$40 a day

[BBQ Fish]

Think about that for a second...........
$40/day=$280/wk=$1120/mo
I don't even think i spend that in a month for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a family of four cooking at home.
A job that pays you go out to eat.....Who wouldn't love that?

 

[buckytom]

the per diem amount when travelling for my company is $55 a day. most guys eat at a greasy spoon, then pocket the rest.
i was in beaverton, oregon a few years back, on a company trip. i was sent with a tightwad co-worker for a training class. we were there for 10 days, so we were cut a check of $550 before we left to cover meals.
my co-worker bragged about leaving the check at home and ate sparingly the whole time, just going back to his suite after class each night. every day he he said he just made an extra 500 bucks, tax free. i took the rental car every night and explored beaverton and nearby portland. great towns. lots of great restaurants, bars, music, and boobie joints. i blew my per diem by the 3rd day, and had a great time. i even brought my skis and skiied mt. hood on the weekend. he drove to the columbia river, took some pictures, then went back to read.
when we got back to ny, we told 2 very different stories of our trip to the west coast.
all i can say is you only live once...

 

[pdswife]

You're so right bucky. I would have been out exploring too. Portland is a great place. Your friend missed out on so much fun and enjoyment. Money is great but, memories are 100% better.

 

[BBQ Fish]

I've done it as well when a company that worked for company sent me, and two other people to Ohio and Georgia. I was given a co. credit card to entertain with, but the other guys were given $2000 each for the 8 day trip. I however didn't have a limit, (i guess because i was supposed to be the boss still maybe?) so i went out for dinner and drinks with the people from down there, because my boss said i had to show them a good time. But the fools i went with did fast food and pocket all the money joke was on them because in talking to my boss back home, he suggested that i do what he does, which is make cash advances on the card. When you get back though, tell accounting that since my name wasn't on the card they wouldnt let me use it at all places. I did end up in florida one morning, catching a charter for baracuda, mackeral, and i think grouper.
All i can say to that is the owner practically had a contract written in stone after those drunken 8 days!

 

[Vegas Girl]

Where I work, they don't get a cash advance. They have to pay for their own meals (by cash or credit card), then submit the actual receipts and wait for reimbursement.

 

[luvs]

Where I work, they don't get a cash advance. They have to pay for their own meals (by cash or credit card), then submit the actual receipts and wait for reimbursement.

my Mom's old company would fill up her credit card each week, then she'd have to submit reciepts, but she returned to her old company cause that job wore her out cause she was taveling and away from home 5-6 days per week. at her current place of employ, when the employees travel, they turn in reciepts and get reimbursed.

 

[IcyMist]

I am with you BuckyTom. You are still remembering the fun of that trip while your co-worker has nothing left. I think good memories are more meaningful than a few extra dollars that will disappear in a day or so.

 

[mrsdove]

Where I work, they don't get a cash advance. They have to pay for their own meals (by cash or credit card), then submit the actual receipts and wait for reimbursement.

My company works the same way and you have to have the actual receipt not a copy of the receipt.

 

[Daphne duLibre]

Once, I had an advertising sales job with a newspaper in the Portland metro area (Oregon). They gave me an unlimited expense account to entertain clients, because they wanted into a market that was controlled by "The Oregonian" -- part of the Newhouse chain of newspaper monopolies, but that's a different story.

Anyway . . . I got a client list together and would meet people for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I even had one account -- a big one, whom I'd meet for dinner and we'd go watch a baseball game at Multnomah Stadium (Now PGE Stadium -- more politics).

Alcohol was on the list of OK items for this account. So, lunch and dinner typically included cocktails.

I was spending WAY more than $40 a day, but was feeding two people, sometimes more.

This was fine when I enjoyed the company of the client. But the "hard sell" client was a "hard sell" and you couldn't feed me anything that would make it worth my time and $$$ to eat with some of these clients.

Where I "got ahead" on this system was that I didn't spend any of my personal income on food, and I ate at a lot of nice restaurants -- which were typically advertising clients too.

I've had per-diems where I could get ahead on the cash flow. Eating full-time in restaurants results in a pretty poor diet unless you're really careful. On the road, living in motels, eating out. Dangerous stuff. I got a small gas BBQ grill and a portable table so I could cook outdoors. Lots of motels won't let you cook in the rooms, not even an electric fry pan.

Sales on the road stinks -- Hard to put a value on having your own kitchen.

 

[bubba_sybo]

used to get per diem when I was on the road as an audio video tech. I would always used it very sparingly and I could take my woman out when I got home or pay off some bills.
I usually drove for 3-4 days for 15 hours a day so I always left with my plug in cooler loaded with as healthy food as I could. Before I ever got to the hotel I had called ahead and let them know I was on a "restricted" diet and I would arrange for a fridge to be put in my room or have the mini bar emptied. 9 times out of 10 they would bring me a fridge.( id restock my own bar) Once I arrived I would go get the basics, and make most of my meals in my room. Fresh salads, fruit, sandwiches, soups. Occasionally I would bring a small grill and use that (outdoors of cousre). The crew would always go out to at least one nice dinner during the trip and I ate and drank at some great places during my travels. I just wasnt going to spend 10 bucks a day for a crappy burger from room service and fast food tears up my stomach most of the time.
I dont feel like I missed out on much. I still ate really good and managed to get out and see the sights when the show schedule allowed for it.Usually they had an omelette bar in the morning so I would almost always get a good hot breakfast, or some stuff from the breakfast bar while driving . maybe there should be a thread about this kinda thing? what kinda stuff people pack in their coolers for stuff like that.
I guess you can still make that per diem stretch and still manage to have a good time and eat healthy. I came home and still had a great time and still had $$$$ Either way, I know I could eat like a king on 40 bones a day. I wish i had a budget like that.