Renting a car can be an incredibly convenient way to get around. It’s also a great way to save money if you’re going on vacation or have an important business trip. But it’s easy to overpay for your rental if you’re not careful. With some patience and planning, however, it’s possible to get the best deal on any given day—or even week or month—without breaking the bank. Here are our tips for finding affordable car rentals:
Don’t use a middleman.
When you rent a car, there’s no need to use a middleman. The middlemen usually charge a fee and don’t always offer the best deals. You can get the same deals directly from the car rental agency by doing some research and planning ahead of time.
Look for online deals.
- Look for deals online.
- Coupons and discounts are your friend.
- Check out rental companies that offer discounts on their websites, such as Dollar and Thrifty. If you don’t see any advertised, contact customer service to see if they can help you out with a discount code or coupon code that will apply to your rental when you book it online.
- Make sure the deal lasts longer than one day or one week–these short-term offers aren’t always worth it because they don’t give you much flexibility with dates!
Get the right insurance coverage.
In addition to making sure you have the right rental car, it’s also important to make sure you have the right insurance coverage.
If you’re renting for an extended period of time or if your trip involves driving in areas where other drivers aren’t as cautious, consider adding additional protection. Look into CDW (collision damage waiver) and TPL (theft protection). Both can protect your car from accidents and theft while it’s in someone else’s care.
You may also want to consider loss-of-use coverage, which helps pay for expenses related to delays caused by weather conditions or vehicle breakdowns.*
Consider renting a smaller car.
If you’re renting a car for the first time, or just want to try something new, consider renting a smaller car. Smaller cars are often cheaper than their larger counterparts and they’re also more fuel efficient–which means that over time, you’ll actually save money by switching up your rental vehicle.
Smaller vehicles offer other advantages too: You don’t need to worry about parking or driving on narrow roads (like those found in Europe); instead of worrying about parallel parking in tight spaces or navigating tricky turns on winding mountain roads, all you need is a regular parking spot with plenty of room for your tiny ride!
Don’t forget about local deals.
If you’re looking for a deal on your car rental, don’t forget about local deals. You can find them in the newspaper, online and even in the classified section of your local newspaper! Many times these are one-time offers that only last for a few days or hours. If there’s something you want to do while visiting an area, like go hiking or visit museums–make sure to check out their websites first as they often offer coupons or discounts on admission prices.
Car rentals can be affordable and convenient, but you need to know what you’re doing.
You can save a lot of money by renting a car.
Car rentals are convenient because you don’t have to worry about dropping off your rental at the airport, and you can drop it off at any location. If you want to save even more money, though, there are ways of doing so–just know what you’re doing.
When using an intermediary service like Priceline or Hotwire (which I highly recommend), make sure that they’re giving you the best deal possible before booking anything!
Conclusion
Renting a car is an easy way to get around, but it can also be expensive. By following these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to save money on your next rental car!