▷ 7 Tips To Save Money On Car Rentals

If you are going for a trip or vacation, renting a car can be tough and sometimes too expensive to bear. For example, recently, because of the pandemic, a lot of car rentals had to sell part of their fleet to try and stay afloat. As a result, there aren’t as many cars to rent. Another thing, since you are not the only one planning that summer vacation or a trip to Maui, you will run into trouble if you do not plan ahead. But planning ahead is not the only thing you can do to get a better car rental experience, you need a few tricks under your sleeve as well. Here are some.

1.- Plan Ahead – Book early especially during the peak travel season

Planning ahead has to be emphasized because it’s the easiest trick in the book. When trying to rent a car for your travel, try booking in advance before your trip date arrives. This is especially important if you are getting a car rental close to the airport. Some car rental companies have a limited number of fleets and will usually be overbooked during the peak travel season. Try and book your car weeks earlier. This way you not only get a cheaper deal, you actually have a chance of getting a car when you step off your flight.

2.- Don’t book at the airports

Another way to ensure that you don’t break your bank trying to get a car for your trip is to try and book a car far away from the airport. The simple reason is car rentals at the airport are usually expensive. Try and get a car at least 5 miles away from the airport – there is always a chance that there will be dozens of car rentals within that distance. Most of the time you’ll only need to spend a few dollars on an Uber or Lyft ride to the airport.

3.- Look out for discount coupons

You can take advantage of membership perks from companies that have links with car rental companies. One such company is Costco. Most car rental companies linked to Costco have amazing prices and plenty of discount codes depending on where you are planning to vacation. Other places that have membership perks include AAA, AARP, Military discounts, and Union member discounts. You can also get additional perks like a free additional driver and cancellation.

4.- Try Booking multiple reservations but with free cancellation

One of the things that can make car rentals expensive is having to pay the cancellation fee because you changed your mind too late. To avoid this, and also get the cheapest deal possible, try doing multiple bookings a few weeks before your travel date. Take a look at different car rental companies and what they have to offer for your travel date. When your trip date arrives, you can cancel bookings that seem expensive and keep the lowest-priced booking. Just make sure that you cancel on time to avoid the extra charges.

5.- Get a car from a dealership

It’s not always known to the public, but car dealers run car rentals – in secret? Probably yes, but you can be in luck if you can get a car from a dealership in your travel destination. You can make a few calls to find out if there are car dealerships that offer rentals in that area. Chances are that when you find one, it’s going to be amazingly cheap. The rentals are often offered at a flat rate.

6.- Pay with a credit card that covers primary insurance

Sometimes it can be a bit expensive to pay the rental car insurance, especially when you are on a tight budget. The rental car insurance covers the car in case you get involved in an accident that damages the car. When you pay with a credit card that has primary cover insurance, you can avoid this cost altogether. That means that you get to save a few extra dollars. The only catch with this kind of trick is that you have to pay 100% of the price of the rental using that card. Even some credit companies allow you to earn points for these kinds of purchases. You can later redeem these points for travel or cashback. That way you can save now and for the future.

7.- Try searching for bundle deals that offer free rental cars

Some hotels have an option for free rental cars if you book your stay with them. These are advertised as a way to save you money during your trip. However, not all that glitters here is gold because you may end up paying more than if you booked a rental car on your own. That is why it’s important to do your homework on such deals. Make sure that the deal for the free car will take care of your full stay there.

Conclusion

There are many ways to get a rental car and still keep some cash if you are planning to travel for your vacation or trip. These hacks will help you to know what to do when you are traveling. Remember to get a car from a company you can trust and to plan for the duration of your stay. Do your homework on the best car rental companies to get the best deal possible.

We hope you liked this article. Now you can continue reading our article about the differences between Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty, Dollar, Alamo, National, or our ranking of the Top Car Rental Companies in the US.

Author Bio

Thomas Jackson is a professional freelance writer and an active member of several writing clubs in New York. He’s a regular contributor for college-paper.org reviews, one of the best dissertation writing services available today. He has also written several songs since he was a child. He gets inspiration from the live concerts he does in front of close friends and family members.