Saving Money On Your Car Rental

By Jason Hall

It is no secret that less an less people are traveling this year due to the financial troubles that have hit everyone. In order to entice people to travel many airlines and hotels are offering discounts, with the thought being is better to have customers paying a reduced rate then having no customers at all. Unfortunately this is not aa policy that most major car rental companies have adopted. It is possible to save money when renting a car, your just need to know how.

1. EXPLORE EVERY OPTION - When you have chosen your destination, and the dates you are traveling you should try to identify every major car rental company in the area. Once you have compiled this list you can call each company, or research online to see who offers the cheapest rental rate when you will be traveling. You may be able to find one company that has lower rates at that particular time, but only id you explore every possible option.

2. LOOK FOR DISCOUNTS - It is possible to find coupons or discount codes online when you are booking a rental reservation on the internet. Coupons and discounts codes are simple enough to search for using your web browser, you just have to take a few minutes to look.

3. SMALLER IS BETTER - The smaller the car you can rent, the less expensive it will be. You should never rent a luxury car from a car rental company if you are traveling on a budget. It maybe nice to have heated leather seats if you are traveling to a colder climate, but it is definately not worth the expense. You should figure out which is the smallest car that you and your party can fit in, and try not to rent anything bigger than that. If you are traveling on a budget, smaller is better.

4. AVOID THE AIRPORT - If it is at all possible you should not rent a car at the airport. Car rental companies that have a rental center at the airport will charge more for cars rented and returned there then they do at a rental location that is not located at the airport. If it is possible you should try to get a taxi or shuttle service to your final destination, and make arrangements to rent a car there. This may also save you additional money if you do not need the car for the whole trip, since you don't necessarily need to keep the car until your return flight.

5. UNLIMITED MILEAGE - If you are going to be doing a lot of local traveling with your rental car when you reach your destination then it makes sense to choose a rental plan that offers unlimited mileage. While this option may increase your rental rate it will still save you money in the long run if you put a lot of miles on the rental car. It is cheaper to pay for unlimited mileage up front then to pay for every mile you go over the limit when you are returning the car. - 31515

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