways. So aside from my dog which when I did this job last time I had stay with my mother there isn't anything at home to keep me planted. At the same time it is also hard to start up relationships when you are only around on the weekends and stuff.
I sometimes hang w/ one of my wifes work friends, an expat from Germany. My wife just feels bad for him, he's alone and frankly his apt is bare. Like he has 1 couch that he bought (like a therapist couch), we make fun of him cuz it's so German, his fridge only has beer and a bottle of ketchup. He's not a bad looking guy either, in his 30's, but eating out everyday for 6months in fucking KANSAS has him gaining 60lbs.

My wife said he has unusually fast weight gain cuz he has a muffin top, and that should only be reserved for women.

So if you're living like this guy and have nothing holding you down (you said you can dump your dog), then go for it, although i would HIGHLY stress working out.

Some hotels don't have free weights, most do, but you can get this to attach a dumbell to and have a ghetto kettlebel

Another way is to get this fillup kettlebel bag, while you're at walmart, make a quick trip to the local homedepot and buy a 60lb bag of sand (it's like 4bucks) and fill it up, when you plan to fly dump the sand in the parking lot.

and/or get one of the TRX kits do the suspention training from a closed door, etc (you can probably amazon search a cheaper kit).

Just ideas to have a consistent workout, in case the only thing you have is a few treadmils and a broken bowflex in the hotels. (since they don't weigh much and you can just dump in the suitcase)
 

BrotherWu

MAGA
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BoozeCube

Von Clippowicz
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I sometimes hang w/ one of my wifes work friends, an expat from Germany. My wife just feels bad for him, he's alone and frankly his apt is bare. Like he has 1 couch that he bought (like a therapist couch), we make fun of him cuz it's so German, his fridge only has beer and a bottle of ketchup. He's not a bad looking guy either, in his 30's, but eating out everyday for 6months in fucking KANSAS has him gaining 60lbs.

My wife said he has unusually fast weight gain cuz he has a muffin top, and that should only be reserved for women.

So if you're living like this guy and have nothing holding you down (you said you can dump your dog), then go for it, although i would HIGHLY stress working out.

Some hotels don't have free weights, most do, but you can get this to attach a dumbell to and have a ghetto kettlebel

Another way is to get this fillup kettlebel bag, while you're at walmart, make a quick trip to the local homedepot and buy a 60lb bag of sand (it's like 4bucks) and fill it up, when you plan to fly dump the sand in the parking lot.

and/or get one of the TRX kits do the suspention training from a closed door, etc (you can probably amazon search a cheaper kit).

Just ideas to have a consistent workout, in case the only thing you have is a few treadmils and a broken bowflex in the hotels. (since they don't weigh much and you can just dump in the suitcase)

Is it Curry Ketchup? I bet it's Curry Ketchup the Krauts love that shit. There are some shit I miss about Germany for sure.

Yeah working out in hotels can be really hit or miss depending on where you stay. Like I said last time I did this job I ended up losing weight despite eating out all the time. So with any luck that will be the case again but finding a good way to gym up while on the road is something I should but more thought and focus in.
 

Jalynfane

Phank 2002
719
563
Every single person I know that did sales travel always told me that try not to eat out if at all possible, seconded by trying to work out every day in the hotel.
 

BoozeCube

Von Clippowicz
<Prior Amod>
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I've always used hotels.com. It's hard to beat the free night every 10 hotel stays. As for what to do on flights, I have to agree with alavaz. I sleep. I even sleep on the flight from SFO to LAX. Can't even help myself anymore. I do have a DS with a bunch of classic NES games, but I would consider a Switch for longer flights like the east coast. I also just predownload a bunch of shit from Netflix through their app.

Hmm I usually book right through the Hilton app and I get free stays from that, if I used hotels.com can I double up on their rewards plus the hotels? Double dip? I cannot sleep on flights for the life of me. Sometimes on international flights but even then it's rare.

For a credit card - the Chase Sapphire Preferred is legit. Double points on flights, hotels, and restaurants. You really rack up some serious rewards quickly.

Yeah I think I might just go ahead and sign up for it. The only negative side to the card is the yearly fee of $90 or whatever. Aside from that it seems pretty legit.

I've used Tinder/Bumble while on the road and it's been OK. But I'm never in a place as long term as you. So it's purely a hookup tool. Just update the profile to mention I'm in town for business and am peacing out in a few days.

I have used those and OK cupid, and even seeking arrangements which is nothing but gold digging whores looking for sugar daddies. So you take em out to dinner and beat it up and then talk about an arrangement that really is never gonna happen.
 

Lanx

<Prior Amod>
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Is it Curry Ketchup? I bet it's Curry Ketchup the Krauts love that shit. There are some shit I miss about Germany for sure.

Yeah working out in hotels can be really hit or miss depending on where you stay. Like I said last time I did this job I ended up losing weight despite eating out all the time. So with any luck that will be the case again but finding a good way to gym up while on the road is something I should but more thought and focus in.

Dude this is Kansas, i'm surprised he didn't get BBQ sauce welcome basket.
 

BoozeCube

Von Clippowicz
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Every single person I know that did sales travel always told me that try not to eat out if at all possible, seconded by trying to work out every day in the hotel.

It isn't really sales so much other than maybe trying to get them extend projects so you can stay a couple more months. Really though it was already crazy to me how much they would bill us out at. Pretty much all of our engagements were booked at $300-475 an hour. Most places we were pulling in about $15-20k a week depending on the expenses we listed.

If I was smart I would start my own consulting company.