How to Save Money on Your Next Car Rental

This has been such a familiar scenario for many of us: you are initially thrilled about an upcoming travel then bam, a car rental fee slaps you in the face. I encountered this last summer in Florida; I booked an “affordable” vacation rental for my simple lodging, only to find that it had increased by nearly double the price at the time of checking in. Which prompted me to become a savings detective and uncovered the nuances of cheap car rental services. These include discount code techniques, techniques of applying for membership in the loyalty program, etc. The result? Cuts in rental prices can go as low as 50% without compromising on quality. 

Every car driver, an occasion tourist, or an adventurous person traveling to a new city for business needs will find these insider tips helpful in saving them some cash. So, do you want to be an expert in saving money with your car rental business? Let us look at these novel and revolutionary approaches to strategy formulation.

Compare Sites

He said that he has always preferred to rent vehicles from large car rental companies. Bad move. Recently, one of them noticed that their site was making $75 per day on a weekend in Denver. However, the same car was listed for $45 on both Kayak and Expedia. Now, I always compare. AutoSlash, a service that informs you when prices have been lowered, is one I use as well. Last month they provided me with a discount of 30 percent in Miami. Don’t forget small companies. For instance, a local agency in Phoenix was $100 cheaper per week than the big agencies and other companies.

Use Codes

To my knowledge, I presumed that only super savers used the discount codes. Wrong! This happened recently when I got my coworker’s work’s Hertz code to get 25% by working in Vegas. Now, I collect codes. I checked AAA, Costco, and even my old college, and this helped me get a 15% discount at Enterprise. Groups do aid as well; I get a reduced rate of 30% through a technology club on Avis. Online, I use two websites that are RetailMeNot and FlyerTalk. A FlyerTalk code made my expensive sort-of-required Los Angeles rental far cheaper once.

Avoid Airports

I rent cars mainly at airports because it is convenient. With fees, I discovered I am charged twice as much with an airport rental as in San Francisco. I looked into a downtown Hertz or a downtown Avis. It was two more train stops away, but the prices were 40% lower, including the train tickets. Now, I proceed to the next step of the analysis whereby I compare airport and city spots. In Chicago, a city with many Enterprise offices that charged $15 a day for a midsize car, I was lucky. In long journeys, it’s mammoth. The same experience cost $350 less during a week’s stay at a suburban location. But yes, there might be an Uber cost sometimes, but in the overall scheme of things, there is quite a saving.

Decline Extras

Once upon a time, rental agents made me cringe because they always pressured their clients into paying for extras such as GPS systems, radio, and roadside assistance and made each one sound crucial for use. When I arrived in Seattle, feeling stressed, I agreed to all of them, which eventually cost me an extra 30 dollars a day. I asked myself, my phone gets even better maps and my credit card will tow me, yeah right I fell for it. Instead, now I tap “No, thanks. ” In San Diego, there was an attempt to popularize the $15 daily toll pass. I said no, but I always wear the blue band so I won’t take toll roads. For kid seats, I carry my own Though it would have been convenient if I could borrow a few kids’ seats I always prefer to carry along my own. Many of the airlines offer them free of charge to the passengers, thus, helping me cut down a $10 – 15 bill for daily meals.

Check Insurance

Insurance, I found out, used to hike my rental costs to double what they normally are. It was in Las Vegas where the imminent disastrous crash costs frightened me so much that I had to purchase all plans at $35 per day. Then I got smart. My car insurance includes the U. S. cars on rent. My Chase card also protects me if I use the money to pay for a crash. Now, I always check. A friend of mine, who chose this option for her California trip, utilized $200 a week. Overseas is trickier. In Mexico, plans from the U.S. were not feasible, and I obtained insurance for which the rental company charged half the amount.

Join Programs

Originally I believed that loyalty programs would not serve much purpose to rent a car very seldom. Then, I realized that my work trips needed a year of work for other people, and I changed my mind. The Hertz car rental service allows me to use it frequently, thus getting a free Nashville trip for three days. Now, I love programs. Many are free—Hertz Gold Rush, Enterprise ville, Alamo Members. They offer fast service. In ATL, at the airport that is always alive, I tested this and was able to avoid lines, as my status meant that I was privileged to bypass the long lines that took an hour to get through. Some give free upgrades. Avis preferred, they offer me SUVs for free or at an additional charge and normally it is free. Special discounts also through email may be sent. Enterprise Plus has been forwarding me codes of 10% – 15% off quite frequently.

Book Early

I also used to book my car rentals at the last minute, believing that the price is fixed. Wrong! In case of a last-minute booking for an Orlando family trip, the price per day was $80. My cousin, for instance, booked a car three months in advance and charged only $35 for a similar car. Currently, I book as soon as I plan for a trip. Yellowstone I booked half a year ahead and got paid $30 a day there. Prices tripled later. In addition, early booking provides more car options. In Hawaii, I got a fun convertible by reserving early and I paid as much as I would have for a basic car.

Choose Wisely

Car selection was an impulse — I would just choose the most affordable one. In Texas, I chose the lowest price: a large SUV: Comfy, yes, but it drank gas on long roads. Next in California, I cleverly chose a hybrid. It cost more per day but I saved $100 on gas. If you think that everything is bigger in cities, then think twice. A compact in Boston cost less, consumed less gas, and was easier to park. For one-way trips, I shop diligently. It can be more expensive when you have to drop a car in yet another city. But once, I was able to switch from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, which cost me $75 less.

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