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Topic no. 511, Business travel expenses

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Travel expenses are the ordinary and necessary expenses of traveling away from home for your business, profession, or job. You can't deduct expenses that are lavish or extravagant, or that are for personal purposes.

You're traveling away from home if your duties require you to be away from the general area of your tax home for a period substantially longer than an ordinary day's work, and you need to get sleep or rest to meet the demands of your work while away.

Generally, your tax home is the entire city or general area where your main place of business or work is located, regardless of where you maintain your family home. For example, you live with your family in Chicago but work in Milwaukee where you stay in a hotel and eat in restaurants. You return to Chicago every weekend. You may not deduct any of your travel, meals or lodging in Milwaukee because that's your tax home. Your travel on weekends to your family home in Chicago isn't for your work, so these expenses are also not deductible. If you regularly work in more than one place, your tax home is the general area where your main place of business or work is located.

In determining your main place of business, take into account the length of time you normally need to spend at each location for business purposes, the degree of business activity in each area, and the relative significance of the financial return from each area. However, the most important consideration is the length of time you spend at each location.

You can deduct travel expenses paid or incurred in connection with a temporary work assignment away from home. However, you can't deduct travel expenses paid in connection with an indefinite work assignment. Any work assignment in excess of one year is considered indefinite. Also, you may not deduct travel expenses at a work location if you realistically expect that you'll work there for more than one year, whether or not you actually work there that long. If you realistically expect to work at a temporary location for one year or less, and the expectation changes so that at some point you realistically expect to work there for more than one year, travel expenses become nondeductible when your expectation changes.

Travel expenses for conventions are deductible if you can show that your attendance benefits your trade or business. Special rules apply to conventions held outside the North American area.

Deductible travel expenses while away from home include, but aren't limited to, the costs of:

• Travel by airplane, train, bus or car between your home and your business destination. (If you're provided with a ticket or you're riding free as a result of a frequent traveler or similar program, your cost is zero.)
• The airport or train station and your hotel,
• The hotel and the work location of your customers or clients, your business meeting place, or your temporary work location.
• Shipping of baggage, and sample or display material between your regular and temporary work locations.
• Using your car while at your business destination. You can deduct actual expenses or the standard mileage rate, as well as business-related tolls and parking fees. If you rent a car, you can deduct only the business-use portion for the expenses.
• Lodging and non-entertainment-related meals.
• Dry cleaning and laundry.
• Business calls while on your business trip. (This includes business communications by fax machine or other communication devices.)
• Tips you pay for services related to any of these expenses.
• Other similar ordinary and necessary expenses related to your business travel. (These expenses might include transportation to and from a business meal, public stenographer's fees, computer rental fees, and operating and maintaining a house trailer.)

Instead of keeping records of your meal expenses and deducting the actual cost, you can generally use a standard meal allowance, which varies depending on where you travel. The deduction for business meals is generally limited to 50% of the unreimbursed cost.

If you're self-employed, you can deduct travel expenses on Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship) , or if you're a farmer, on Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming .

If you're a member of the National Guard or military reserve, you may be able to claim a deduction for unreimbursed travel expenses paid in connection with the performance of services as a reservist that reduces your adjusted gross income. This travel must be overnight and more than 100 miles from your home. Expenses must be ordinary and necessary. This deduction is limited to the regular federal per diem rate (for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses) and the standard mileage rate (for car expenses) plus any parking fees, ferry fees, and tolls. Claim these expenses on Form 2106, Employee Business Expenses and report them on Form 1040 , Form 1040-SR , or Form 1040-NR as an adjustment to income.

Good records are essential. Refer to Topic no. 305 for information on recordkeeping. For more information on these and other travel expenses, refer to Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses .

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It’s never “just business,” it’s always personal

The difference between a Living Away From Home Allowance and Travel Allowance

When you work away from home, it's likely that you're entitled to extra compensation.

The two most common forms of this are a Travel Allowance and a Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA). Although these cover similar situations, there are key differences between the two.

Read on to see which of these allowances you might be entitled to.

What is a Travel Allowance?

When LAFHA and Travel Allowances were first created, the differentiating factor was the length of time you spent away from home. Initially, the dividing mark was 21 days, but this is no longer the case.

The 21-day rule for Travel Allowances has been extended, with some people on this allowance for up to six weeks.

As a general rule, you'll be on a travel allowance rather than LAFHA if you are staying in accommodation provided by your employee, return home intermittently during your time away and are paid the standard allowance for travel, accommodation and food.

This is especially true if someone else is able to use your accommodation when you're not there, like when you're staying in a hotel for your time away.

What is the Living Away from Home Allowance?

To be eligible for   LAFHA  , there are a few boxes that you have to tick.

Firstly, you must have accommodation in Australia that you intend to return to. You must also provide a declaration to your employer about living away from home.

Unless you're a fly-in fly-out style worker, your time away from home must be longer than 21 days but shorter than 12 months.

LAFHA covers two main bases: food and accommodation. These are both deemed by the ATO to be 'reasonable' -- for food, there's a yearly allowance (currently $265 per week for food and drink) while your accommodation needs must be similar to what you have while you're staying at home.

One major difference between the two concerns partners and children. For travelling allowances, it's rare that family would also make the move. However, with LAFHA, this is a lot more common. 

Tax differences

One of the major differences between the two allowance is the way they're taxed.

Travel Allowances are categorised as assessable income and you may find that PAYG withholding applies. This can affect things such as your Medicare levy.

LAFHA, on the other hand, is non-assessable and falls under the category of Fringe Benefits Tax.

In most cases, your company will assess your situation and pay you accordingly. You'll be able to see which allowance you're receiving based on your payment summary.

Getting help with your LAFHA and Travel Allowance

If you spend a lot of time away from home – or you're about to – and you're not sure which category you fall under, speaking to an accountant can help. Call Active Accounting Group's Newcastle office on (02) 4044 1245 for more information or download our free Living Away From Home Fact Sheet.

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• Deductions & Credits
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Away From Home

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia.

Lea Uradu, J.D. is a Maryland State Registered Tax Preparer, State Certified Notary Public, Certified VITA Tax Preparer, IRS Annual Filing Season Program Participant, and Tax Writer.

What Does "Away From Home" Mean?

"Away from home” is a phrase used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to express that a taxpayer is not within commuting distance from home. If the taxpayer works away from home for longer than a normal workday and requires sleep, then the associated costs are tax deductible. If the taxpayer works a distance that is within commuting distance from home, not away from home, but chooses to sleep in a place that is not home, the associated costs are not deductible. The IRS specifies that in this case the distance is from the “tax home,” not necessarily the actual domicile of the taxpayer.  

Understanding Away From Home

Away from home is a phrase with specific meaning to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The phrase refers to a specific distance from the taxpayer’s tax home that is assumed to be too far to commute home every night. A taxpayer can deduct travel, lodging and food expenses while working away from home, but not while working a distance that is considered short enough to commute home, even if the taxpayer stays in a hotel and pays for meals to avoid having to commute home. An exception to this is an indefinite work assignment, which is a work assignment that lasts one year or longer. Travel, lodging and food expenses are not deductible for an indefinite work assignment. Deductible expenses include travel to and from the tax home, lodging, food, dry cleaning or laundry, use of the taxpayer’s car at the work location, taxis or public transportation costs at the work location, business phone calls and tips paid out at the work location.  

An employee deducts away from home expenses on IRS Form 2106 . A person who is self-employed deducts away from home expenses on IRS Form 1040 Schedule C.  

To determine whether a taxpayer is away from home, the IRS considers the tax home, which is the general location or vicinity of where the taxpayer usually works or does business. This may or may not be where the taxpayer actually lives.  

For example, if the taxpayer lives in Detroit but works in Toledo, and stays in a hotel in Toledo during the week but travels home every weekend to Detroit, the taxpayer’s tax home is considered to be Toledo. None of the travel expenses from Detroit to Toledo or the lodging and food expenses in Toledo are deductible, because the taxpayer works in their tax home regardless of where they live.

Away from home in the above example would indicate a distance from Toledo that was not reasonable to commute back every night, because Toledo is the tax home.

Internal Revenue Service. " Topic No. 511 Business Travel Expenses ." Accessed Oct. 29, 2020.

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• Business Taxes / Expenses / Self Employed

What is IRS Business Travel Definition for “Away From Home”?

by Team Falcon · Published · Updated

Table of Contents

This article provides the IRS definition of business travel and what qualifies as IRS business travel for tax write offs.

Many self-employed individuals and small business owners travel for work. Yet, they are confused about what business travel is considered a tax-deductible business expense. In this article, we outline in simple English the IRS definition of business travel based on information provided by the IRS (at IRS.gov ). Therefore, the information is easier to consume than reading through dense IRS jargon. All sources are provided for your reference.

IRS Definition of Business Travel

The IRS definition of business travel is travel for business that is, ‘away from home’ for a duration longer than an ordinary day’s worth of work. According to the IRS, ‘away from home’ means outside of the entire city or general area outside of the location of the main place of business. Also, durations longer than a day’s work typically mean an overnight stay.

Therefore, the IRS definition of business travel has two main components.

• The business travel must be ‘away from home’.
• The business travel must be for a duration of an ordinary day’s worth of work.

Are transportation expenses business travel expenses?

Employees or self-employed individuals incur transportation expenses while traveling for business. Transportation expenses include expenses from taking the bus, train, or plane, etc.

Are commuting expenses business travel expenses?

We highly recommend you read this article if your business travel or drives are potentially on the border of what is considered business travel versus commuting: How Does the IRS Define Commuting?

Examples of Business Travel

If your office is in Sacramento and you travel for business to San Francisco for a business meeting where you stay at a hotel for one night, your expenses from this trip are deductible as business travel expenses. The deductible expenses would include the cost of your mileage, meals, entertainment, etc. However, if you travel for work within Sacramento and rent a hotel for one night, these expenses wouldn’t be deductible. This is because you didn’t leave your tax home. If the taxpayer regularly works in more than one area, their tax home is the area where the main place of business is located. This main place of business will likely be where the taxpayer spends the most amount of time. For more information on this tax topic, see IRS Tax Topics, Topic 511-Business Travel Expenses . Check out Falcon Expenses if you’re a small business owner and need a simple way to automatically track and organize business expenses. Falcon customers record $6,600, on average, in annual tax deductions including those for business travel. Start today.

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Download Falcon Expenses, Free The longer you wait the more tax deductions and reimbursements you miss. If you’re on a desktop it’s best to use your phone and search for Falcon Expenses on the app store.

Learn more about the IRS rules for recording business expenses by reading this post, IRS Rules for Recording Business Expenses: Travel, Transportation, Meals,  and  Entertainment.

Factors That Determine Tax Home

The following three factors are used to determine tax home if the taxpayer does not have a regular place to work.

• Firstly, the taxpayer performs part of their business in the area of the main business home and uses that home for lodging while doing business in the area.
• Secondly, the taxpayer has living expenses are the business home that are duplicated because the business requires the taxpayer to be away from that home.
• Lastly, t he taxpayer has not abandoned the area in which both is the historical place of lodging and that the taxpayer has claimed is the main home. Or the taxpayer often uses the home for lodging.

Satisfying these three requirements means that the taxpayer’s home is where they regularly live. Depending on all of the facts and circumstances, by satisfying only two of these requirements, it may be considered a tax home. Satisfying one factor means the taxpayer is itinerant; that tax home is wherever the taxpayer works and the taxpayers cannot deduct travel expenses.

Source:  IRS Publication 463, Ch 1, Travel

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About Falcon Expenses

Falcon Expenses is a mobile application for expense tracking and reporting. Falcon customers record $6,600, on average, in annual tax deductions. Get started today. The longer you wait the more tax deductions you miss out on. Automatically track mileage expenses and expenses, keep an odometer log, receipt vault and log billable hours. Quickly organize expenses by time period, project, or client and easily prepare reports to email to anyone in PDF or spreadsheet formats, all from your phone. Use for keeping track of tax deductions, reimbursements, taxes, record keeping, and more. Falcon Expenses is great for self-employed, freelancers, realtors, business travelers, delivery drivers, truckers, and more.

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To determine whether you are traveling away from home, you must first determine the location of your tax home.

Per IRS Publication 463 Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses , on page 3:

Generally, your tax home is your regular place of business or post of duty, regardless of where you maintain your family home. It includes the entire city or general area in which your business or work is located.

If you have more than one regular place of business, your tax home is your main place of business. See Main place of business or work , later.

If you don’t have a regular or a main place of business because of the nature of your work, then your tax home may be the place where you regularly live. See No main place of business or work , later.

If you don’t have a regular or main place of business or post of duty and there is no place where you regularly live, you are considered an itinerant (a transient) and your tax home is wherever you work. As an itinerant, you can’t claim a travel expense deduction because you are never considered to be traveling away from home.

Main place of business or work.

If you have more than one place of work, consider the following when determining which one is your main place of business or work.

• The total time you ordinarily spend in each place.
• The level of your business activity in each place.
• Whether your income from each place is significant or insignificant.

No main place of business or work.

You may have a tax home even if you don’t have a regular or main place of work. Your tax home may be the home where you regularly live.

Factors used to determine tax home.

If you don’t have a regular or main place of business or work, use the following three factors to determine where your tax home is.

• You perform part of your business in the area of your main home and use that home for lodging while doing business in the area.
• You have living expenses at your main home that you duplicate because your business requires you to be away from that home.
• You haven’t abandoned the area in which both your historical place of lodging and your claimed main home are located; you have a member or members of your family living at your main home; or you often use that home for lodging.

If you satisfy all three factors, your tax home is the home where you regularly live. If you satisfy only two factors, you may have a tax home depending on all the facts and circumstances. If you satisfy only one factor, you are an itinerant; your tax home is wherever you work and you can’t deduct travel expenses.

Tax Home Different From Family Home

If you (and your family) don’t live at your tax home (defined earlier), you can’t deduct the cost of traveling between your tax home and your family home. You also can’t deduct the cost of meals and lodging while at your tax home. See Example 1, later.

If you are working temporarily in the same city where you and your family live, you may be considered as traveling away from home. See Example 2 , later.

See the examples in the publication for details.

Note that any link in the information above is updated each year automatically and will take you to the most recent version of the document at the time it is accessed.

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What is a Tax Home, and How Does it Impact Travel Expenses?

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Written by Liz Farr, CPA

• Modified Aug 8, 2019

Today’s super-mobile workforce means that you may have clients who are splitting their time between multiple work locations. In these situations, understanding the concept of a tax home will help clarify the treatment of travel expenses.

What is a Tax Home?

The IRS defines a tax home as the city or general area where someone’s main place of business or work is located. If your client travels away from their tax home for work purposes, their travel expenses may be deductible.

“May be deductible” has taken on new meaning since the  Tax Cuts and Jobs Act  was passed in late 2017. Under prior law, employees could deduct unreimbursed work expenses, including travel expenses, as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. However, from 2018 though 2025, that deduction has been suspended, except for Armed Forces reservists, qualified performing artists, and fee-basis state or local government officials.

The best bet for employees who no longer qualify to deduct their travel expenses is to set up an  accountable plan  with their employer. Reimbursed travel expenses under an accountable plan are not taxable to the employee, while reimbursements under a non-accountable plan are included in the employee’s wages.

However, self-employed individuals can still deduct expenses for travel away from their tax home as business expenses.

A tax home may or may not be the same place as the family home, or a place that your client returns to regularly. For clients who work in more than one place, their tax home is their main place of business or work. This is determined by considering the following factors:

• The total time spent in each place.
• The level of business or work activity in each place.
• The relative amount of income earned in each place.

Expenses for work-related travel away from someone’s tax home are deductible or can be reimbursed tax-free under an accountable plan. Travel expenses include transportation, meals, lodging, laundry and dry cleaning, and incidentals.

For example, Ryan is a self-employed consultant living in Denver. He spends one week of every month working onsite for a client in Salt Lake City. Ryan spends the remaining three weeks of the month working with clients in the Denver area. Ryan’s tax home is Denver, so his travel, lodging and meal expenses for his monthly trips to Salt Lake City are deductible.

Over time, Ryan’s client in Salt Lake City becomes a bigger part of his work. Eventually, Ryan is spending all of his working time in Salt Lake City and flying home to Denver on the weekends. Now, his tax home is Salt Lake City, and neither his living expenses in Salt Lake City nor his plane fare between Denver and Salt Lake City are deductible.

What About Temporary Work Assignments?

It’s not unusual for an employee to be sent to work in a different location. If that assignment is temporary and the employee maintains a home in the original location, the tax home is still the original location. Travel expenses will be deductible for a contractor. Employee reimbursements under an accountable plan will be tax-free.

But, if the assignment is permanent or indefinite, then the person’s tax home is the new location, so travel expenses are not deductible. Accountable plan reimbursements are now taxable to the employee.

The IRS defines “temporary” as a work assignment that’s expected to last a year or less. If a work assignment that started out as a temporary posting is extended to more than a year, then it becomes an indefinite assignment when the anticipated duration changes.

For example, Kimberly has been working for a company in Boston and is sent to Los Angeles for an eight-month project. Kimberly’s tax home is still Boston. Her employer reimburses her for her travel, lodging and meals under an accountable plan, and those reimbursements are tax-free.

However, seven months into the project, Kimberly’s employer decides to extend her posting in Los Angeles for another eight months, to a total of 15 months. At that point, Kimberly’s assignment becomes indefinite, so her tax home changes to Los Angeles. If her employer continues to reimburse her for living expenses, even if it’s done under an accountable plan, those reimbursements are now taxable.

This only scratches the surface of the tangled web that results when people live and work in multiple locations. Depending on the states involved, your clients may also have state tax issues. IRS  Publication 463 ,  Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses , is a good resource, so be sure to check it out if you have clients in this situation.

Editor’s note: This article was published on the Firm of the Future blog .

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Liz spent 15 years working as an accountant with a focus on tax work as well as working on audits, business valuation, and litigation support. Since 2018, she’s been a full-time freelance writer, and has written blog posts, case studies, white papers, web content, and books for accountants and bookkeepers around the world. Her current specialty is ghostwriting for thought leaders in accounting. More from Liz Farr, CPA

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14 ways to travel the world without leaving your sofa

Have you been stuck inside for weeks? Us too.

Though some destinations are cautiously lifting travel restrictions and people are learning to navigate a new version of normal, it's safe to say this Memorial Day weekend — typically one of the biggest weekends for travel of the year — will look a little different.

If you're staying home this holiday weekend , it's a great time to start planning your next real-life adventure . And, in the meantime, we rounded up some of our favorite ways to travel the world without leaving the comfort of your home. So, break out your comfiest sweats and buckle up for your next virtual trip.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Celebrate summer at Stonehenge

Stonehenge boasts some of the most popular summer solstice celebrations on Earth, a magical event you'll just have to see to believe. And while you probably won't be able to visit in person this year, the show must still go on.

You'll be able to livestream the summer solstice at Stonehenge this summer. Just tune in to the English Heritage Facebook account , where they'll be broadcasting the sunset on June 20 at 9:26 p.m. BST and sunrise on June 21 at 4:52 a.m. BST. They'll be live for at least 30 minutes before sunrise and sunset — and no matter where you are in the world, you can join in on the fun.

Discover a museum

Iconic museums from the Guggenheim in New York City to the Louvre in Paris are available through Google Arts & Culture, a platform that allows you to take digital tours of some of the world's most famous museums. You can browse through all the available museums , and even see some of the most famous pieces of art up close . Historic sites, such as the Palace of Versailles, are also available to tour through Google. The best part? Access is 100% free.

If you want something that sparks your inner child (or keeps your actual children occupied), you're in luck. The Children's Museum of Houston is sharing do-it-yourself experiments, as well as activities and behind-the-scenes exhibit content on YouTube , Instagram and Twitter . You can make a cardboard kazoo, listen to story time and even learn about how the water cycle works. This is a surefire way to pass the time if you've found yourself suddenly homeschooling your kids .

Read more: No travel required: 10 iconic museums you can tour online

Take a cooking class

Is there anything better than having a home-cooked meal from an Italian grandma? We don't think so. While Italy will start to reopen to tourists in early June , you can still get your fix of some incredible Italian cooking before your next trip there, whenever it may be.

Nonna Nerina, an 84-year-old Italian grandmother in Palombara Sabina, Italy, has set up a virtual cooking class on Airbnb Experiences. Here , she'll virtually teach you how to make Italian classics such as ravioli, gnocchi and fettuccine. Just note that she only teaches classes on weekends; the weekday classes are taught by her granddaughter. Plus, if you enter your email, you can get 25% off the class for a limited time. Better yet, the classes are on sale, too. For example, her class usually costs $100 but is just $60 right now.

Related: How to plan a bucket list trip to Italy with points and miles

Go on a ride at Disney

The magic isn't over just because most Disney parks remain closed . You can stream virtual Disney rides from parks around the world, from Florida to France , in the comfort of your own home. How's that for a bargain on a Disney vacation ?

Related: How to take your kids on virtual Disney rides around the world

Explore parks and attractions

Take a trip to the great outdoors from, well, indoors. You can virtually explore national parks and famous attractions around the country, all courtesy of Google Arts & Culture . Think: the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and Alcatraz Island. Better yet, they're all accessible for free and you won't have to wait in a single line.

Google Earth can even help you enjoy the cherry blossom blooms around the world, though the season has passed. From the Meguro River Cherry Blossoms Promenade in Tokyo to the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. , there's something for everyone here. You could easily spend hours taking virtual tours.

Visit a botanic garden

A handful of botanic gardens around the country are also offering virtual tours for travelers to enjoy. The indoor conservatory at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., for example, is temporarily closed to the public. In the meantime, though, you can take a virtual tour of the gardens and soak in all of the beautiful scenery.

Join an art class

A handful of universities are hosting free, virtual art classes , according to Artsy, and many have a global perspective. You can study the history of Japan through images or discover ancient Egyptian art and antiquities. You know what they say: If you can't travel, you might as well spend a few hours every week looking at pictures of places you wish you were. Right?

Listen to live music

Did coronavirus derail your plans to travel to a major musical event like South by Southwest (SXSW), the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival or Coachella?

Fortunately, a number of bands and musicians are performing "couch tours," as many of their concerts were canceled. Acording to NPR , travelers can also catch live, virtual jazz performances, electronic festivals, classical concerts and more.

Instead of watching the annual National Memory Day Concert from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, for example, you can catch the event (and a performance from the National Symphony Orchestra) online at 8 p.m. Billboard also highlighted concerts by the Dropkick Murphys (performing to an empty Fenway Park on May 29 at 6 p.m.), and a livestream performance by David Guetta from New York on May 30 at 7 p.m.

Watch a movie

Give yourself a much-needed break from all the craziness out there and curl up on the sofa with one of these feel-good and wanderlust-worthy films this weekend. Some of our top picks include "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Mamma Mia" — but there are plenty of classic flicks and television series to choose from.

Anthony Bourdain's famous documentary, "Parts Unknown," is coming back to Netflix on June 1. The only catch? It will only be available in the U.K. and Ireland. Here's hoping it's a good sign, though, and will be available to stream in the U.S. and rest of the world soon.

Related: Stuck at home? Stream these 12 movies to cope with travel wanderlust

Live like a royal for the day

Put on your crown and get ready to take a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace . You can take a peek at the Throne Room, Grand Staircase, White Drawing Room and more. The entire palace isn't up for viewing, but it's certainly enough to keep you occupied for hours.

Related: Using points and miles to get to London

Take a trip to the beach

In need of some sunlight and vitamin D? Enjoy the sun and sand in St. Lucia. All you have to do is go to @TravelSaintLucia 's Instagram Live to take part. Every Tuesday and Thursday, they go live and show off things like the island's beautiful sunsets, rainforests and more. You might be so inspired, you book a trip there when the island nation reopens to Americans on June 4.

Another option? The beautiful island of Bermuda is also hosting a daily livestream . Put on some Jimmy Buffet, make yourself a piña colada and enjoy your makeshift beach day.

Learn a magic trick

Airbnb recently began offering virtual "travel" experiences, so you can book online activities from around the world right at home.

For just $20, you can take a magic class with Martin, a Guinness World Record-holding magician based in Berkhamsted, U.K. His class will show you magic tricks you can perform with everyday objects, such as playing cards, phones, rings, money, sweets and even fire. Prepare for some mind-reading, too, as well as the psychology that turns a trick into magic. The class is an hour and a half long, and availability is open through the end of June.

Make Portuguese tapas

Another Airbnb Experience that's sure to please? This Portuguese tapas class . You'll learn how to make popular dishes such as tuna paté and açorda alentejana — and of course, plenty of sangria. The host, Joana, spent 10 years teaching hotel management before opening her own restaurant in Lisbon. The class costs $17 per person and is available through September.

Related: Vacation rental guests and hosts are all feeling the cancellation crunch .

Hang out with wild animals

OK, so you might not be hanging out with real penguins in real life. But for only $12, you can spend an hour learning about the history of African penguins , as well as some little-known facts and insights. You can even build your own penguins from items lying around the house. Your host, Jon, is based in Cape Town, South Africa and his class is sure to be a hit with the whole family. You can check out even more of these virtual experiences here .

Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

20 Ways to Travel From Home

Last updated: December 16, 2023 . Written by Laurence Norah - Leave a Comment

We love to travel. But it’s not always possible to travel all the time. Sometimes world events conspire against us to restrict travel, other times our budget might not stretch to cover travel. All is not lost however! There are lots of ways to travel from home, which I’m going to cover in this post.

These options, many of which are free, will let you get some of the thrill of travelling even when you are at home. They can inspire you for future trips, help with your trip planning, teach you about a destination, or simply fill some time with travel related activities.

If you have children, some of our tips for travelling from home can be a great way for families to virtually learn about the world, different cultures, history, animals, and more.

One of the great things about armchair travel is that you can do it from home at any time! And it generally requires little, if any, planning or money to do it.

Whilst nothing can entirely replace the wonder of traveling to a new destination, we hope these ideas on traveling from home will give you some ways to explore the world from wherever you are.

How to Travel from Home

Whether you’re planning a trip that you want to get more excited about, want to research a potential destination, or just want some travel themed ways to entertain yourself or your family at home, we hope these ideas for traveling from home inspire you to do some armchair traveling or your own!

Guided Virtual Tours

When we travel, we love to take guided walking tours. They’re a great way to get to know a destination or specific attraction, and learn about what it is we’re seeing.

One walking tour company that we often use and recommend is Context Travel . We’re delighted that they also offer virtual guided tours. These tours can be a great way to learn about a location in advance of your visit, or even just as a way to explore somewhere you might not have thought of visiting. If you’re at home with kids, you can think of one of these tours as a virtual field trip!

Context offers a range of tours from home. These are divided into courses and private virtual tours. The seminars are pre-scheduled events which are open to all, you just need to sign up and pay the fee.

The private tours are more expensive, but are designed to give you a private and more detailed tours on a specific subject. These are similar to the real-world tours they offer.

The other nice thing about Context is that if you don’t see a private tour that suits your particular interests, you can drop them a request for a tour that does.

We also have an exclusive discount code for Context’s virtual tours and seminars, which is travelcats . Enter the code at checkout to get 15% off your first order.

Of course, there are several other tour companies offering virtual tours as well. See some of the options available here on Viator  for an example of what else is out there.

Books and Audiobooks about Travel

As Anna Quindlen said in How Reading Changed My Life , ““Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”

We would have to agree. Books are a wonderful way to take a journey without leaving your house, be that on a voyage to fantasy worlds, or on an adventure through our own.

They can be educational, entertaining, and informative, and you can enjoy them almost anywhere. You can choose a specific destination to explore through a travel writer’s eyes, or you can read a travel themed work of fiction. You can read a book for armchair travel, to inspire and help you plan a possible future trip, or as an activity as a family.

Here are some of our favourite travel books, which cover a whole range of travel related subjects. Most of these are also available as audiobooks so you can have someone read to you while you do other tasks.

Non-fiction travel writing

• Any of Bill Bryson’s travel books which are filled with funny anecdotes about his travels, particularly around the USA, UK, and Australia
• Paul Theroux is another well known travel writer with many books to choose from
• A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle – British couple moves to Provence
• The Silk Roads  by Peter Frankopan – history of the Silk Road and the countries it runs through
• Train by Tom Zoellner – great book about train history and riding trains around the world
• A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway – a memoir of Hemingway’s life in 1920’s Paris, published posthumously
• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert – a travel memoir chronicling the journey of the author through India, Italy and Indonesia

Fiction travel writing

• The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – Laurence’s all time favourite book. Definite escapism, with a vague travel theme
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – a book about the journey of a young Andalusian shepherd
• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown – this book about mysterious symbols, ancient societies and hidden clues pave a trail across Europe, with a particular focus on Italy. Definitely a fun read.

Travel Inspiration books

• You Only Live Once – This Lonely Planet book has a massive list of experiences to kindle your excitement for all kinds of things, many of which are travel related
• 1,000 Places to See Before you Die – awesome inspiration for future travels. There is also a United States and Canada version of this book for those traveling around North America.
• Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips – another one for those of you looking for inspiration for planning future adventures

Children’s Travel Books

• The Travel Book: A journey through every country in the world – aimed at kids, this book takes the reader on a journey through 200 countries, with fun facts on all of them

If you’re looking for more travel reading inspiration, check out this comment thread in our Facebook group for lovers of travel.

Travel Themed Films

Of course, books aren’t the only medium which allow us to travel from our own homes. Film is another way we can explore the world, and there are some fantastic travel themed films as well, which make for great viewing.

Some of these are based on true stories, whilst others are entirely fictional. Regardless, there are some great options in here which can serve as inspiration for a future trip, or just provide some travel based entertainment.

Here are just a handful of the movies we love:

• Midnight in Paris – we love this story of an American who travel back to 1920s Paris and meets many of his artistic heroes
• Eat Pray Love – film version of the popular novel by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Lord of the Rings – this film trilogy inspired me to spend a year exploring New Zealand. It’s a stunning showcase of the beauty of the country, as well as an epic story.
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – this story of a man searching for a more adventurous life features some stunning travel scenery, including beautiful scenes shot in Iceland
• The Beach – the film (based on a novel by Alex Garland) that inspired thousands of travellers to travel to Thailand
• The Bucket List – the movie that spawned the phrase tells the story of a terminally ill patient trying to accomplish a list of things to do before he dies
• The Way – a bittersweet story of a man walking Spain’s popular Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage after the death of his son
• Out of Africa – an epic romantic drama based on a true story about a Danish woman who moves to Kenya, and the challenges and adventures she faces as a result
• A Walk in the Woods – a movie version of Bill Bryson’s novel of the same name, about his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail
• Up – if you’re looking for a lovely family movie about travel to watch with your kids (or even without!), this tale of a senior adventurer setting off on a fantastical voyage with a young traveller should hit the spot
• The Lion King – Beautifully remade in glorious 3D in 2019, this coming of age story of a young lion will take you on a beautiful journey through the African wilderness, and might inspire you to head off on safari

As you can see, there are no shortage of movies about travel to inspire your wanderlust!

Travel Podcasts

If you like the idea of learning about travel by audio, you might want to subscribe to a podcast. These are usually regularly updated shows that you can listen to on any of your devices.

There are podcasts across a whole range of subjects, including travel. And of course, within travel, there’s a whole range of podcast topics and shows to choose from, including family travel, budget travel, solo female travel, long term nomadic travel – the list goes on.

As you would imagine, there’s a huge number of travel podcasts to listen to, and they’re also free. So you have nothing to lose by trying a few of them to find one you like. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

• Rick Steves Podcasts – Rick Steves is one of the best known US based travelers, with his own range of guidebooks, products, and tours. In addition to his popular TV series and radio show, he also has a series of podcasts, covering a number of travel topics, including tips for travel in Europe, and interviews with travel authors and experts.
• Amateur Traveler – hosted by Chris Christensen, this podcast interviews expert travellers from around the world. It’s been running since 2005 and runs weekly, so as you might imagine, pretty much every destination in the world has been covered.
• Rough Guides Podcast – Rough Guide is a popular series of travel guidebooks, and they also offer a number of travel themed podcasts.
• Armchair Explorer – Aaron Miller hosts this popular travel podcast series which features some of the world’s greatest adventurers telling their favourite story from the road. It’s done in a documentary style, which makes for a gripping and immersive experience
• The Travel Diaries – Holly Rubenstein hosts a weekly interview series where she talks to special guests about their travel experiences around the world.
• Y Travel Podcast – Australian couple Caz and Craig have been blogging about travel, with a specific focus on family travel, for about as long as we have. They’ve recently launched a travel podcast, which covers interviews, family travel and travel tips.

As you can see, there are plenty of podcasts to choose from, and there are thousands more out there to discover!

Live Webcams, 360 views, & Virtual Visits

If you want to explore a location at your leisure rather than on a tour, you have no shortage of options. There’s a huge number of live webcams and virtual tours available at destinations around the world.

These range in what they offer, from 360 degree interactive tours of existing locations, through to webcams, virtual renditions of past locations, and more. You can visit natural wonders, museums, wild animal locations, zoos, parks, observatories, and more!

Here are a few options to consider, all of which are free.

• Google has a virtual tour of the  Pyramids of Giza
• Take a wander around a virtual rendition of Angkor Wat in Cambodia right  here
• This is an excellent interactive  virtual tour of Stonehenge  by English Heritage
• Take a walk inside the Colosseum in Rome thanks to  this tour from Google
• Lots of museums have virtual tours as well. Check out  this tour of the Louvre ,  this one of the Vatican Museum ,  this tour of the British Museum  and  this one of the Metropolitan Museum of Art  to get you started
• A series of live webcams of wild animals across countries in Africa
• Live farm animals from a farm in the UK

As you can see, there’s something here for most interests!

Decorate your House with a Travel Theme

If you love to travel, one great way to get a travel vibe even when you are at home is to decorate your home with a travel theme.

There are a huge number of travel themed home decor items out there, and you can go as crazy or understated as you like. The list of what is available is long, but just to get you thinking, there’s travel themed bedding, wall art, throw pillows, globes, custom photo frames, tea towels, mugs, and more!

Maybe it’s just a few items to remind you of a trip, or perhaps you want to theme a room in a travel style. Or, you really love travel and want to give your whole home a travel makeover!

Whatever direction you want to go, we think you’ll find some products to suit.

We have some favourite travel themed items we decorate our own home with. We love our wall map pinboard for example, which lets us plan future trips and remember past trips. We’re also big fans of these travel themed wall decals , which add a cool travel theme to the wall of any room, and Jess loves her French inspired trinket dishes .

For more ideas, check out our comprehensive travel inspired home decor post, which has over 75 ideas for home decor items covering every room in your home!

Through Cooking

For many travelers, experiencing the food of a country is one of the highlights of a trip. Whether it’s pizza in Italy, curries in India, or the comfort food of the USA’s southeast, food has a way to transport us to a destination. Sometimes, just eating a dish we’ve experienced in a place can take us right back there!

If you can’t travel to a country, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy its food. You can do this either by going out to a restaurant, or by learning how to recreate some of your favourite food experiences from your travels yourself.

Learning how to cook different dishes from around the world can be a really fun experience, and one you can involve your whole family in. You get multiple benefits – a new meal to add to your cooking repertoire, a fun experience everyone can join in on, an opportunity to learn about a culture through its food, and of course, a tasty meal to eat at the end of it all!

There are lots of ways to learn how to cook different dishes from around the world. To start with, there’s no shortage of cookbooks focused on the foods of different destinations. Some of these provide recipes from around the world, whereas other may focus on one country or region. Here are some to consider.

• This cookbook features 450 dishes from around the world
• This cookbook covers 1,000 foods you need to eat before you die, from all around the world
• Love comfort food? Check out this recipe book featuring comfort food from around the world
• This cookbook has over 500 recipes focused on the Mediterranean region

You can also check out Youtube cooking channels or TV shows about food . If you have cable or a streaming service subscription, you probably get at least one channel focused on food and cooking.

There are also lots of  specialist food blogs, such as this one focusing on the food of the Seychelles , or this one focusing on Italian dishes.

We’re fairly sure that you’ll have no trouble finding information to recreate delicious meals to take your taste buds on a journey!

Plan a Future Trip

Just because you aren’t traveling right now, doesn’t mean you won’t ever travel again. So one way to fulfil your wanderlust might be to spend some time planning a future trip.

Planning a trip, especially one of the independent trips we enjoy the most, can be quite a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. You have to figure out exactly where you want to go, everything you want to see, any transport requirements, and plan where you’ll be staying. Then there’s what you’ll likely do each day, and of course, you’ll probably want to start thinking about potential dining options as well!

If you’re planning on travelling with others, perhaps friends or on a family trip, then you’re also going to want to discuss their interests and priorities for the trip as well. In our experience, group trips work best when everyone is involved in the planning from the beginning.

The trip you choose to plan can either be a real trip you plan to take in the near future, or you can have fun and put together a fantasy trip.

When it comes to trip planning, obviously we’re a little biased and would recommend you check out a travel blog to help. We have two, this one and Independent Travel Cats , both of which have content on number of destinations around the world, whether you’re planning a city break or a road trip.

Of course, travel blogs aren’t the only option when it comes to trip planning. We also love to use guidebooks, including the Rick Steves series, Lonely Planet and Insight Guides .

When it comes to the logistics of planning a trip, we like to use Google Drive for collaborative documents, Google Maps for putting together trip routes and sightseeing lists, and we have an extensive list of other tools we use for travel planning here .

Travel in Video Games

Not all travel has to be in the real world. You can take a virtual adventure in a video game, either to explore a representation of a real world location, or to tackle entirely different realities.

I’ve been playing video games since I could hook up a game console to a TV, and have spent thousands of hours in virtual worlds. There’s truly a video game for everyone, whether you want to visit distant galaxies, or take a virtual walk in a walking simulator (yes, this is a thing).

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• The Civilization series . The first entry in the Civilization Series launched in 1991, making this one of the world’s longest running gaming series. The goal of the game is to build an empire, from the dawn of civilization through to the modern day. Along the way you’ll compete with historical world leaders, build structures like the pyramids, and if you’re lucky, take your civilization into space. A fun title that is also somewhat educational, and a great family gaming option.
• Assassin’s Creed series .  If you prefer your games of the cut throat variety, check out the Assassin’s Creed series. These games have your protagonists generally trying to save the world from evil, whilst you explore a number of wonderfully rendered real world locations. If you’ve ever wanted to throw yourself around the 15th century rooftops of Florence, colonial Boston, or one of many other locations, this is a great way to do that.
• No Man’s Sky . If your ideal means of travel is a spaceship with which you can explore the galaxy, you might want to try this vast space exploration simulator.  This has you attempting to survive as you explore literally quadrillions of planets across hundreds of galaxies.
• Watch_Dogs 2 . This third person game is set in a fictionalized version of the San Francisco Bay Area, and has you playing as an elite hacker out to thwart an evil corporations privacy invading plot.
• Lost Ember . If all the above sound a bit like hard work to you, then you might enjoy Lost Ember. Set in a post-human world, this has you exploring a series of stunning environments as a wide range of real world animals. There is a story to follow, but mostly it’s about just exploring the world and relaxing. Another good family entertainment option.
• World of Warcraft . If you are looking to explore a fantasy adventure land on an epic scale in real time with millions of other players, then look no further than World of Warcraft. This game has you picking  a race and faction, and setting out to make your name in a massive world consisting of a number of lands.
• Minecraft . If you prefer the idea of building your own world, then you might like to try Minecraft. If you do, you won’t be alone, as Minecraft is the world’s best selling video game of all time. You can build your own world, tour virtual recreations of real world structures and locations, and generally have a block filled adventure. Another great family option.
• Planet Coaster . If you love to visit theme parks, then you might want to give a theme park simulation game a go. These started back in the 1990s with Theme Park , which had a number of spiritual successors, including the RollerCoaster Tycoon series . Game play is similar, but the graphics have improved over the years. The overall goal is to build and manage your very own theme park, including ride construction as well as staff and concession management. The most recent and widely acclaimed version currently available is Planet Coaster .

Of course, this is just scratching the surface of what’s available when it comes to video games that can take you on a journey, but hopefully it gives you some inspiration and a good starting point for your search.

Revisit Old Travel Photos, Videos, & Memories

When we travel, we often take a lot of photos of our trips. Sometimes we collect souvenirs as well as mementos.

A fun way to go on a virtual trip is to revisit an old adventure you’ve had, and a great way to do that is to look through the photos, videos or travel travel journals you have from past adventures, as well as the items you bought when traveling.

This can be a really nice way to feel a little like you are traveling without leaving the house. Looking at old travel photos and videos, which are often collecting dust (be that real or digital!), is a lovely way to transport you back to a trip.

If you went on the trip with someone else, you might like to connect with them and go through the memories together. This way you’ll remember the moments you experienced together.

This can also be a good opportunity to consider turning some of your digital memories into physical mementos of your adventures, which can make for a fun home based travel themed project.

One easy way to do this is of course just to order prints, but there are lots more ways to turn your photos into physical items. From personalised mugs to custom throw blankets , there are loads of ways to turn memories into reality. See some more ideas in our guide to travel home decor .

Virtual Reality

If you want a more immersive travel experience than can be achieved via a computer game, movie or TV show, then you might want to check out a virtual reality experience instead.

There are two main types of virtual reality system that you can get. First, you can get a specialized virtual reality headset like one of the Oculus systems . Some of these work standalone, whilst other require a high end PC to get good results. This will definitely get you the best VR experience.

Another option is to get a headset which supports your smartphone like this or this . Since most of us already own a smartphone, and these tend to have motion sensitivity and high resolution screens, this can be an inexpensive way to experience virtual reality content.

However, the experience is definitely not as good as a dedicated system. The quality will be lower, there are no cameras to support interacting with real world environments, and you don’t get the advanced controllers that you get with a dedicated VR system. Support for these is definitely waning as manufacturers focus on the dedicated VR headset market.

Whatever option you go for, when you have your virtual reality solution you are going to need some content to view.

If you have a dedicated headset, then a good starting point is Google Earth VR , which will let you explore the world through Google Earth using your headset. Almost as good as being there!

If you have a smartphone solution, check out Google Street View which includes support for smartphone based VR.

Of course, there’s lots more content you can explore in VR, from rollercoaster rides on Youtube to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City . You can even take a virtual vacation in the Vacation Simulator game for VR!

Backyard / Home Camping

Taking a camping trip is a popular vacation option, and is particularly popular as a family travel option. Sometimes though, we might not be able to travel to our favourite camping spot.

All is not lost though! You can recreate the fun of a camping adventure in your own home.

If you happen to have a yard or outdoor space, then you can definitely take advantage of this area to pitch a tent, have a BBQ, and generally take part in all the fun camping activities you would do at a real campsite. In some ways it’s even better – you have access to your own bathroom, and if the weather turns bad you can always just go inside!

Even if you don’t have your own outdoor space, you can still recreate your own camping experience. Just set up one of your rooms as a campsite! You might have to be creative with your tent construction as most home floors don’t work so well for pegs, but as it’s unlikely to be windy indoors you can probably get away with a slightly less robust solution. And if you don’t have a tent, you can make a DIY camp out of some sheets and blankets!

We appreciate that camping at home might not be exactly the same as camping at a remote wilderness location, but this can definitely be a fun experience, especially if you have kids.

Travel TV Shows

There’s no shortage of TV shows for you to enjoy and get a travel fix from. These range from spectacular wildlife documentaries, through to television dramas that will make you fall in love with a destination, through to stories of adventure.

So whether it’s travel inspiration you want, a good story, or just to explore far flung corners of the globe, there’s a TV show for you. Here are some to think about.

• Planet Earth – This is an epic documentary series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, which took four years to make. It will take you on a journey across some of the world’s most awe inspiring natural wonders. There’s also a sequel, Planet Earth 2 .
• Long Way Round – In 2004, actor Ewan McGregor and his friend, TV presenter Charley Boorman, set off on a quest to travel from London to New York by motorcycle. The series covers the 19,000 miles they covered, and the challenges they faced along the way. It has since been followed up with an overland journey from London to Cape town called the Long Way Down . A third iteration called the Long Way Up, from Argentina to California, is due in 2020.
• Parts Unknown – hosted by the late Anthony Bourdain, this travel and food show spans 12 seasons and 104 episodes, and takes the viewer to less visited parts of the world to explore both culture and cuisine.
• Rick Steves’ Europe – Hosted by Rick Steves, these half hour episodes will take you on a journey across a number of European destinations, as well as a number of other countries.
• Outlander – There’s no shortage of fictional TV shows set in stunning locations, but Outlander is perhaps one of the most well known. This time travel shows features locations around the world, but is best known for the stunning Scottish landscapes it depicts
• The Amazing Race – this competitive reality TV game show has couples competing in challenges in locations around the world, as part of a wider challenge to race around the world. It has been filmed in locations around the world, and there have been over thirty seasons to date! The American version is the original, but a number of other countries also have versions of this popular show.
• Places to Love – hosted by Samantha Brown, this lovely travel series focuses on the emotional heart of travel, and the people who make up the places she visits
• Dora the Explorer – If you have younger kids, they will likely love the adventures of Dora. Whilst the show doesn’t visit real world locations, a live action movie released in 2019 does.

Naturally there are thousands more shows to choose from that include elements of travel, allowing you to explore the world from the comfort of your own couch. Many TV shows are also family friendly and educational, so your kids can learn as you watch as well.

Learn a New Skill for Travel

One great way to spend your time in anticipation of a future trip is to learn a new skill that you can use on the trip. This is also a good stay at home activity that you can involve your whole family in together if you wish.

Learning a language for example is a great way to prepare for a trip. This might be a language you started learning at school but have since let lapse, or a language that you know will come in useful on a trip you are already planning. French and Spanish are popular options, but there’s no shortage of languages in the world you can learn.

There are plenty of different ways to learn a language. There are free platforms like Duolingo (ad-supported, paid version available), and more known language programs like Rosetta Stone .

As well as a language, there are other useful skills you can learn to enhance your trips. We all love to take photos when we travel, so learning how to improve your photography can help you capture better memories of your adventures. It’s also a useful skill for all sorts of other events, from family gatherings to events.

Again, there are lots of way to improve your photography while at home. For example, we have lots of free content on our blogs all about photography. Get started on our photography tips page for a range of photography articles.

If you want to take your photography to the next level, then you might prefer a more structured approach to learning. We run a comprehensive online photography course which will teach you everything you need to know about photography across 10 weeks. We’ve already helped over 2,000 people improve their photography, and would love to help you do the same. You can see that here .

Set up a Relaxation Zone

Many of us travel to get away from it all and relax, and spa holidays are a very popular option for achieving this goal.

However, a spa holiday can definitely be an expensive option, and it might not be something your budget stretches to on a regular basis. And even if it does, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to recreate that experience at home anyway?

Well, why not set up your own home relaxation zone?

This can be a place of retreat for you and your family. It can be a specific room in your house, perhaps a spare bedroom where you can read and relax or a bathroom that you can set up for an at-home spa experience. If you have an outdoor space and the climate is suitable, you can also designate an outdoor space. Consider a garden area with flowers and herbs from different parts of the world.

It’s probably a good idea to have some ground rules for use of the space, and to fill it with some items to make it relaxing. For example, you might consider making it a devices free zone, with minimal talking allowed, and a focus on calming activities like meditation, yoga, or reading. Consider using fragrance candles or reed diffusers to create a calming environment that emulates that which you might find at a real spa.

Participate in Travel Forums, Facebook Groups, and Chats

Just because you’re not travelling right now doesn’t mean you can’t indulge your love of travel with like minded individuals! A great way to do this is online, either in travel forums, in Facebook groups, or in group chats devoted to travel.

There are a number of popular travel forums online. These include the long running Thorntree forum by Lonely Planet, the Rick Steves Travel Forum , and the Travelfish forum which focuses on travel in Asia.

If you would prefer to discuss travel on a platform like Facebook, then there are lot of options here too. We even run our own travel Facebook group where you can talk about all things related to travel, including sharing stories of past trips and helping others plan upcoming trips. You can join that here .

Set up Online Video Chats with Travel Loving Friends and Family

Do you have friends and family who love to travel? Maybe you’ve travelled with friends or family in the past, or plan to in the future. Or maybe you just know folks who love travel as much as you do.

If so, a great way to rekindle your love of travel is to connect with them for a chat. As well as being a lovely way to catch up, this will also give you a chance to talk about travel with a like minded individual. You can talk about trips you’ve been on, discuss potential future trips, share stories, and generally pass an amenable time.

There are a wide range of platforms that allow for free video chats, including Skype , Facetime , Facebook Messenger , Whatsapp , and Google Duo . There are also platforms designed to host more people at once, such as Facebook’s Messenger Rooms and Zoom . Whatever you choose, just make sure everyone on the call can use it (some products like Facetime for example are for Apple users only).

If you are planning on hosting a call with multiple participants, it might be an idea to appoint a host, or come up with a loose agenda, so everyone can get the most out of the call.

Travel Themed Subscription Services

If you want a regular dose of travel themed inspiration in your life, one option is to sign up to a travel themed subscription service of some kind.

These are available across a range of product types, and you might find that one of these options replaces an existing service you use with one that is more travel oriented.

Here are some travel themed subscription services we think you might enjoy. These cover all sorts of things, such as food, art, souvenirs, books, spices, handicrafts, beauty products etc. They cover a range of destinations, and some are aimed specifically at kids to start kindle their curiosity in the world.

• The Wordy Traveler – This international travel themed book club sends a quarterly box which includes travel themed books, premium tea as well as a limited edition fine art print.
• Little Passports – This kid focused subscription box aims to give kids across a range of ages a monthly package filled with toys and activities. They have a range of subjects, including a USA and World Travel themed box, which include souvenirs, toys, stickers and collectibles. This is a great option if you have kids and want to encourage a love of travel whilst also teaching them about the world. Based in the USA with shipping a number of destinations around the world.
• Paddington’s Postcards – younger children in the UK will likely enjoy the Unicef Paddington’s Postcard series. For a monthly fee you get a monthly personalised postcard from Paddington Bear, all about the life of a child in another country. A lovely way to learn how people in different countries live
• Nomadik – this subscription box service is perfect for lovers of the outdoors. Each month you get a box filled with at least $50 worth of outdoor gear that’s ready for your next adventure.

Always check when subscribing to any of these services where they ship, and be aware that you might be liable for customs and import taxes if you sign up to a service outside your home country. For this reason, we recommend trying to find a local service where possible.

An International Penpal

Travel is often about the people we meet and the experiences we have with them. Learning about different cultures through others is often one of the more rewarding parts of our travels.

The good news is that you don’t have to travel to have contact with people from around the world. You can find a Penpal, and exchange letters or emails with folks in different places.

There are a number of services to help you find a Penpal, such as Penpal International , Penpal World and International Pen Friends . There are also dedicated sites for children and students to find a Penpal, such as Students of the World .

Of course, as with any service like this, always be very careful about who you give your personal information out to, and if you want to get your kids involved, ensure they understand the principles of staying safe online .

Music and Dancing

Have you ever heard a song come on and been transported back to a memory where you heard it playing? Music, like food, has a powerful ability to stimulate our memories.

With this in mind, you might enjoy listening to music that originates in a destination you’ve visited, or of a destination you plan to visit. A good example of this might be bagpipe music , which for me is impossible to listen to without thinking of the stunning vistas of Scotland.

Other songs might evoke a road trip, such as the songs about Route 66 in the USA. You can also get world music to relax to , or music that showcases the sounds of a continent .

It’s not just music of course. Dance is a hugely important part of many cultures around the world, with different types of dance associated with places and people. Learning a dance of a destination you have visited or plan to go can be a fun way to learn more about the culture, as well as potentially connect with other like minded people.

You can learn to dance at studios in locations around the world, or you can do it for free at home using some of the many online dance class videos . There’s also the side benefit of getting a workout whilst you learn!

Further Reading

That’s it for our detailed guide to how to travel from home. We hope that some of these suggestions have given you some ideas for how to travel without leaving your house, be that on your own or as a family.

Before you head on, we also have some other resources we think you might find useful for planning future trips.

• If you’re travelling from home you’ll probably want a good internet connection to take full advantage of the online offerings. See our guide to the best home WiFi routers for our favourite ways to improve your home internet
• We have guides for how much it  costs to travel in the USA and how much it costs to travel in the UK
• We have a guide to travel inspired home decor , travel themed jewelry and gifts for travelers
• Our guide to the  best travel routers for improving your WiFi signal when travelling
• Our guide to  how to get online when travelling away from home and a guide to choosing the  best VPN for travel
• You’re going to need to power all your devices when you travel – see our guide to the  best travel adapters
• If you are heading out onto the road and looking for a laptop to get some work done, see our guide to the  best laptops for photo editing
• Thinking of buying a new camera? See our guide to the  best cameras for travel
• Looking to improve your photography? See our detailed  online travel photography course here

And that’s it! As always, we hope you found this guide useful. If you have any thoughts on the policies above, or more tips on how to travel from home, just pop them in the comments section below.

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Travel allowance or LAFHA? And how is each taxed?

Thanks to Tax & Super Australia for the article.

Being asked by the boss to travel for work purposes can be demanding on staff — financially, physically and also emotionally. Out of this has developed more than one way to compensate employees; these being a travel allowance and the living away from home allowance (LAFHA).

When both were developed, the difference between the two were often decided by an ATO-initiated rule-of-thumb in that travel of less than 21 days was deemed to be the former, while more than 21 days was considered to have a more LAFHA flavour. The 21-day “threshold” however no longer applies.

For travel allowances, typically employees are:

• paid standard travel allowance for accommodation and food
• working at the one location
• visiting home on weekends
• staying in accommodation provided by the supplier (which may be available for use by other customers when the employee is not there).

The ATO publishes guidelines each year on what it considers to be reasonable amounts for a travelling employee.

However it has also been found that some employees may be on a travel allowance for six weeks or more.

It is often asked whether these transactions should be looked at under the FBT rules (for LAFHA ) or the income tax rules (for travel allowances ). The tax treatment (and therefore the financial outcomes) of both can be different.

Deciding factors

The FBT framework would generally provide for a more concessional tax outcome where certain prescribed requirements for a LAFHA is met in comparison with the income tax effect of a travel allowance.

The reality is that you could have someone who is away from home but is still considered to be only travelling. Alternatively you could have someone that is away from home for two weeks only, but in those two weeks was actually living away from home.

When an employee is required to travel on business and overnight their food, drink and accommodation expenses become deductible expenses and are FBT free for the employer. The difference between LAFH rules and travelling on business is quite simply the employee on LAFH has to temporarily change their usual place of residence and therefore their food, drink and accommodation expenses become private and non-deductible. And that is why the employer needs the FBT concession for such employees. It is a question of fact as to whether or not the employee has temporarily changed their usual place of residence as opposed to travelling around on business.

So it is a test of substance whether someone is just travelling or is actually living away from home. It would have to be substantiated to be proven in fact as a LAFHA. Similarly, if away from home and treated as a travel allowance, the ATO will generally not challenge such treatment if substantiated as travel. Taxation ruling TR 2017/D6 deals with these factors.

Travel allowance or living away from home?

The following general principles may be of guidance:

• When a person is living away from home, there will be a change in job location and a temporary residence will be taken up near the new work location. Often, but not always, the employee’s spouse and family will accompany the employee to the new location.
• When a person is merely travelling, there will be no change in job location and there will be no establishment of a temporary residence – rather, the person will merely be accommodated while travelling. Usually the employee’s spouse and family will not accompany the employee.
• However the issue of whether the family accompanies the employee is not determinative. The critical factor seems to be where the job is located. If it is temporarily located away from the employee’s usual place of residence, the employee will usually be living away from his or her usual place of residence. Where the job location does not change, but the employee must travel to undertake duties, he or she will be regarded as travelling.
• While the length of period away from home is not determinative, the ATO will generally accept that shorter periods away will generally be deemed to be travelling. In addition, the Tax Commissioner has stated that employees attending short-term staff training courses will generally be treated as travelling in the course of their employment.
• There is no minimum or maximum period of absence to qualify as living away from home, although the application of the FBT rules may be less concessional if someone lives away from their usual place of residence for more than 12 months. The period that a person is living away from home will end when the person returns to his or her usual place of residence, or changes his or her usual place of residence to the new location.

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Home » Wanderlust » 20+ Ways to Travel from Home (Without leaving the house!)

20+ Ways to Travel from Home (Without leaving the house!)

Sometimes, it is just not possible to jet off on the trip of a lifetime (or even a quick weekend getaway!). Be it family commitments, work constraints, health issues or a simple lack of funds, there are a variety of reasons where travel simply isn’t going to happen. And besides these very real and relevant reasons, right now, the world is facing previously uncharted territory: emerging from a global lock-down.

With borders opening slowly, social distancing in place in shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, etc – and a level of cleaning the like we have never seen or experienced before, the world is slowly slowly making steps towards a version of ‘normal’.  But it may be a while before you hop on a plane again – that is if you have the desire to travel by air, or travel (in the conventional sense) at all depending on where you live, or how strong your desire is to get back out there.

With all this in mind and while we are navigating a new travel normal – and to stop your beautiful home starting to feel like a prison (extreme I know, but you get the point!), I’ve put together 20+ ways to travel from home – with absolutely no physical travel required!

OK, so pretending to fly onto the furniture isn’t quite what we have in mind when we talk about ‘Travel at Home’ but you are welcome to try if you think it will be fun (parental/home owner permission required, and I can’t take any responsibility for broken couches should this not be a successful endeavor!)

Disclaimer: Almost all posts on this site contain Affiliate links, and this one about How to Travel at Home is no different. This means that if you click on any of the links in this post (and make a purchase) I may receive a small commission at absolutely no cost to you . Each post is carefully crafted to (hopefully!) answer all your questions and recommendations are made where we believe they will improve your trip and help with your planning. As such we thank you in advance should you decide to click & buy. Read my full Disclosure here.

20+ Ways to Travel Without Leaving Home

In This Post

• 1.1 Read Travel Blogs
• 1.2 Book a Live Video Tour with Remote Guides Around The World
• 1.3 Get Creative in the Kitchen
• 1.4 Watch a Travel Themed Movie
• 1.5 Take a Virtual Tour of a World Famous Museum
• 1.6 Re-live your past adventures
• 1.7 Bingewatch Box Set TV: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Etc
• 1.8 Learn a New Language
• 1.9 Watch a Travel Themed Show or Documentary
• 1.10 Go Backyard Camping
• 1.11 Get Bikini Body Ready (Work Out At Home)
• 1.12 Read a Travel Inspired Book
• 1.13 Tune into a Travel Related Podcast
• 1.14 Explore The World Via Google Earth
• 1.15 Stay off Social Media
• 1.16 Plan your Future Adventures on Pinterest (not a social media platform!)
• 1.17 ..Or use Social Media for good
• 1.18 Drink Around the World
• 1.19 Order a Takeaway
• 1.20 Play Traditional Music from Far Away Lands
• 1.21 Quiz Yourself and Improve Your General Knowledge

Read Travel Blogs

I’m gonna come straight out with it. The travel industry (and as a consequence of that, the hospitality industry) is in chaos. Planes are being grounded, cruise ships are stranded out at sea, various borders have been closed across the world, restaurants and hotels have been forced to close and no-body is looking for information on leisure travel at this time.

For the small business owners and creatives in the industry, this means income is down by as much as 90% – and in some cases – will be completely wiped out, for an undetermined length of time. I feel very privileged to be in a position where I have savings and contingency plans for traffic/campaign/income declines (although, I’ll be honest, I always though it would be a technical issue which had such a dramatic effect, rather than a worldwide pandemic – but we live and learn, right?!)

But back to the matter at hand, travel blogs (like this one!) are not only packed with helpful travel tips, informative destination guides, inspiring travel photography and so much more (MakeTimeToSeeTheWorld was recently listed as one of the Top 25 Travel Blogs in the World – and in the Top 3 for General Travel! ) that can both whisk you off on a virtual adventure whilst stuck at home – but more importantly, help you plan your next trip whilst we all wait for the Coronavirus dust to settle.

So click around. Head to the Destination tab, choose your next can’t-wait-to-visit city or country, and scroll through hours of lovingly created content. My top posts page is a good place to start and features a variety of content from different destination around the world, alongside wanderlust-inspiring quotes and practical packing guides. But if you wanna dive right in, these are a few of my favorites:

–  Top Up on Island Vibes: Christmas Island , Antigua , Samoa , The Solomon Islands , Sri Lanka etc –  Get Inspired: Travel Quotes , Adventure Quotes , Mountain Quotes , Beach Quotes & Ocean Quotes!   –  Hit The Road: Epic Road Trip Songs + Road Trip Essentials = Drive Coast to Coast Across the USA (LA to NYC)

And if you’re feeling kind, or want to dive headfirst down the travel blog rabbit hole, my friend’s sites are not only brilliant, but are sure to keep you entertained for hours:

• Steph @ Big World Small Pockets (Teletext’s Blogger of the Year 2020 and the often hilarious, but always practical, queen of budget travel)
• Dave @ Jones Around the World (Travel Photography Genius & Festival Blogger Extraordinaire)
• Chris @ Stoked For Travel (Tropical Vibes & Ocean views all the way – if you surf (or dive), you’re gonna want to be best friends with this guy)
• Tom @ Travel Tom Tom (He’s aiming to visit every country in the world in the next couple of year – go join the adventure!)
• Gemma @ Two Scots Abroad (She’s a sassy Scot who’s passionate about her homeland – and has seen a fair amount of the world too!)

Book a Live Video Tour with Remote Guides Around The World

Curious travelers like us want to explore and discover new places any chance we get. With a lot of destinations, you can now do this through live, interactive video call sessions with remote guides around the world. They call it “remote travel”, and it’s like walking around in a city with a friend, while your friend is passionately showing you their favorite places in their beloved hometown and telling stories about its culture and history.

Live calls are a new way to experience a destination from home and feel completely different from watching a travel video. It’s also helpful if you want to preview a place before you go there because you can ask the guide tips and recommendations. And the fun thing is that the guides are actually walking outside giving you a tour that you normally can only get when you are in the city itself.

They have various remote tours available on their website like the Amsterdam Canals, the Old Town area in Taipei, Budapest History Walk and Introduction to Seoul. Each with their own local tour guide. The tours are around 60 to 90 minutes and pretty packed. For example, the Amsterdam tour will do the iconic canals, the Red Light District, a coffeeshop (where they don’t sell coffee…), the Old Church, the Dam Square and the Palace, all while Otto, their local Amsterdam guide, tells you his favorite Dutch stories.

Get Creative in the Kitchen

Try your hand a making a Biryani curry from India or Pad Thai from Thailand; Fajitas from Mexico or Dumplings from China; Roll some Sushi as if you’re in Japan or any create any type of pizza or pasta from Italy! There are hundreds of national dishes that you could try your hand at, you just gotta dive in there and give it a go.

If you are more of a practical learner and prefer a more hands on style of learning, you can even take an online live cooking lesson with a real Italian Nonna !

Quick tip: download recipes from online food blogs or websites such as taste.com and once you’ve checked the ingredients list and the food you already have at home, be sure to order any additional ingredients from the supermarket to be delivered to your home (no need to go breaking your stay at home self-isolation for a new snack!)

Watch a Travel Themed Movie

Do you ever find yourself watching a movie and instantly knowing that you just HAD to get to that destination? It happens to me all the time. And there are no shortage of films that make me feel this way. From films actually about life and culture in a country, to films that are filmed in beautiful and exotic locations; it can be a single frame that sparks my wanderlust, had me diving for google to find out where it is, and inevitably adding it to my never-ending travel wish list.

Here are just a few of my favorites – and you can find the rest of them on our complete guide to 45+ of the Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust:

• The Way: after his son dies whilst walking the Camino del Santiago, a father travels to reclaim his body and decides to walk the trail himself.
• Wild: The true story of a woman who decided to walk the 1000+ mile Pacific Crest Trail alone following the death of her mother.
• The Bucket List: Filmed across several incredible destinations (India, China , Tanzania, France, Egypt etc) this heart-warming film will have you wanting to tick off places on your own bucket list sooner rather than later.
• Lost in Translation: showcasing the random moments and experiences that happen when you travel in a new country, it will have you wanting to book a trip to Tokyo in a heartbeat!
• The Motorcycle Diaries: The true story of a motorcycle road trip Che Guevara went on in his youth that showed him his life’s calling; as told from the memoir’s written by Ernesto “Che” Guevara (which were only discovered after he died).
• Eat, Pray, Love: A heartwarming journey of self-discovery of a woman following her divorce, she is taken to beautiful destinations around the world which each help her heal in their own way.
• Plus here’s a bonus 30+ Movies About Africa to Inspire You to Visit the Continent.

Take a Virtual Tour of a World Famous Museum

Inside The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia

Now, I bet you didn’t think you could visit a museum whilst on social lockdown, but with virtual tours and modern technology, this dream can easily be a reality. (And can be a great resource even if you are not in forced quarantine!)

Google teamed up with over 500 museums and galleries to create it’s Arts & Culture collection which now includes big names such as the British Museum in London , the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam , and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence ! (along with hundreds of other culture-packed places). The Art & Culture collection is also especially good for students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies while schools are closed.

Re-live your past adventures

Remind yourself of the amazing places you have been, let the photos spark memories of times and places, of experiences, of friendships. It may even prompt you to get in touch with those travel buddies – I mean, if we’re all in isolation, hearing a few outside voices with shared experiences can only be a good thing right? (As a freelancer that works online, having those external connections to the world is invaluable (self-isolation or not) & weekly wine Fridays – where we all raise a glass and check in with each other are just wonderful) You could even start a Skype conference call with your besties and your favorite tipple. Who said self-isolation had to be lonely?!

And if you are feeling creative with those images, why not start a scrapbook? Or have a couple blown up into canvas prints for some new interior design pieces to add to your home.

Bingewatch Box Set TV: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney + Etc

My top watches at the moment (although I’m not sure which streaming service they live on at present) are as follows – none of them are actually travel related.. but I have watched them all whilst traveling, so I think that counts!

• Stranger Things
• The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and a couple of older series/classics/must-watch
• Breaking Bad
• Sons of Anarchy
• Game of Thrones (if you plan to be in isolation for several months!)

Learn a New Language

It’s not often that you find yourself with multiple weeks at home, with orders not to leave the house; but it does present you with something as a society we often struggle to either have or utilize effectively: free time.

Now you could use this ‘free time’ to clean the house or organize your wardrobe (or just binge netflix!) – but in keeping with the travel theme, why not dedicate a little time out of each day to learning that second (or third!) language you had always wanted to be able to speak.

There are several online programs, such as Rosetta Stone, available to help you in your quest; and with the release of apps like DuoLingo and Babbel, it has never been easier to start to become multilingual. The toughest decision would probably be which language to try and grasp first!

Watch a Travel Themed Show or Documentary

If you’re looking for some light-hearted entertainment or a hard-hitting travel drama, Netflix (or the other streaming services) are probably going to be your best friend. Whether its the comedic adventures of Karl Pilkington (assisted by Ricky Gervais) in ‘An Idiot Abroad’ or Attenborough’s Planet Earth documentaries, you should be able to find something to suit your mood.

Our top suggestions would be:

• Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
• Karl Pilkington: An Idiot Abroad
• Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman
• Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan; and
• Anything by David Attenborough (Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Severn Worlds, One Planet etc)

Go Backyard Camping

Dust of the tent and sleeping bag and set up in the backyard. Depending on where you live you could be treated to all sorts of weather – and if you leave your phone inside the house you can pretend that you are off in the wilderness and totally off-grid! (Although, personally, I’d take my phone with me because camp cooking isn’t really my thing, but it would be cool to get a tent side delivery of UberEats!)

Get Bikini Body Ready (Work Out At Home)

Now at this point, I would like to say any woman’s body is always ‘bikini ready’ and she should never feel compelled to make changes to fit in with societies norms; however, if you personally feel like you could make a change that will make you feel better about yourself, working out at home is a great way to kickstart that and help you get into a more healthy lifestyle.

But there is absolutely no judgment here, and having a ‘bikini body’ is NOT something you should feel the need to have.

Read a Travel Inspired Book

Books and stories can transport you out of your living room in seconds as your imagination constructs images from the words. Whether they are books about a destination, or just based in a destination, let them help you escape those four walls that you find yourself ‘trapped’ within.

We have included a few quick recommendations below, but you can read our full list of the Best Travel Books here :

• Out of Africa – Karen Blixen : a memoir first published in 1937, recounts events of the seventeen years when Blixen made her home in Kenya, then called British East Africa; and all the adventures and mishaps that occurred.
• The Beach – Alex Garland : a tale about backpackers and their search for paradise and their desire to “do something different and get off the beaten path,” but in the end see that is just an illusion. 
• Gorillas in the Mist – Dian Fossey : a fascinating chronicle of her time spent with the gorillas from 1966 until it was published in 1983
• The Alchemist – Paul Coelho: The story follows a young shepherd boy from Spain to Egypt as he follows his heart, goes with the flow, and learns love and the meaning of life.

Tune into a Travel Related Podcast

Catering to lovers of themed storytelling, true crime accounts and creepy cults, podcasts are also a great asset for travelers – especially armchair travelers! Here are our top 5 recommendations if you are looking for some new ear candy:

• The Budget Minded Traveler
• The Thoughtful Travel Podcast
• Amateur Traveler
• Zero to Travel; and
• Indie Travel Podcast

Explore The World Via Google Earth

Explore worldwide satellite imagery and 3D buildings and terrain for hundreds of cities. Zoom to your house or anywhere else, then dive in for a 360° perspective with Street View. Take a guided tour around the globe with some of the world’s leading storytellers, scientists, and nonprofits.

I have even been lucky enough to be part of one of the these huge geographical mapping projects on Christmas Island, Australia ; where the street view trekker traversed the island on the back of Park rangers to show the rest of the world this beautiful island paradise.

Stay off Social Media

With so much misinformation out there, scrolling through Instagram is probably going to cause more stress than take you to faraway lands. And with everyone grounded – you’re not likely to see much inspiring travel content.

Use this time to take a break from social media and only listen to official sources when it comes to Corona Virus, how to deal with it and your own governments’ policies and directions at any given time.

Plan your Future Adventures on Pinterest (not a social media platform!)

In 2020, we can do this all virtually and Pinterest is the inimitable home of virtual vision boards. There you can find inspiration, destination guides, stunning images, travel tips and more from multiple different sources. You can organise them however you want: from city to state, country to continent, the choice is yours and your dream can fast become a (virtual) reality. Click the profile above and start building your own idea boards!

..Or use Social Media for good

There are lots of Facebook groups out there dedicated to talking, planning and inspiring travel. So even if you can’t get physically getaway, you can chat with like-minded folks who either have been to where you would like to go, can help with planning your dream trip – or simply share your reminiscing about past adventures. The toughest decision – would be deciding which group to join!

Drink Around the World

We encourage responsible drinking for those who are of legal drinking age in your respective country

From mixing your own cocktails to signing up to alcohol monthly subscription boxes (where they deliver whiskey, gin – or whatever your taste in booze is), to ordering wines from around anywhere on the globe – drinking around the world doesn’t just have to be an adults only activity at the EPCOT Center in Florida(!) ( if you know you know ).

Our favorite international inspired cocktails to take you for a spin around the globe are:

• Pisco Sour from Peru – Pisco Quebranta, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white & ice cubes. Serve chilled and garnish with Angostura Bitters
• Caipirinha from Brazil – Lime, Brown Sugar, Cachaça & Ice.
• Sangria from Spain – Red Wine, Cinnamon, Brandy, Raspberry Syrup
• Mojito from Cuba – Brown Sugar, Mint, Rum, Sparkling Water (Or Soda) & a sprig of mint (if you’re feeling fancy)
• Singapore Sling from Singapore – Gin, Cherry Heering, Dom Benedictine, Cointreau, Sarawak Pineapple Juice, lime juice & grenadine
• Aperol Spritz from Venice , Italy – Prosecco, Aperol & Soda water

Order a Takeaway

Who doesn’t love a good portion of British style fish and chips?!

If cooking really isn’t your thing, but you are just dying for some international food at home, be sure to check out your local takeaways which deliver. Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Menulog, Just Eat – the choice of food apps is practically endless. You’ll be sure to find exactly what you are looking for in a flash.

Then you just have to hope it gets delivered just as quickly!

Play Traditional Music from Far Away Lands

Use YouTube or Spotify to discover music from far away shores and get your groove on in your living room. Think reggae from the Caribbean, K-Pop from Korea, Bush Music from Australia – the musical world is literally your oyster!

Quiz Yourself and Improve Your General Knowledge

Online quizzes and trivia can be really fun and a great way to keep your mind busy. From travel-inspired quizzes on a particular country to music quizzes from the 70s , 80s , 90s or 00s . Or why not try to decipher some funny anagrams (the sweary and inappropriate kind!) or test your knowledge of cocktails and champagne ?! The trivia possibilities are endless!

And that’s a wrap – 20+ ways to ‘Travel’ from home without leaving your living room! We hope you like our ideas and can find a few ways to keep yourself busy, occupied and productive during these times of required self-isolation and social avoidance due to Corona Virus.

We wish everyone a speedy recovery – be it their physical or mental health, their business and income, or anything that they need to get back to a version of normal that makes you happy.

And if you know of anyone stuck at home twiddling their thumbs and dreaming of travel – be sure to send them this post! Sharing is caring (in a keep your distance kind of way!)

And if you liked this travel gear list, take a look at the other recent posts, packing tips, packing checklist, travel resources, travel guides, ultimate guides and packing lists in this series:

• The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List – keeping you and your care happy, entertained & healthy on the road
• The Ultimate Ski Trip Packing List – packed full of ski essentials to help you have the best time on the piste
• How to Pack for Iceland (in Summer OR Winter) – Iceland can be cold and unpredictable, but our list will have you covered whatever season you plan to visit.
• Get Eco Friendly on your travels: The Best Solid Toiletries (that you can take in your carry on) and Eco-Friendly Gifts for travel lovers.
• Travel Gear: Travel Backpacks & Carry On Luggage , travel tripods , camera backpacks & travel yoga mats!
• Get ready for the World’s favorite shopping holiday: Black Friday Deals for Travel 2020
• Get Inspired! Travel Quotes , Adventure Quotes , Mountain Quotes , Beach Quotes & Ocean Quotes !!

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Working Away From Home: Tax Deductions & Allowances Explained 2022 

In Australia, it’s common for employees to undertake work-related travel or even live away from home for a period when their role requires it. However, navigating tax deductions and allowances at tax time becomes more complex when working away from home. 

For example, an employee may be assigned to evaluate a prospective site for a mining operation. This operation requires on-the-spot observations and analysis that can only be accurately reported if someone is sent to the site to do the job, but this is a short-term arrangement. 

A longer-term appointment may occur if a skilled employee is appointed to oversee a project in another state. Working away from home for a longer period of time may even entitle them to special allowances from their employer, such as a Living Away From Home Allowance. 

Employees working away from home – “home” referring to the base office or headquarters – can claim specific tax deductions in Australia, and may receive Living Away From Home Allowance. However, claimable deductions differ between employees living away from home versus those who are carrying out work-related travel. 

Understanding working away from home tax deductions for your annual tax return can be tricky. This article will help you better understand tax implications and claimable deductions for people working away from home in Australia. 

Accountants such as WealthVisory can offer professional support to make tax preparation for work-away-from-home employees quick and easy, and affordable. From FIFO tax deductions to ADF tax returns , working with an experienced accountant makes all the difference. 

For an in-depth guide to living away from home tax deductions, keep reading!

Living Away From Home vs Work-Related Travel: What Is the Difference?

When you’re working away from home, your company will specify whether you’ll be living away from home or if it’s considered work-related travel. Depending on which category you fall into, you may receive a Travel Allowance or Living Away From Home Allowance, and tax treatments of these two payments differ. 

Living away from home requires you to live in suitable accommodation on or near your workplace, away from your typical home. Live away from home arrangements are often long-term, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a few years. The ATO specifies that it must be longer than 21 days and less than two years, other than for FIFO or DIDO workers. 

You are often entitled to a living away from home allowance (LAFHA) as extra compensation in this working arrangement to cover costs such as accommodation and meals. These payments apply in situations when you could have remained living in your home if not for a change in work requirements. 

Alternatively, many people are required to travel as part of their job. Work-related travel refers to travelling from one place to another for business purposes. For example, the entire business trip may just require an overnight visit to meet a client, or it could be a prolonged overseas trip for a big conference. 

Living Away From Home Allowance and Tax Deductions

‘Living away from home’ occurs when an employee has to work away from where they usually maintain a home in Australia. This is a longer-term arrangement rather than overnight travel: more than 21 days and under 12 months (other than for FIFO/DIDO workers). 

In this case, it’s often practical for the company to let you live near your present place of work. As such, your employer may provide you with a Living Away From Home Allowance to assist with related expenses. 

For example, you may be required to supervise a newly opened branch in another state. Or maybe the company needs you to do some long-term research that may last for several months or even years. Many FIFO and DIDO employees in Australia are also considered ‘living away from home’ arrangements. Providing an allowance for related expenses helps compensate employees for the expenses and inconvenience of being away from their usual residence. 

What is a Living Away From Home Allowance?

The Living Away from Home Allowance (LAFHA) refers to an amount directly paid to a worker in a living-away-from-home arrangement. This is an allowance aimed to reimburse the expenses, rigours, and potential isolation of these work arrangements.

A LAFHA can be any of the following forms:

• A set allowance provided to you by your employer
• A reimbursement of your incurred expenses
• A direct company benefit as deemed by your employer

To qualify for a LAFHA, you need to fulfil a few requirements: 

• You must have accommodation where you will return to after working
• You should provide a declaration to your employer about living away from home
• Your time away from home should be shorter than 12 months but longer than 21 days (the only exception is if you’re a Fly-In-Fly-Out [FIFO] worker)

Living Away From Home Allowance usually covers the expenses needed for food and accommodation. The general stipulation is at least $265 per week for food. Your accommodation should be similar to what you have when you’re staying in your existing home. 

Here are some examples of LAFHA positions listed by the ATO:

•  Construction workers living barracks or camps
•  Employees living on offshore drilling rigs or oil platforms
•  Workers living aboard offshore vessels
•  Trainee employees who are required to live away from home to undergo training courses

Living Away From Home Allowance is considered a Fringe Benefit for tax purposes. 

What Expenses Does LAFHA Cover?

LAFHA generally covers the following:

• Food and drink expenses while living away from home
• Food and drink expenses that exceed a reasonable amount provided that you’re able to substantiate the total amount of the costs, not just the excess
• Accommodation expenses

Is Living Away From Home Allowance Taxed?

The LAFHA that employers provide you is not part of your taxable income. Thus, it is generally not included as an assessable income on your tax return. You cannot claim a tax deduction for costs that a LAFHA covers.  

If your employer provides you food, accommodation, and other incidental items as fringe benefits, your employer may need to pay Fringe Benefit Tax . 

Tax Deductions When Living Away From Home for Work

While food and accommodation are not deductible expenses when receiving Living Away From Home Allowance, the tax deductions which apply to all employees are still claimable. 

Valid tax deductible expenses include:

• Work-related travel expenses
• Uniform or protective clothing expenses
• Tools and equipment expenses
• Eligible licence renewal fees
• Work-related internet and phone connection fees

Read more about tax deductions for FIFO workers here. 

Can I Claim Deductions for Expenses Covered By LAFHA?

Meals and accommodation costs covered by Living Away From Home Allowance are not tax-deductible. LAFHA is designed to compensate you for these meal and accommodation expenses incurred for work purposes.  

The allowance can also be tax-free and Fringe Benefit Tax-exempt for your employer for the first 12 months. 

What Deductions Can I Claim if I Don’t Receive a LAFHA?

If you haven’t received a Living Away From Home Allowance, and you’ve paid for your meals, accommodation, travel expenses, and other incidentals, these expenses may be tax deductible as travel expenses. 

However, the majority of personal expenses are not tax deductible, even when working away from home. Transportation from your home to your workplace and food and drink costs are considered a personal expense. You will only be able to claim deductions for costs you can associate with ‘income earning activity’. 

In addition, you typically cannot claim accommodation expenses as tax deductions if you’ve chosen to work away from where you typically reside.

Work-Related Travel Allowance and Tax Deductions

When it comes to work-related travel, your employer will often pay you a travel allowance. This will be in addition to the salary you regularly receive, and is included in your assessable income. 

What is a Travel Allowance?

A travel allowance is a set amount of money intended to cover the cost of travel, accommodation, food, and other secondary costs arising from travelling for work or business purposes. Expenses accrued by travelling from home to your usual place of employment and vice versa are not eligible costs. 

The employer will record the allowance payments and include them in your payment summary as ‘allowances’. In most cases, you are required to keep a record of your expenses.

However, there are times that you may need to shell out your own money for unexpected costs. If you have incurred such expenses while travelling overnight for business, it’s recommended that you list down the details of any food, accommodation, travel, and incidental costs for liquidation. A travel diary is recommended for everyone and is compulsory for sole traders, and partners in a partnership. 

A travel diary should indicate the date of your trip, your destinations, your itinerary, the purpose of your trip, and what costs you incurred. If you can, also keep a copy of any relevant receipts or invoices for these additional expenses. 

The ATO releases a Taxation Determination annually to outline what the office considers a reasonable travel and overtime meal allowance.

Is Travel Allowance Considered Income?

The work-related travel allowance you receive from your employer is considered assessable income and is listed on your income statement. Tax may be withheld from this payment. 

This means you can claim the cost of your accommodation, meals, and other incidentals on your tax form as they’re incurred during your work-related travel. However, those expenses must have actually been incurred and be on the list of allowable deductions. Just because you received a travel allowance does not mean that you can claim a tax deduction.

Tax deductions for travel expenses can be claimed by a business taxpayer or employee on a salary. However, to do so, it should comply with the following conditions:

• You can only claim incurred expenses as part of a business or work-related travel
• Your claimed amount depends on whether you receive an allowance for incurred costs and whether your pay-as-you-go (PAYG) summary includes that allowance

Tax Deductions for Work-Related Travel 

It can be pretty confusing to understand which travel expenses are tax-deductible . Here’s a list of travel expenses that can be claimed on taxes:

• Meals for overnight travel
• Accommodation
• Incidental costs
• Renting a vehicle, including fuel, registration, insurance, and repairs
• Public travel costs such as airfare, ferry fares, bus fares, taxi fares, and train and tram tickets
• Travel expenses between two workplaces
• Bridge and toll fees
• Parking fees
• Costs related to work-related usage or maintenance of a car, van, or utility truck designed to carry one ton or more of cargo
• Costs related to work-related usage or maintenance of a motorcycle or road vehicle designed to carry nine or more passengers

There are also a few expenses that you cannot claim as a deduction on work-related travel:

• Travel expenses between work and home
• Travel expenses for your family members who accompany you during your work-related trips
• Add-on flights or trips not related to your work
• Expenses involving running an errand on the way to or from work
• Personal purchases you incurred during your work-related travel. Examples of this include watching a movie, buying a book, booking a tour, etc.
• Your home is also your workplace and you travel to a different location to work for another person or company
• Staying an extra night for personal purposes (e.g. visiting a friend) after work
• Expenses for an addition of a work event while on vacation or days off. For example, you may be vacationing for a week. While in your vacation destination, you decided to attend a 2-day work-related conference. In this case, you can claim for the cost of the conference. However, you can’t claim the accommodation or travel costs related to the trip. That’s because the original purpose is to enjoy a holiday, not attending a business-related event.

When it comes to domestic or overseas travel, tax-deductible work-related expenses can include meals, accommodations, car rentals, and other incidental fees (as described above), wherein travel comprises an essential part of your income-earning activity. However, you must be able to prove a relevant link between your travel and your source of assessable income.

Do I Have To Declare Travel Allowance On My Tax Return?

As a general rule, any travel allowance you receive is usually included on your income statement or payment summary as an allowance. You may not need to declare a travel allowance as income if:

• the travel allowance is not shown on your income statement or payment summary
• It does not exceed the designated reasonable amount and
• it was spent entirely on deductible costs

However, if not declared on your tax return, you will not be able to claim tax deductions on related expenses. 

Can I Claim Deductions for Expenses Covered By Travel Allowance?

As long as your travel expenses are related to your work, and the expense is declared as part of your income, you can claim these expenses as tax deductions. To claim deductions for a trip when you’ve received a travel allowance, you must declare the travel allowance on your tax return. 

However, don’t assume that the entirety of the allowance is tax-deductible. That is a common mistake! What you can claim is only the total amount of your actual expenses. 

For example, let’s say your employer provides you $2000 worth of travel allowance for the year, but your travel cost throughout the year only amounts to $1500. In this scenario, you can only claim $1500 worth of travel deductions.

Finally, note that you can only claim for eligible work-related expenses, as per typical ATO rules. Even if you spend a portion of your travel allowance on non-deductible expenses means you still won’t be able to claim them on your taxes. 

Working Away From Home & Work-Related Travel FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding working away from home tax deductions.

Can I Deduct Rent if I Work Away From Home?

According to the ATO, costs involving financing, holding and maintaining accommodation or rent when travelling to perform work duties may be deductible as work-related travel expenses. This is typically if you are on a temporary assignment rather than a long-term arrangement. 

ATO guidelines list rent under types of costs that can be claimed when working away from home. However, costs that can not be claimed include furniture and other household items for your accommodation. 

Can I Claim Food Expenses When Travelling for Work?

Meal expenses during overnight travel can be claimed as a tax deduction. This only applies when you are travelling away for work on overnight trips. These expenses aren’t tax deductible if you are living away from home or relocating. 

To claim your food expenses and other deductible travel expenses , make sure you keep the receipts for all your food purchases and meals. This does not apply if you have already received an allowance from your employer for these food expenses. 

You also aren’t entitled to claim a deduction if you have received reimbursement for your food expenditures.

What Records Should I Keep to Claim Travel Expenses?

To claim travel expenses as a tax deduction, keep documentary evidence of expenses such as bank statements, credit card bills, and receipts. It’s recommended you keep these records securely for five years.

Need Tax Advice On Living Away From Home Arrangements?

With so many factors to consider, it’s worth consulting an experienced accountant for your ‘living away from home’ or FIFO tax return . At WealthVisory, we specialise in these complex working arrangements, and have helped countless FIFO workers in Western Australia get the most out of their annual tax return.

For friendly professional tax advice you can trust, make an appointment with WealthVisory Accounting . 

Disclaimer:

This article is provided as general information only and does not consider your specific situation, objectives or needs. WealthVisory Accounting makes no warranties about the ongoing completeness or accuracy of this information. It does not represent financial advice upon which any person may act. Implementation and suitability requires a detailed analysis of your specific circumstances.

Aaron is a Chartered Accountant with over 15 years experience in the accounting industry. Aaron has been able to provide advice around structuring, cashflow, tax compliance and working with clients to develop strategies.

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Living away from home & distant work in the Building & Construction Award

An employee who qualifies for the living away from home distant work entitlement will:

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• reimbursement for all reasonable accommodation and meal expenses
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Living-away-from-home allowance fringe benefits

Find out about FBT when you pay an employee a living-away-from-home allowance (LAFHA).

Last updated 11 January 2023

What is a LAFHA fringe benefit?

An allowance you pay to an employee is a living-away-from-home allowance (LAFHA) fringe benefit if both the following apply:

• The employee's duties require them to live away from their normal residence.
• Some or all of the allowance is to compensate the employee for non-deductible additional expenses and other disadvantages caused by living away from their normal residence.

An allowance paid to an employee for travelling for work is a travel allowance. It is assessable to an employee and does not incur fringe benefits tax (FBT). To work out if you are paying your employee a LAFHA or a travel allowance, see FBT guide: 11.11 Difference between a living-away-from-home allowance and a travelling allowance .

What to do if you provide a LAFHA fringe benefit

You need to:

• work out the taxable value of the LAFHA fringe benefit
• calculate how much FBT to pay
• lodge your FBT return
• pay the FBT amount
• check if you should report the fringe benefit through Single Touch Payroll (or on your employee’s payment summary).

Taxable value of a LAFHA fringe benefit

The taxable value of a LAFHA fringe benefit is the amount of LAFHA you pay your employee.

You can reduce the taxable value of the benefit by any amounts your employee spends on their accommodation and reasonable food expenses, if either:

• they give you a declaration about living away from home
• the fringe benefit relates to the first 12 months at a particular work location
• they give you a declaration about living away from home .

Example: taxable value of accommodation component of LAFHA

Steve has a residence in Melbourne and is seconded to work in Perth for 12 months. During this time his Melbourne home continues to be available for his own use.

Steve receives a LAFHA from his employer, which includes an accommodation component of $450 per week. He resides with his wife, Helen, who rents a house in Perth for 12 months at a cost of $450 per week. Steve gives his employer a declaration about living away from home.

Steve's employer does not have to pay FBT on the accommodation component of the LAFHA ($450 per week).

For more information about LAFHA fringe benefits, including the extent to which the employee's accommodation and food expenses can be deducted from the taxable value of the benefit, see:

• FBT guide: 11 Living-away-from-home allowance fringe benefits
• TR 2021/4 Income tax and fringe benefit tax: accommodation and food and drink expenses, travel allowances and living-away-from-home allowances.

• Insights & Advice

Tax Implications of Living Away From Home Allowances

A Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA) can take several forms:

• The payment of an allowance to you by your employer
• The reimbursement of expenses which you incur by your employer
• The direct provision of a benefit by your employer. For example, the provision of living accommodation for you whilst you are away

A Living Away From Home Allowance is intended to compensate you for expenses incurred whilst you are working away on secondment or on a contract. These expenses include such costs as accommodation and meals. LAFHAs can also be payments to compensate you for other disadvantages such as isolation.

LAFHA's are payable in situations where you would have continued to live in your usual home if not for the requirement to change residence in order to work temporarily in another location at your employers request. There is an expectation that you will return to your usual home at the end of the period of working away.

Tax treatment of LAFHA

A LAFHA paid to you is income tax-free and should not be included as assessable income in your tax return. Conversely, you cannot claim a deduction for expenses which have been covered by a LAFHA.

However, your employer may be required to pay Fringe Benefits Tax on the value of the allowance or benefits provided.

LAFHA's are often confused with travel allowances.Travel allowances are paid to employees who are travelling on business but not living away from home. These are taxable and you can claim deductions against them. Generally, an employee travelling for business for less than 21 days will receive a travel allowance, not a LAFHA.

You can receive LAFHA or a benefit for family members who also live away with you, including your spouse and your children.

If you maintain a home in Australia that your duties of employment require you to live away from, your employer can only receive the concessional treatment for any living-away-from-home benefits they provide to you for 12 months. After that period, your employer will have to pay FBT on any benefits they provide to you.

Keeping Records of Expenses

You must keep records of your expenses and will need to give your employer either:

• documentary evidence of the expense such as receipts, credit card or bank statements (copies are acceptable)
• a declaration setting out information about the expense.

If you choose to provide a declaration to your employer, you must do so by the date on which your employer's FBT return is due to be lodged with the ATO or, if they don't have to lodge a return, by 21 May. You must also keep your documents to substantiate the expenses incurred for a period of five years from the declaration date. However, you do not need to keep the documents if you provide documentary evidence of the expense to your employer.

Food or drink expenses

Any food or drink expenses you incur while living away from home only need to be substantiated where the expenses exceed an amount considered to be reasonable by the Commissioner.

If your food or drink expenses exceed the reasonable amount, you must be able to substantiate the full amount of these expenses, not just the excess amount.

Accommodation Expenses

The full amount of accommodation expenses you incur must be substantiated.

If you're uncertain about whether allowances you are receiving are Living Away From Home Allowances or not, or if you need guidance on the records you need to keep, visit one of our offices and get advice from one of our expert tax consultants. Call 13 23 25 or find you nearest office.

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On the road: How to treat work-related travel and living away from home costs

6 October 2021

The ATO has released new guidance to help clarify the tax treatment of costs and allowances incurred when an employee travels – or spends time living away from home – for work.

Certain conditions need to be met to ensure an allowance can be considered a travel allowance:

• None of the individual absences from the employee’s usual place of residence exceed 21 days.
• The employee is not present in the same work location for 90 or more days in an FBT year.
• The employee returns to their usual residence once their period away ends.

See the table below for a breakdown of the characteristics of travel allowances versus living away from home allowances.

Where the applicable allowance type remains unclear, certain questions can be asked to discern further, such as:

• Has there been a change in the employee’s regular place of work?
• Is the duration of the employee’s period away from home relatively long?
• Is the nature of the accommodation such that it becomes the employee’s usual place of residence?
• Can the employee be visited by family and friends?

Of course, for a travel expense to be deductible, the employee must be able to demonstrate that it was incurred while travelling for work. Unless exceptions apply, the employee must maintain written evidence of the expenditures and keep travel records for work-related trips that involve an absence of six or more consecutive nights from their usual residence.

The ATO does allow for the not-uncommon scenario where an employee attending a conference, for example, is accompanied by their spouse and stays an extra few days for leisure purposes – although reasonable apportionment is required in these cases.

The ATO also recognises that where employees regularly travel to the same location they may choose to rent or even buy a property there rather than stay in a hotel, motel or AirBnB. The associated costs will be deductible provided they are not disproportionate to what would have been paid had the employee elected to use suitable commercial accommodation instead.

It’s important that allowances paid (or reimbursements made) to cover an employee’s accommodation, food and drink expenses do not form part of a salary packaging arrangement, and must be included in the employee’s payment summary with tax withheld where appropriate. The employer should also obtain and retain documentation establishing that all the circumstances have been met.

Travel allowance versus living away from home allowance

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ATO guidance on costs of travelling

19 February 2021

On 17 February 2021, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) released the following new guidance in relation to whether an employee is “travelling on work” or otherwise, and the income tax and fringe benefits tax (FBT) treatment of associated travel expenses: 

Draft Taxation Ruling TR 2021/D1: Income tax and fringe benefit tax: employees: accommodation and food and drinks expenses; travel allowances; and living-away-from-home allowances 

Draft Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2021/D1: Determining if allowances or benefits provided to an employee relate to travelling on work or living at a location – ATO compliance approach, and

Taxation Ruling TR 2021/1 : Income tax: when are deductions allowed for employees’ transport expenses?

TR 2021/D1 overhauls the ATO’s public guidance with respect to deductibility of expenses for accommodation, food and drinks and incidentals. Importantly, the draft Ruling also provides the ATO’s preliminary views on the following concepts which generally underpin the deductibility analysis:

• living expenses which are non-deductible as they are not incurred in performing an employee's income-producing activities, and
• travelling on work costs which are deductible where they have a sufficiently close connection to the performance of employment duties.

The practical compliance approach set out in PCG 2021/D1 allows taxpayers to determine whether an employee is ‘travelling on work’ or ‘living at a location’. Subject to certain conditions, an employee is deemed to be travelling on work if they are away for no more than 21 consecutive days, and fewer than 90 days in the same work location in a FBT year.

TR 2021/1 continues to reaffirm the general principles around deductibility and associated FBT implications of employee transport expenses, which include that:

• an employee’s costs of travelling between home and a regular place of work are not deductible; and 
• travel expenses incurred in the performance of an employee’s employment duties are deductible.

TR 2021/1, which applies before and after its issue date, replaces commensurate transport deductibility guidance in the now withdrawn Draft Taxation Ruling 2017/D6 Income tax and fringe benefits tax: when are deductions allowed for employees’ travel expenses? (TR 2017/D6) and finalises the previously issued Draft Ruling TR 2019/D7. When finalised, TR 2021/D1 and PCG 2021/D1 are also proposed to apply to before and after their date of issue, similarly replacing relevant principles from TR 2017/D6.

Employers should consider how the new guidance may impact any travel benefits provided in the current FBT year and also former FBT years, particularly where application of previous guidance may lead to a different outcome. It is relevant to note that all three documents make reference to the Commissioner of Taxation having regard to earlier ATO guidance, and a taxpayer’s reliance thereon, in deciding whether or not to apply compliance resources with respect to relevant tax matters.

TR 2021/D1 - travelling vs living expenses

Where an employer provides an allowance, or pays or reimburses an employee for travel expenses, including accommodation, food and drink and incidentals, the costs may be deductible (or ‘otherwise deductible’ for FBT purposes) in certain circumstances.

In detailing the ATO’s preliminary view regarding deductibility principles, TR 2021/D1 makes a distinction between the following concepts:

• living expenses which are non-deductible. Although these costs are a prerequisite for gaining or producing an employee’s assessable income, they are not incurred in performing an employee's income-producing activities and are also private or domestic in nature; and 
• travelling on work costs which are deductible if they have a sufficiently close connection to the performance of the employment duties and activities through which the employee earns income.

The draft Ruling also sets out that, if any of the following apply, the employee will not be “travelling on work” and therefore, expenses incurred will be non-deductible living expenses:

• Personal circumstances: The employee’s personal circumstances are such that they live far away from where they gain or produce their assessable income and the expenses are incurred as a result;
• Living at a location : The employee has a new regular place of work which is away from their usual residence and therefore the resulting expenses are not an incident of their income-earning activity; and
• Relocation: The employee has relocated from their usual residence, regardless of whether moving to the new location is required by the employer, such that any expenses are living expenses.

The draft Ruling provides guidance in terms of the factors to consider in determining whether an individual is living at a location or relocating. 

TR 2021/D1 also distinguishes between certain types of allowances provided by employers to employees:

• travel allowances which can only be paid to cover deductible accommodation, food and drink and incidental expenses incurred by an employee when they are “travelling on work”; and
• living-away-from-home allowances (considered for FBT purposes) which are paid to provide compensation to an employee for the additional living expenses incurred by an employee because their duties of employment require them to live at a location away from their usual residence.

TR 2021/D1 also provides guidance on the deductibility of incidental expenses and additional property expenses, in addition to commentary on apportionment of expenses and substantiation requirements.

PCG 2021/D1 - travelling on work or living at a location - ATO compliance approach

Although TR 2021/D1 provides principles and factors to assess whether an employee is travelling on work or living at a location’, PCG 2021/D1 provides a practical compliance approach in making such a determination. 

According to PCG 2021/D1, the Commissioner will accept that an employee is ‘travelling on work”, and will generally not apply compliance resources to determine if benefits alternatively relate to expenses for living at a location, when all of the following circumstances are satisfied:

The 21 day rule of thumb was discarded by the ATO many years ago due to taxpayers increasingly regarding it as a fixed threshold when distinguishing between “travelling on work” and living away from home. This concept is now re-activated in PCG 2021/D1 but together with further criteria that provide sufficient integrity.

TR 2021/1 - Transport expenses

TR 2021/1 finalises TR 2019/D7 and details that transport expenses (for example, in respect to an airline, train, taxi, car, bus, boat or other vehicle) will be deductible where they are incurred in gaining or producing assessable income. This Ruling stipulates that this characterisation will be supported where the travel:

• fits within the duties of employment (i.e. the obligation to incur the transport expenses arises out of the employment itself and not the employee’s personal circumstances); and
• is relevant to the practical demands of carrying out the employee’s work duties or role (i.e. the transport expenses are a necessary consequence of the employee’s income-producing activity).

The Ruling also provides the following additional factors that may be relevant in determining the whether a transport expense is incurred in gaining or producing assessable income:

• the employer asks for the travel to be undertaken
• the travel occurs on work time, and 
• the travel occurs when the employee is under the direction and control of the employer.

In conjunction with these factors, the Ruling continues to address what constitutes a regular place of work, along with the deductibility of benefits in specific scenarios, inclusive of employees who are on-call or standby, working from home, or transporting bulky equipment. 

The takeaway

The release of the ATO’s new series of travel Rulings and the Practical Compliance Guideline as we head towards the close of the current FBT year are, in one sense, timely with mobility on the rise again, as COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease in Australia. Importantly, it delivers some certainty to taxpayers who have been closely watching and relying on draft Rulings over a number of years.

As the new Rulings and the Guideline apply retrospectively as well as prospectively, taxpayers who have relied on discontinued deductibility concepts in the withdrawn TR 2017/D6, such as “special demands travel” and “co-existing work locations”, should review their current arrangements for travel to validate whether it continues to be regarded as deductible (for example, because they are “travelling on work”). 

Additionally, for employers who have new projects or programs requiring benefit and travel policies to be developed, it is paramount that the new guidance is considered in determining the nature of travel and the impact of benefits for each scenario and employee cohort (for example, short-term mobilisation on construction projects versus two-year assignments). Upfront planning, including development of governance and procedures (data capture, travelling versus living determination, etc), is a necessary initiative to manage the ongoing challenges of deductibility assessment for travel arrangements. 

Submissions on the draft Ruling and PCG are due by 19 March 2021. PwC will be preparing a submission and would welcome your feedback. If you would like to contribute, please advise your relevant PwC contact.

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AU – Travel for Work Can Have Tax Implications

Australia – if planning to travel for work, consider tax implications.

This GMS Flash Alert provides an overview of three separate documents released by the Australia Taxation Office in relation to employee travel. One draft ruling was simultaneously withdrawn. The current draft guidance suggests that for some globally-mobile employees, depending on the duration of their assignments, some of the benefits they are provided (e.g., accommodation) may be subject to Fringe Benefits Tax.

ATO Documents

Is there a “bright line” test to establish travelling for work or living away from home.

Hayley Lock

KPMG Australia

Daniel Hodgson

Mardi Heinrich

While personal travel might not be on the cards for all yet, some recent releases from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) mean that tax costs in Australia need to be front of mind when movement resumes. 1

The ATO recently released three separate documents in relation to employee travel and, simultaneously, withdrew one draft ruling. 

These latest releases are a continuation of a process that started in 2017 with the ATO seeking to clarify its position in relation to the tax treatment of employer-provided transport, accommodation, and meals.

WHY THIS MATTERS

An employee’s categorisation as travelling for work, living away from home, or indefinitely relocating, will determine the Australian tax treatment of transport, accommodation, and meal benefits (including allowances).

It is important for employers of internationally-mobile employees travelling into or out of Australia to have a clear view on this categorisation and the resultant impacts to avoid any unnecessary or unexpected tax costs.  This is particularly relevant for Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) in Australia, where the liability rests with the employer and is currently 47 percent on the grossed-up value of the benefit (for example, if accommodation were subject to full FBT, then for every $100 spent on accommodation there would be roughly a corresponding $100 of FBT payable).

From a global-mobility perspective, the ATO had previously provided some guidance whereby international employees on short-term assignments to Australia for up to three months were travelling for work and, as such, not subject to FBT. 2   The current draft guidance suggests that for what are similar circumstances but a longer assignment period (expressed as 90 to 120 days), some of the benefits provided (e.g., accommodation) may be subject to FBT.  

Recent Releases

• Final Taxation Ruling, TR 2021/1 Income tax: when are deductions allowed for employees’ transport expenses?
• accommodation and food and drink expenses;
• travel allowances; and
• living-away-from-home allowances.
• Draft Practical Compliance Guideline, PCG 2021/D1 : Determining if allowances or benefits provided to an employee relate to travelling on work or living at a location – ATO compliance approach.

Draft Ruling Withdrawn

• TR 2017/D6 Income tax and fringe benefits tax: when are deductions allowed for employees’ travel expenses?

Given the significant impact the categorisation of an employee’s circumstances can have on the employer’s tax position, whether there exists a “bright line” test that can be used to establish if an employee is travelling for work or living away from home is a valid question and one that is asked often in practice.

The ATO’s prevailing view is that every scenario must be considered on its own merits considering the relevant “facts and circumstances.”  However, the ATO has also released some Practical Compliance Guidance (PCG) (currently in draft) specifically providing a “safe harbor” test. 3

PCG 2021/D1 highlights the ATO’s compliance approach when determining if allowances or benefits provided to an employee relate to travelling for work or living at a location.  The PCG incorporates a “day count” test, allowing employers a numerical basis for categorisation.  It is important to note, this also increases the possibility of automation of this aspect of the FBT process (among other things).

The compliance approach sets a “safe harbour” of an aggregate period of fewer than 90 days in an FBT year for presence at a temporary work location to be treated as travelling for work.  Provided that this requirement is met, PCG 2021/D1 allows an employee to have numerous short stints of travel of up to, and including, 21 continuous days.

The following table summarises the requirements for the PCG to apply:

The PCG as a Guideline

It should be noted that the PCG only provides a guideline as to what will be accepted by the ATO as reasonable.  If a scenario does not meet the criteria, the PCG does not render the relevant expenses automatically taxable, rather, it will require the employer to collate more evidence to support a “travelling for work” position.  In an audit situation, the ATO will want to see evidence of how the employer has come to this conclusion, despite the PCG, and why.

Concluding Thoughts 

The introduction of the PCG and the safe harbour it offers will provide a set of rules that can be applied to data and help an organisation assess retrospectively which trips might not require further consideration to classify.

Similarly, the PCG provides an opportunity for employers to plan employee travel within these limits if it wishes to do so and other practical business realities allow it to do so.

Organisations may need support in navigating the relevant legislation, cases, and ATO guidance in considering all relevant facts and circumstances and helping employers classify their travelling employees correctly.

1  For related coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2020-487 , 9 December 2020.

2  For prior coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2020-113 , 25 March 2020.

3  Draft Practical Compliance Guideline, PCG 2021/D1 .

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The 6 Best States for Tiny Home Living

T iny home living is quickly becoming a trend as people move away from larger houses to something more comfortable and personal. Unfortunately, though they are growing popular, many city and state ordinances aren’t keeping up with the demand. There are some states where it’s nearly impossible to build a tiny home due to regulations.

Thankfully, some states are a lot more forgiving than others. They’ve made exceptions to zoning rules for tiny homes, or even made laws specifically for these smaller abodes. Six of the best states for those looking to downgrade are listed below, so keep reading.

What Is Tiny Home Living and Why Is it Popular?

Generally, to be considered a tiny home , a house has to be less than 1,000 square feet. Some people say that under 600 square feet is more of a tiny home, but not everyone is as strict. Tiny homes are often the same as standard homes, only smaller. However, mobile homes, like RVs or tiny homes on wheels are sometimes also counted.

There are many reasons that tiny home living is so popular. One is the cost. Where a standard home starts often above $250,000, a tiny home costs around $30,000 as the base price. This allows people to get more features that they want in their home, and not have to take out large loans.

It’s also fairly minimalist, which is a growing trend. People are moving towards owning fewer items and having more experiences. For people who like to travel or be outdoors more than indoors, a tiny home is perfect as they aren’t spending a lot of money on a home they rarely see.

Why Are Some States Better for Tiny Home Living Than Others?

Due to previously-set building codes, many states do not accept tiny homes as permanent housing. This is for a few different reasons. For one, it stops landlords from becoming too greedy. A lot of states limit the size and number of tiny homes on one property to stop landlords from creating exceptionally tiny communities to take advantage of poorer communities.

However, much of it has to do with safety as well. Apartments can be small because they’re part of a bigger building. The smaller a building is, the harder it is to create proper airflow and ventilation. Because of these issues, some states have minimum sizing for houses. Others put other requirements in place, such as the type of foundation they can sit on, and zoning laws.

6 States Best for Tiny Home Living

While all states work to make housing safe with housing regulations, some states have chosen to stick with their outdated regulations. On the other hand, the states below have updated theirs to follow the popularity of tiny homes.

Some states have updated their housing laws while others have made regulations specifically for tiny homes.

1. California

California is the dream destination for those who want a tiny home. There are plenty of tiny house builders and architects to hire, and the zoning opportunities are quite open. Many of the cities even have ordinances to allow homes less than 600 feet as part of normal ordinances while others include RVs.

Oregon is another state open to tiny homes. Not only do they allow permanent tiny homes but mobile ones on wheels as well. There’s even a whole team dedicated to checking regulations on these mobile tiny homes. Still, there are protections in place, especially in cities, to stop greedy companies from mass-producing small homes for communities.

Texas is another great state for tiny home living. There is plenty of land in the state you can purchase for cheap to start building your home on. However, because Texas is so large, and each city runs fairly independently, it’s a good idea to make sure you check the rules in your area before you start building. One works in one city may not be accepted in another, including if they need a solid foundation and minimum size requirements.

4. North Carolina

While not all of North Carolina is tiny home friendly, several towns are accepting of small abodes. Asheville is the most popular, but Blue Ridge, Raleigh, and Carolina Beach are also good options. While tiny homes are allowed, most places don’t accept RVs as homes as of yet unless they’re on a permanent foundation.

Thanks to a group of people passionate about tiny homes, parts of Florida now accept these small living spaces and even RVs. Rockledge was the first, but other cities are starting to open up. For the most part, the minimum requirement is that the home must be at least 170 square feet and at least 8.5 feet.

Georgia has legalized tiny homes state-wide. While each city has specific zoning ordinances, tiny homes have to be allowed in every city. There are standard rules as well, such as every room must be at least 70 square feet and 7 feet in any horizontal direction.

Summary of the Best States for Tiny Home Living

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Life on Other Planets: What is Life and What Does It Need?

One day, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, a faraway planet could yield hints that it might host some form of life – but surrender its secrets reluctantly.

Our space telescopes might detect a mixture of gases in its atmosphere that resembles our own. Computer models would offer predictions about the planet’s life-bearing potential. Experts would debate whether the evidence made a strong case for the presence of life, or try to find still more evidence to support such a groundbreaking interpretation.

“We are in the beginning of a golden era right now,” said Ravi Kopparapu, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who studies habitable planets. “For the first time in the history of civilization we might be able to answer the question: Is there life beyond Earth?”

For exoplanets – planets around other stars – that era opens with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Instruments aboard the spacecraft are detecting the composition of atmospheres on exoplanets. As the power of telescopes increases in the years ahead, future advanced instruments could capture possible signs of life – “biosignatures” – from a planet light-years away.

Within our solar system, the Perseverance rover on Mars is gathering rock samples for eventual return to Earth, so scientists can probe them for signs of life. And the coming Europa Clipper mission will visit an icy moon of Jupiter. Its goal: to determine whether conditions on that moon would allow life to thrive in its global ocean, buried beneath a global ice shell.

But any hints of life beyond Earth would come with another big question: How certain could any scientific conclusions really be?

“The challenge is deciding what is life – when to say, ‘I found it,’” said Laurie Barge of the Origins and Habitability Lab at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

With so much unknown about what even constitutes a “sign of life,” astrobiologists are working on a new framework to understand the strength of the evidence. A sample framework, proposed in 2021, includes a scale ranging from 1 to 7, with hints of other life at level 1, to increasingly substantial evidence, all the way to certainty of life elsewhere at level 7. This framework, which is being discussed and revised, acknowledges that scientific exploration in the search for life is a twisted, winding road, rather than a straightforward path.

And identifying definitive signs remains difficult enough for “life as we know it.” Even more uncertain would be finding evidence of life as we don’t know it, made of unfamiliar molecular combinations or based on a solvent other than water.

Still, as the search for life begins in earnest, among the planets in our own solar system as well as far distant systems known only by their light, NASA scientists and their partners around the world have some ideas that serve as starting points.

Life That Evolves

First, there’s NASA’s less-than-formal, non-binding but still helpful working definition of life: “A self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution.” Charles Darwin famously described evolution by natural selection, with characteristics preserved across generations leading to changes in organisms over time.

Derived in the 1990s by a NASA exobiology working group, the definition is not used to design missions or research projects. It does help to set expectations, and to focus debate on the critical issues around another thorny question: When does non-life become life?

“Biology is chemistry with history,” says Gerald Joyce, one of the members of the working group that helped create the NASA definition and now a research professor at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California.

That means history recorded by the chemistry itself – in our case, inscribed in our DNA, which encodes genetic data that can be translated into the structures and physical processes that make up our bodies.

The DNA record must be robust, complex, self-replicating and open-ended, Joyce suggests, to endure and adapt over billions of years.

“That would be a smoking gun: evidence for information having been recorded in molecules,” Joyce said.

Such a molecule from another world in our solar system, whether DNA, RNA or something else, might turn up in a sample from Mars, say from the Mars sample-return mission now being planned by NASA.

Or it might be found among the “ocean worlds” in the outer solar system – Jupiter’s moon, Europa, Saturn’s Enceladus or one of the other moons of gas giants that hide vast oceans beneath shells of ice.

We can’t obtain samples of such information-bearing molecules from planets beyond our solar system, since they are so far away that it would take tens of thousands of years to travel there even in the fastest spaceships ever built. Instead, we’ll have to rely on remote detection of potential biosignatures, measuring the types and quantities of gases in exoplanet atmospheres to try to determine whether they were generated by life-forms. That likely will require deeper knowledge of what life needs to get its start – and to persist long enough to be detected.

A Place Where Life Emerges

There is no true consensus on a list of requirements for life, whether in our solar system or the stars beyond. But Joyce, who researches life’s origin and development, suggests a few likely “must-haves.”

Topping the list is liquid water. Despite a broad spectrum of environmental conditions inhabited by living things on Earth, all life on the planet seems to require it. Liquid water provides a medium for the chemical components of life to persist over time and come together for reactions, in a way that air or the surface of a rock don’t do as well.

Also essential: an energy source, both for chemical reactions that produce structures and to create “order” against the universal tendency toward “disorder” – also known as entropy.

An imbalance in atmospheric gases also might offer a tell-tale sign of the presence of life.

“In Earth’s atmosphere, oxygen and methane are highly reactive with each other,” Kopparapu said. Left to themselves, they would quickly cancel each other out.

“They should not be seen together,” he said. “So why are we seeing methane, why are we seeing oxygen? Something must be constantly replenishing these compounds.”

On Earth, that “something” is life, pumping more of each into the atmosphere and keeping it out of balance. Such an imbalance, in these compounds or others, could be detected on a distant exoplanet, suggesting the presence of a living biosphere. But scientists also will have to rule out geological processes like volcanic or hydrothermal activity that could generate molecules that we might otherwise associate with life.

Careful laboratory work and precision modeling of possible exoplanet atmospheres will be needed to tell the difference.

Going Through Changes

Barge also places high on the list the idea of “gradients,” or changes that occur over time and distance, like wet to dry, hot to cold, and many other possible environments. Gradients create places for energy to go, changing along the way and generating molecules or chemical systems that later might be incorporated into life-forms.

Plate tectonics on Earth, and the cycling of gases like carbon dioxide – buried beneath Earth’s crust by subduction, perhaps, or released back into the atmosphere by volcanoes – represent one kind of gradient.

Barge’s specialty, the chemistry of hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor billions of years ago, is another. It’s one possible pathway to have created a kind of primitive metabolism – the translation of organic compounds into energy – as a potential precursor to true life-forms.

“What gradients existed before life?” she asks. “If life depends so much on gradients, could the origin of life also have benefited from these gradients?”

Clearer mapping of possible pathways to life ultimately could inform the design of future space telescopes, tasked with parsing the gases in the atmospheres of potentially habitable exoplanets.

“If we want to be sure it’s coming from biology, we have to not only look for gases; we have to look at how it’s being emitted from the planet, if it’s emitted in the right quantities, in the right way,” Kopparapu said. “With future telescopes, we’ll be more confident because they’ll be designed to look for life on other planets.”

Search for Life

This article is one in a series about how NASA is searching for life in the cosmos.

Beginnings: Life on Our World and Others

The Hunt for Life on Mars – and Elsewhere in the Solar System

'Life' in the Lab

Searching for Signs of Intelligent Life: Technosignatures

Finding Life Beyond Earth: What Comes Next?

Related Terms

• Terrestrial Exoplanets
• The Search for Life

Explore More

Two Small NASA Satellites Will Measure Soil Moisture, Volcanic Gases

NASA’s Webb Maps Weather on Planet 280 Light-Years Away

NASA-Led Study Provides New Global Accounting of Earth’s Rivers

The novel approach to estimating river water storage and discharge also identifies regions marked by ‘fingerprints’ of intense water use. A study led by NASA researchers provides new estimates of how much water courses through Earth’s rivers, the rates at which it’s flowing into the ocean, and how much both of those figures have fluctuated […]

Discover More Topics From NASA

Black Holes

ABC7 On Your Side

Title fraud thieves could steal your home while you're still living in it. how to protect yourself.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's a risk many homeowners might not consider: Your house could get snatched away from you -- while you're living inside it. Here are tips on how to keep your home sweet home safe from title fraud.

Your home or property may be the biggest investment you have, and it's hard to image someone stealing it. But title theft can happen, and the implications can be devastating.

"After they fraudulently obtain title to your home, they can sell the property, they can borrow against it, but it is important to remember these are hypotheticals," said Arash Sadat, a real estate attorney.

Title theft usually involves a form of identity theft and forgery. Once a thief gets hold of your information, they forge a deed with the help of a corrupt notary.

The crimes usually involve vacant properties, like vacation rentals.

Here is what you can do to protect yourself:

• Check your property regularly.
• Watch your mail for unusual bills.
• Keep an eye out for alerts. Some counties, like Los Angeles, send out advisories when titles change.

If you do fall victim to title fraud get ready for a legal fight.

"The only recourse that really you have is to go to court, and have the court deem the deed to be invalid and void," Sadat said.

And that can take weeks or months, and in the meantime, your property is in legal limbo.

Title theft is rare, but the implications should keep every property owner vigilant.

Join us every weekday morning on Eyewitness News at 5 a.m. for our new segment, ABC7 On Your Side. John Gregory has you covered on money-saving tips, including tricks to save on your bills, smart negotiating tactics, plus where you can score free stuff!

MORE : Here's how to protect your property from squatters

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• ABC7 ON YOUR SIDE
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• REAL ESTATE
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How Long Can Cooked Chicken Last in the Fridge?

Keep your food and your family safe with these tips.

A whole chicken, whether you're buying rotisserie or roasting it yourself, is such a great deal because it's easily two or even three meals. But sometimes our schedules get away from us, and those leftovers can end up sitting. So, let's take a look at just how long chicken can last, and how to keep it as fresh (and safe) as possible for as long as possible to cut down on food waste.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooked chicken can safely remain in a refrigerator that is at least 40°F or colder for up to 4 days .

After this, there is some risk that enough bacteria is growing on the chicken to make you sick, and it's safer to discard it.

This assumes the chicken was safely cooked to at least 165°F to begin with, and hasn't been in contact with any contaminants (such as raw chicken juices) after the fact.

If you don't think your chicken will be eaten before 4 days, consider storing it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 4 months.

How to Tell When Chicken Goes Bad

Unfortunately, you can't always easily tell when chicken has gone bad. There are some obvious signs of very bad chicken— never eat leftovers that smell bad, look slimy, seem undercooked, or are otherwise gross , regardless of how long they've been in the fridge.

But the pathogens that can make chicken meat in particular unsafe to eat can be present even in leftovers that look okay. Specifically, salmonella and listeria, as well as E. coli, can be on chicken in enough quantity to cause food illness, even if the chicken looks okay.

This is why we highly recommend storing all leftovers in airtight containers and properly labeling them with the date.

How to Safely Store Chicken in the Fridge

Keeping food safe in the fridge isn't just about the number of days! There are other things you can do to ensure it stays safe.

Check your fridge temp . Ideally, a fridge should be around 35°F. This is not so cold that food will freeze, but it's cold enough that bacteria won't quickly grow.

Get leftovers in the fridge quickly . Avoid letting food sit out in what the USDA calls the " danger zone :" the range of temperatures between 40°F and 140°F for any more than 2 hours. This is when bacteria is able to grow the most quickly.

Keep things airtight. When air has access to food, it can both dry out and also start to go bad. We recommend wrapping all leftovers tightly in plastic wrap or placing in zip-top bags and filling plastic containers as full as possible before sealing them.

Label everything. Why try to remember if you made that roast chicken last Tuesday or Wednesday? It's simpler to write the date on it when you put it away. To do that, we recommend blue painters tape , which is easy to write on, easy to remove, and still sticky enough that it won't fall off the package.

How Long Can Raw Chicken Last in the Fridge?

As you might imagine, raw chicken does not last as long as cooked chicken. In part, this is because cooked chicken has been heated to a temperature that is sure to have killed off any small amounts of surface bacteria—and raw chicken hasn't.

Therefore, to be extra-safe, use or freeze your raw chicken within 1 to 2 days of buying it. If you freeze it, it can be stored for up to 1 year. (To thaw a whole chicken, you can use our turkey thawing guide , which contains information for birds less than 7 pounds.)

Can You Freeze Cooked Chicken?

Cooked chicken can absolutely be frozen! It remains safe for up to 4 months , especially if it's well-wrapped in an airtight container or plastic.

The best way to prepare cooked chicken for freezing is to shred or dice it, then divide it up into small batches for single-recipe use—say, about 8 ounces per bag or container. This lets you easily get out only what you need. Never refreeze thawed chicken. It's not safe to do so. If you've thawed it, you need to cook with it or dispose of it.

Why Trust Us

In addition to being the Senior Food & Gardens Editor here at Country Living (where I've written about leftover safety before), I've worked with and around food for most of my career.

I've worked in restaurants and kitchens in New York City, where I received a Food Protection Certificate , allowing me to supervise food operations and make sure we followed the city's strict health codes.

I've also worked for a number of food and health-related magazines, including The Kitchn and former healthy eating site Cooking Light , where food safety was regularly featured.

Most importantly, I cook for my family on a near-daily basis, and I pay close attention to USDA food safety guidelines when I do. No one (to my knowledge) has ever gotten sick from anything I've made, and I plan to keep it that way!

Try These Easy Shredded Chicken Recipes

Beer-Braised Chicken

Creamy Chicken Soup

Chicken and Arugula Cacio e Pepe

Chicken Quesadillas

Stephanie Gibson Lepore is the Copy/Research Editor of Country Living. She enjoys writing about a range of topics and making sure the facts are accurate. When she's not checking out the latest Instagram post from Merriam-Webster, you can find her hunting home decor at an antiques shop, reading WWII fiction in a sunny spot, cheering (loudly) for her football team, or planning her daughter's next birthday party (themes forever!). 

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Money latest: Thousands hit by Santander UK outage

A Santander online outage is affecting thousands of UK customers. Over 2,000 reports have been made on Downdetector - indicting the issue is widespread. Read this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news below, plus leave a comment in the box.

Thursday 2 May 2024 13:01, UK

• OECD warns UK shouldn't cut interest rates yet
• UK ranks bottom in G7 economic growth forecast
• Santander outage affecting thousands
• New ISA rules were supposed to help savers - right now they've just made everything more complicated

Essential reads

• How to nab yourself a free upgrade on a flight
• Why you shouldn't buy a TV in May (or a mobile phone in October)
• You're probably washing and storing your clothes wrong. Here's what you should do instead
• Money Problem : 'Builders won't repair dodgy work - what are my rights?'
• '£2,000 landed in my account' - The people who say they're manifesting riches

Ask a question or make a comment

A Santander online outage is affecting thousands of UK customers.

Over 2,000 reports have been made on Downdetector - indicting the issue is widespread.

Santander wrote on X: "We are aware some customers are experiencing issues accessing online services, we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.

"We're working hard to resolve this as soon as possible."

Following on from our previous post, and the OECD also says the UK will grow more slowly next year than any other major advanced economy.

It puts this down to stealth taxes and high interest rates squeezing the economy.

The organisation, which is based in Paris, downgraded its forecasts for GDP to 0.4% this year and 1% in 2025.

In February, the UK had been in the middle of the rankings with forecast growth of 0.7% this year and 1.2% next.

The OECD pointed to the fact "tax receipts keep rising towards historic highs" - with National Insurance cuts not offsetting the additional burden Britons are feeling due to tax thresholds not rising along with inflation due to a government freeze.

Some good news is expected for UK workers as the OECD said there will be "stronger" wage growth when inflation is factored in against pay.

One of the world's leading economic authorities has warned the UK that borrowing should remain expensive until the rate of price rises eases further and stays there.

Interest rates, which are at a  post-2008-era high of 5.25% , should stay there, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

"The fiscal and monetary policy mix is adequately restrictive and should remain so until inflation returns durably to target," the OECD's economic outlook for 2024 said.

It's an endorsement for the approach of the  Bank of England  whose statements on inflation have not indicated an imminent rate cut.

The OECD anticipates inflation will be "elevated" at 3.3% in 2024 and 2.5% in 2025 - above the Bank's 2% target.

No rate cut will come until at least August, the OECD added.

It may not come as a surprise, but the prices of a whole range of items fluctuate throughout the year. 

It isn't always easy figuring out what is best to buy when - but a price comparison website has dug into the numbers.

PriceSpy has analysed its price history data to help direct shoppers to the best time of year to buy common, popular products.

This table should help:

Its analysis shows June is a great month to get yourself a lawn mower but if you're after a barbecue, you're best off waiting until December. 

Organised parents can take advantage of LEGO price drops in September for Christmas presents. 

PriceSpy estimates consumers can save more than £800 on the "peak pricing premium" by following its advice. 

Following our feature on how assigning a lasting power of attorney may be more important than drawing up a will, a Money reader got in touch with a query...

As a married couple of 53 years, all our accounts are in joint names - so do we need lasting power of attorney? Thank you! David

We asked Joanna Grewer, partner at Roythornes Solicitors, to respond: "If you have accounts in joint names then the account can be accessed by the person who has capacity. 

"However, this won't entitle the capacitous person to deal with any of the income which comes into that account for the non- capacitous person, such as pensions, or to manage any outgoings in that person's name. 

"If both parties lost capacity, then there would be no access to funds at all."

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about. Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute, leaving your name and where in the country you are, by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog". Alternatively, WhatsApp us  here .

By James Sillars , business reporter

Another cent has come off oil costs over the past 24 hours - hopefully signalling better news for drivers ahead.

A barrel of Brent crude is currently costing just over $84 and had been trading at $83 in Asian trading.

It had stood above $90 a month ago as the crisis in the Middle East played out.

Evidence of a cooling in tensions between Israel and Iran have assisted the downwards trend.

The FTSE 100 began the day by erasing the losses seen on Wednesday.

A solid set of results for Shell helped the index climb by 0.3% in early deals...

Shell shares were more than 1% higher on the back of better than expected profits.

It revealed further shareholder awards in the form of a dividend and share buyback.

Online gamblers who lose £500 a month or more will face financial vulnerability checks.

Checks will come into force from 30 August.

The figure will reduce to £150 a month from 28 February next year.

The Gambling Commission said this would help identify acutely financially vulnerable online customers, such as those subject to bankruptcy orders or with a history of unpaid debts.

The checks will only use publicly available data and will not  require gambling operators to consider an individual's personal details such as postcode or job title.

As well as light touch checks, the commission said a pilot of enhanced assessments would go ahead, aimed at preventing cases where customers are able to spend large amounts in a short time without any checks, resulting in significant gambling harm.

It's not uncommon to feel uncomfortable with flying - but we'd probably all feel a bit better if we were sitting in first class, wouldn't we? 

The lucky few might be able to pay for themselves, but for the rest of us, frequent flyer experts Flight Hacks have shared their top tips to get a free upgrade (and you can let us know your tips for getting upgrades in the comments box above)...

Stay loyal to one airline

Many airlines have a rewards scheme that offers free upgrades, early check-in and even free flights to loyal customers. 

One research survey found 80% of staff said a customer in the airline's frequent flier scheme would be more likely to receive a free upgrade.

Plus, getting early check-in could place you first in line to secure a seat in the plane's front section.

Travel alone or during quieter times

Let's face it, a single person on an empty flight is much more likely to get an upgrade than a family of six on a booked-out plane. 

Try flying in the middle of the week or at off-peak times to get a quieter plane. 

Dress to impress 

If you're dressed smartly and look like a frequent flier, this can boost your chances of getting an upgrade. 

Business travellers are an airline's favourite type of passenger as they fly regularly and are more likely to spend freely on their company cards - so it could be worth dressing in business attire. 

Don't be afraid to ask

It doesn't hurt just to enquire, as long as you're polite. 

Be flexible

Airlines will frequently overbook flights to compensate for no-shows and ensure the planes are full. 

If there aren't enough seats after everyone checks in, they will often offer incentives to passengers willing to switch to a later flight.

This can mean seat upgrades or cash incentives. 

Take advantage of special occasions

If it's your birthday, honeymoon or a special anniversary, it could be worth casually dropping this into conversation with the check-in staff. 

Be polite when checking in

Perhaps all of these tips should be caveated with the need to remain polite. 

As there is often no strict criteria on how airline staff may choose to give out free upgrades, the number one tip is to be nice. 

Travel expert Immanuel Debeer, from Flight Hacks, says "being respectful and friendly is by far the best way to increase your chances of an upgrade". 

"There are plenty of simple tricks to increase your chances of getting an upgrade, but the most important thing to remember is that airline staff are human."

Every Thursday Savings Champion founder Anna Bowes  gives us an insight into the savings market and how to make the most of your money. Today she's focusing on  ISAs after new rules came in last month. ...

New ISA rules were introduced from 6 April that should make opening and funding ISAs simpler. But what many people may not realise is that ISA providers do not need to implement most of the new rules – and many haven't yet, or may have no intention of doing so.

As a result, savers have been left scratching their heads, unsure if their ISA provider will allow them to make use of the rules or not.

What are the key new rules?

Harmonise ISAs to those over 18:  This is not an optional change. The minimum opening age for adult cash ISAs is now 18, so not good news for those aged 16 and 17 who previously could have funded a junior ISA and an adult cash ISA.

Allowing multiple ISA subscriptions:  People should now be allowed to open and pay into multiple ISAs of the same type in a single tax year. Previously people could only pay into one of each type of ISA every tax year, unless their ISA provider offered what we called "portfolio ISAs". 

A portfolio ISA (other names for this have been used such as "ISA wallet" with Paragon Bank) allows savers to open more than one cash ISA with the same provider in the same tax year - but only a small number of providers offer it, such as Paragon, Aldermore and Charter Savings Bank, Nationwide and Ford Money.

With the new rules, savers assume they can open more than one ISA with either more than one provider or with the same provider. However, our research has shown that while many providers will allow you to open another cash ISA with them if you have already opened and funded an ISA with someone else in the current tax year, this doesn't mean they have adopted the portfolio ISA rule – so you may not be able to open two ISAs with them.

Partial transfers allowed:  Partial transfers of ISA funds for the current tax year should be allowed, rather than being forced to transfer the whole amount of your current tax year ISA. Previously you could only make a partial transfer of old ISAs; you'd have to transfer the current tax year's ISA entirely. 

Once again not many have adopted this rule yet.

The bottom line

So, while in theory these new changes should have made ISAs more flexible, in reality they have added an extra complication for savers and the bottom line is that you need to ask your existing and potential ISA providers about which of the rules they have adopted or are looking to adopt.

The pet supply retailer has opened two convenience stores in a move to branch out from its typical retail park sites. 

The stores, which are in Sutton, south London, and Whetstone, north London, will sell a range of pet owner essentials and offer an advice counter. 

They are much smaller than the usual Pets at Home stores and will not have the typical vet and grooming services. 

Speaking to Retail Week, the chain did not confirm whether it would be opening more high street stores in the future. 

Pets at Home Sutton store manager Rachel Etherington told the news outlet the location would "allows us to provide pet owners with convenient access to all their pet care essentials, as well as expert advice from our specially trained colleagues, right on their doorstep". 

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Could Trump Go to Prison? If He Does, the Secret Service Goes, Too

Officials have had preliminary discussions about how to protect the former president in the unlikely event that he is jailed for contempt during the trial.

• Share full article

By William K. Rashbaum

The U.S. Secret Service is in the business of protecting the president, whether he’s inside the Oval Office or visiting a foreign war zone.

But protecting a former president in prison? The prospect is unprecedented. That would be the challenge if Donald J. Trump — whom the agency is required by law to protect around the clock — is convicted at his criminal trial in Manhattan and sentenced to serve time.

Even before the trial’s opening statements, the Secret Service was in some measure planning for the extraordinary possibility of a former president behind bars. Prosecutors had asked the judge in the case to remind Mr. Trump that attacks on witnesses and jurors could land him in jail even before a verdict is rendered.

(The judge, who held a hearing Tuesday morning to determine whether Mr. Trump should be held in contempt for violating a gag order, is far more likely to issue a warning or impose a fine before taking the extreme step of jailing the 77-year-old former president. It was not immediately clear when he would issue his ruling.)

Last week, as a result of the prosecution’s request, officials with federal, state and city agencies had an impromptu meeting about how to handle the situation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

That behind-the-scenes conversation — involving officials from the Secret Service and other relevant law enforcement agencies — focused only on how to move and protect Mr. Trump if the judge were to order him briefly jailed for contempt in a courthouse holding cell, the people said.

The far more substantial challenge — how to safely incarcerate a former president if the jury convicts him and the judge sentences him to prison rather than home confinement or probation — has yet to be addressed directly, according to some of a dozen current and former city, state and federal officials interviewed for this article.

That’s at least in part because if Mr. Trump is ultimately convicted, a drawn-out and hard-fought series of appeals, possibly all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, is almost a certainty. That would most likely delay any sentence for months if not longer, said several of the people, who noted that a prison sentence was unlikely.

But the daunting challenge remains. And not just for Secret Service and prison officials, who would face the logistical nightmare of safely incarcerating Mr. Trump, who is also the presumptive Republican nominee for President.

“Obviously, it’s uncharted territory,” said Martin F. Horn, who has worked at the highest levels of New York’s and Pennsylvania’s state prison agencies and served as commissioner of New York City’s correction and probation departments. “Certainly no state prison system has had to deal with this before, and no federal prison has had to either.”

Steven Cheung, the communications director for Mr. Trump’s campaign, said the case against the former president was “so spurious and so weak” that other prosecutors had refused to bring it, and called it “an unprecedented partisan witch hunt.”

“That the Democrat fever dream of incarcerating the nominee of the Republican Party has reached this level exposes their Stalinist roots and displays their utter contempt for American democracy,” he said.

Protecting Mr. Trump in a prison environment would involve keeping him separate from other inmates, as well as screening his food and other personal items, officials said. If he were to be imprisoned, a detail of agents would work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, rotating in and out of the facility, several officials said. While firearms are obviously strictly prohibited in prisons, the agents would nonetheless be armed.

Former corrections officials said there were several New York state prisons and city jails that have been closed or partly closed, leaving wings or large sections of their facilities empty and available. One of those buildings could serve to incarcerate the former president and accommodate his Secret Service protective detail

Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman for the Secret Service in Washington, declined in a statement to discuss specific “protective operations.” But he said that federal law requires Secret Service agents to protect former presidents, adding that they use state-of-the-art technology, intelligence and tactics to do so.

Thomas J. Mailey, a spokesman for New York State’s prison agency, said his department couldn’t speculate about how it would treat someone who has not yet been sentenced, but that it has a system “to assess and provide for individuals’ medical, mental health and security needs.” Frank Dwyer, a spokesman for the New York City jails agency, said only that “the department would find appropriate housing” for the former president.

The trial in Manhattan, one of four criminal cases pending against Mr. Trump and possibly the only one that will go to a jury before the election, centers on accusations he falsified records to cover up a sex scandal involving a porn star. The former president is charged with 34 counts of felony falsifying business records. If convicted, the judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan, could sentence him to punishments ranging from probation to four years in state prison, though for a first-time offender of Mr. Trump’s age, such a term would be extreme.

If Mr. Trump is convicted, but elected president again, he could not pardon himself because the prosecution was brought by New York State.

Under normal circumstances, any sentence of one year or less, colloquially known as “city time,” would generally be served on New York City’s notorious Rikers Island, home to the Department of Correction’s seven jails. (That’s where Mr. Trump’s former chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, 76, is currently serving his second five-month sentence for crimes related to his work for his former boss.)

Any sentence of more than a year, known as state time, would generally be served in one of the 44 prisons run by New York State’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The former president could also be sentenced to a term of probation, raising the bizarre possibility of the former commander in chief reporting regularly to a civil servant at the city’s Probation Department.

He would have to follow the probation officer’s instructions and answer questions about his work and personal life until the term of probation ended. He would also be barred from associating with disreputable people, and if he committed any additional crimes, he could be jailed immediately.

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.

William K. Rashbaum is a Times reporter covering municipal and political corruption, the courts and broader law enforcement topics in New York. More about William K. Rashbaum

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Jurors heard riveting testimony from Keith Davidson , the lawyer who had arranged the hush-money payment  between Donald Trump and a porn star, Stormy Daniels. Davidson also described an earlier deal to buy the silence of another woman, Karen McDougal.

The judge overseeing the trial held Trump in contempt and fined him $9,000 , punishing him for repeatedly violating a gag order . The judge threatened jail time if the violations continue.

Todd Blanche upended his career to represent Trump and has been the former president’s favorite lawyer. But Trump has also made him a focus of his episodic wrath .

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

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Quick Thoughts on Purdue's Schedule of Big Ten Opponents for 2024-24 Basketball Season

• Author: Dustin Schutte

The Big Ten didn't force basketball fans to wait long to get excited about next year. On Tuesday, the conference released the list of league opponents each team will face during the 2024-25 season. With the schedule being released, it gives us a chance to take an early look at what is on Purdue's plate from a conference standpoint.

Purdue is losing a lot from last year's Final Four squad. Zach Edey, Mason Gillis, Lance Jones and Ethan Morton are all departing from last year's team, which finished 34-5 and won a second consecutive Big Ten regular season title.

Matt Painter does return star guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer, as well as big man Trey Kaufman-Renn. Myles Colvin and Caleb Furst are likely to see more playing time, and there's a good chance that highly-touted recruits Kanon Catchings and Gicarri Harris make quick impacts.

So, while the schedule has a lot to do with Purdue's pursuit of a third straight Big Ten title, it's worth reminding everyone that the roster will look vastly different in the 2024-25 season. Now that we've addressed that, here's a quick look at the Big Ten opponents, as well as a few quick thoughts.

Purdue's 2024-25 Big Ten opponents

Home-only opponents.

• Maryland Terrapins
• Nebraska Cornhuskers
• Northwestern Wildcats
• Ohio State Buckeyes
• UCLA Bruins
• USC Trojans
• Wisconsin Badgers

Away-only opponents

• Illinois Fighting Illini
• Iowa Hawkeyes
• Minnesota Golden Gophers
• Michigan State Spartans
• Oregon Ducks
• Penn State Nittany Lions
• Washington Huskies

Home-and-away opponents

• Indiana Hoosiers
• Michigan Wolverines
• Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Thoughts on Purdue's 2024-25 schedule

Revenge for the boilermakers.

A quick look at the schedule and the first thing that stands out is that Purdue will have a chance to get some revenge on Nebraska, Northwestern and Ohio State. Last season, those were the only three teams to defeat the Boilermakers in the regular season. All of those were away games.

This season, Purdue will play Nebraska, Northwestern and Ohio State in home-only matchups. It gives the Boilermakers a shot at redemption — although they did defeat the Wildcats at Mackey Arena in the return game last season.

All three venues have proven to be tough places to play over the years for Purdue. So, avoiding Pinnacle Bank Arena, Welsh-Ryan Arena and Value City Arena seems like a win for the Boilers.

Toughest road game

It was tempting to mention Michigan State or Illinois, but Indiana is the answer to this question — at least for right now. Not only is Assembly Hall one of the top venues in college basketball, Mike Woodson has done some excellent roster construction through the transfer portal this offseason.

Indiana may have made the biggest splash in the transfer portal this offseason, adding Arizona's Oumar Ballo, who averaged 12.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season. They also added Washington State's Myles Rice and Stanford's Kanaan Carlyle — both averaged double-digits in scoring a season ago. Plus, Illinois' Luke Goode is also heading to Bloomington.

Rarely is it easy to get wins at Assembly Hall. And by the look of Indiana's roster next season, Purdue probably won't cruise to a win like it did last year.

Scariest home game

Keep an eye on Nebraska whenever it makes the journey to Mackey Arena. Like Woodson at Indiana, Fred Hoiberg has added a lot of talented pieces to his team via the transfer portal.

The Huskers added 7-footer Braxton Meah, as well as Wisconsin sharp-shooter Connor Essegian. They've also picked up a guard in Rollie Worster (Utah) and Rutgers wing Gavin Griffiths.

Nebraska is coming off a 23-11 season and will be looking to build off that success. The Huskers had some serious struggles outside of Pinnacle Bank Arena last year, but it will still be a team with the weapons to give Purdue a game, even at Mackey Arena.

Purdue and Indiana appear to be travel partners

It's not quite clear yet if the Big Ten will utilize travel partners for the men's college basketball season, but it sure looks that way. And, if that is the case, it appears as though Purdue and Indiana would be paired together, which ... makes perfect sense.

Both Purdue and Indiana have home-only games with UCLA and USC. The Boilers and Hoosiers both have away-only contests against Oregon and Washington. It only makes sense that, when the dates of the games are released, Purdue and Indiana will travel to the West Coast together for those two games.

Biggest bummer

Unfortunately, Purdue and Illinois will only meet once and the game is played in Champaign. The Boilers playing at State Farm Center isn't the disappointing part, it's that the two teams only play once.

While no team will ever trump Indiana as Purdue's biggest nemesis, Illinois has turned into a bit of a rivalry clash for both schools. Both the Boilermakers and Fighitng Illini have been near the top of the league each of the last four seasons, with Purdue winning two regular season crowns and Illinois claiming one.

Although both rosters will look different next season, this has been a fun matchup to see played in both arenas. It's unfortunate we won't see a home-and-home series between the two next year.

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