Originally Posted by FlyingNasaForm

Avoid buying food on the road and pocket your per diem by packing food. Get yourself a good cooler and a couple ice packs. When possible put your whole cooler in the refrigerator overnight, that way the ice packs don't have to cool down the bag. After an 18 hour day (w/ commute) my bag would still be cold. I often went an entire month without spending money on the road (for food or fun). But I was a slam clicker.

If you don't like cooking buy one or two rotisserie chickens before your trip and cut them up. I also packed tortillas and shredded cheese and made mini soft taco wraps.

Make sure you do some searching come tax time. If your company pass you less per diem than the IRS standard daily rate for transportation workers, most of the difference is delectable.

Get a library card and pick up Dave Ramsey's book "The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness". (If your local library doesn't have a copy ask abut an "inter-library loan".) Stick with the budget he'll show you how to make and it will be amazing how much money you have left over at the end of the month.

Good luck!