5 Tips for Saving Money on Car Rentals

If you’re planning to travel across the country on the most epic road trip ever, then you’ll need a car to get from point A to point B.

Before booking your rental, check out these five tips for saving money on car rentals that will help keep your expenses as low as possible and make this road trip even more fun!

Check Out Special Offers

Car rental offers can oftentimes be limited to specific dates or locations, so it pays to take advantage of these deals when they’re available.

You’ll still be charged a full day rate if you don’t use your car for a complete 24 hours, but discounts are often available if you pay upfront (as opposed to at pick-up).

Book in Advance

Airlines and rental car companies like to hike up prices during high-traffic travel periods, meaning that you could pay a premium if you wait until close to your travel date to book.

Avoid these unwanted expenses by booking early, especially if you’re planning a road trip or taking an extended vacation.

Check Out Discounted Rates

Before you go out and rent a car, check your travel insurance coverage to see if they cover car rentals (they might not) or if there’s an additional option to add on.

If they don’t, you can save up to 20% by renting through a third-party site. This allows you to pay at checkout so you won’t have any surprise costs once you arrive at your destination.

In addition, make sure that you perform a price comparison to see the big picture, choose one of the major metasearch engine sites, enter your details on the search box and check is the best price for you to book.

Go In the Off-Season

If you want to save money when renting a car, one of your best bets is to go in the off-season.

Just be careful not to plan your trip around specific events (such as concerts or major holidays) that might be taking place at that time.

If you don’t have any preference about when you travel and/or where you go, think about visiting out-of-the-way areas during times of the year when fewer tourists are expected.

This can sometimes save you big bucks!

Whether it’s winter or summer, winter is a great time to take a road trip because fewer people are traveling and renting cars, so prices are likely to be lower than during peak times.

Drive Less than 100 Miles/Day

If you plan to drive less than 100 miles per day, renting a car may not be necessary.

Car rental agencies often set rates based on how many miles you drive. For example, if you’re going to travel about 50 miles each way (100 total), your agency may offer a deal that includes unlimited mileage for less than paying for 100 one-way trips.

To qualify, you must use their designated rental company and rent from their office or website.

And finally, before renting, make sure the car rental company has updated its cleaning policy following our times - Covid19 times - Check out this blog post on this topic.