Car Rental Strategies to Save You Money

Whether it's vacation time, a business trip or your car is in the shop, next time you need to rent a car, use these strategies to avoid paying too much.

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1. Check for discounts. Many companies and universities have special deals, and there are also discounts for government employees, AAA and Sam’s Club members and many more. Costco offers members a significant discount though their own travel site, which compares prices across multiple sites.

2. With most car rentals, you can cancel without a fee at anytime before pickup, so it may pay off to book far in advance and then check prices every so often to look for lower rates. If you find one, you can cancel your reservation and re-book the vehicle. It is usually a better idea to pre-pay rather than when you pick up the car. The rental cost can be significantly higher.

3. Most car rental companies have membership programs that offer great deals, allowing participants to bypass lines and have fist access to newer vehicles. These programs are free and require no credit checks. And unlike airline programs, you don’t have to accrue thousands of points or make all your purchases with a program-affiliated card. Just ask the company what discounts and programs they offer.

4. Find and use discount codes from websites like Groupon, Coupon.com and RetailMeNot.

5. Always check carefully for extra fees and taxes not included in the quoted price, to make sure you are getting the best deal. Skip the extra insurance, you probably already have it though your regular insurance provider. With a quick call, you can make sure.

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6. If you are in the US, Reserve a compact car. Mid-and full-size cars are more popular with Americans, so most places have more of them. If you reserve a compact car and they don’t have one, you will get a free upgrade to a larger vehicle. If they do have compacts and you actually need a bigger car, you can just pay the upgrade fee on the spot. This may not work in huge facilities with a bigger selection, though.

7. Check special offers pages for each rental company within the area you need. Sometimes you can get a better deal than on aggregation sites like Priceline. Avoid renting at the airport, they usually charge extra fees. Big cities like NY may be an exception.

8. Sometimes, it may be less expensive to rent for a whole week vs. a few days. Weekly charges can be much less per day than daily charges. You may be able to avoid higher weekend fees by booking earlier in the week and keeping it longer, though sometimes weekend rates are actually cheaper. Be sure to call the company directly and ask about long-term rates. Many will have mini-lease and long-term rental prices that are lower than what is published.

9. Make sure to return the vehicle with as much gas as it had when you picked it up, to avoid high fees. It’s always best if the vehicle is full when you pick it up, so all you have to do is fill it back up on the way to returning it.

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10. Having only one driver can save you money. But there are ways to add an additional driver without a fee. Some companies will do this for a spouse if you share the same address. Many membership programs offer this advantage as well.

11. Another money saving strategy is to rent the car for a little longer than you think you will need it. This way you can make sure you get it back within your time limit without the need for stress or speeding. Many companies will pro-rate the fee to account for an early return, though all will charge a hefty sum if you are even a little late! A few places do actually charge an early return fee as well, so make sure you read the details of the return policy.

12. If you are going to be in a large city, maybe you don’t need a rental at all! With public transportation, taxis and rid sharing apps are abundant in metropolitan areas, this may be a more thrifty option. If you only need the car for a few hours, some cities offer companies like Zipcar and Enterprise Carshare that let you rent by the hour at low cost. You have to have signed up for membership first though, so this isn’t a last-minute option. Finally, some companies, like Turo, allow owners to rent out their vehicles on the same model as Airbnb.