Renting a car is usually an expensive process. However renting a car isn’t painful if you know how to save money doing it. Here are some tips to save money on a rental car when you travel.
Look for Coupons or Special Offers
Coupons and special offers are more readily available than you might think. Look for these before you rent and you might discover a great deal that you may not have come across or considered otherwise. It’s worth a few minutes of your time if it could save you a lot of money.
Reserve the Smallest Car Possible
When you’re renting a car, it has to be all about efficiency. Sure, at home you may like driving an Escalade. It may be more comfortable and it may be nice and roomy for your kids in the backseat. But when you have to rent a car, these accommodations can cost a pretty penny. Smaller cars are always more affordable to rent than larger cars. Learn the value of sacrificing a little bit of space and you could save a lot in the process.
Shop for Quirky Deals
A lot of car rental places offer quirky deals such as week-long rates. In some cases, it may be cheaper to rent a car for a whole week instead of for three days due to these kinds of deals. Be on the lookout to save money with quirky deals.
Decline the Insurance – Take Only the Basic
Car rental companies are going to try to upsell you and get you to purchase special insurance to protect the vehicle. They’ll likely use the scare factor, suggesting that something could happen during the 24 hours and you don’t even own the car. Don’t buy into these; just take the basic protection plan they offer. In the vast majority of cases, the extra insurance is just an added luxury cost and isn’t even needed.
Beware of Hidden Fees and Extras
Some companies offer special rates that could catch you with hidden fees. Look into sales tax, vehicle license fees, and all other fees when you actually click through to reserve the vehicle. The final cost will likely be much higher than the advertised cost. Additionally, car rentals often charge extra if they have to refill the tank after you return. Ask them to top it off before you rent and then bring it back full. If they charge a fee to do this, then take note of how much gas was in the tank when you rented the vehicle and return it with the same amount.
Avoid Airplane Rentals
Airplane rentals take advantage of their opportunity to get more money out of customers. If at all possible, avoid these companies and go through AAA or another company that is nearby but not at the airport. This will save you money.
