For frequent travelers, car rentals can be a pain in the wallet. Although public transportation is available in larger cities, renting a car is always the most convenient way to travel. Many times, public transportation does not take you where you need to go, and a rental car is your only option. If you feel like car rental fees are getting too expensive for you, here are some simple tips on how to save on your car rentals.
Once you know the date of your travel, reserve your car rental as soon as possible because cheap rentals sell out fast. While you have your reservation, scout for other rental companies and compare who offer the better prices. If you found a cheaper offer, you can just cancel the original reservation.
Think that size matters. Think about the size of the car that you need and how much are you willing to spend. The size and type of car varies in prices. Knowing this, it will keep you from renting an expensive car that you don’t actually need.
Pay for your car rental early. There are companies that give discount to those who pay the day you reserve it. The only downside is pre-paid rentals are non-refundable. So make sure you have the best deal and confirm your travel date a couple of times before you make the reservation or you’re stuck with it.
You will find lots of companies that offer weekly or weekend deal so rent your car over the weekend. Prices of weekday offers against weekly have a huge difference. It can go to up to 50% lower. If you can, arrange your schedule to take advantage of the weekend car rental prices.
If it can be avoided, avoid rental counter at the airport. Even though they are surely convenient, they charge higher compare to rentals outside of the airport exactly because of the convenience they provide. There are hotels in the same city where you can rent a car for less. Just take the shuttle of bus from the airport to the nearest hotel.
Rental insurance is not as practical as you think it is. Rental companies are trained to make you think otherwise. If you’re worried, then call your auto insurance provider to find out if your coverage also covers rentals. Most of the time, they do.
Lastly, make use of car rental coupons. Major rental companies like Enterprise, Alamo, Avis, Hertz, National, Thrifty, Budget and Dollar often run special promotions. Look for any specials on certain vehicle classes or lengths of rental. In addition to booking directly from the agency, check to see if travel sites like Orbizt and Travelocity are running any special deals as well. Often these travel sites have special discounts not offered directly through the rental company.
Before you reserve your next rental car, be sure the visit Coupon Mole to find rental car coupons. Coupon Mole has a section dedicated to rental car coupons. You’ll find discounts to all the major companies. In addition to rental cars, Coupon Mole has thousands of coupons to all your favorite stores.
