Renting a car should be a piece of cake. But things aren’t always like that. No, this matter can get complicated. After all, there are plenty of policies and regulations put in place to make things not so simple. Rental companies are well known for pouring various rules on their clients. But, when you’re in a pinch and need a car, you don’t have too much choice. The best you can get out of the situation is not to pay too much for their services. But, how to do that? Good question. It’s even better than we have prepared an answer.
In this article, we are going to lay out the seven tips for renting a car on a tight budget – 2024 guide. Once you read this text you’re going to be more adept at getting along with car rental companies. If you’re not too adept in the business of renting, we’re glad we can assist you. For those who will rent a car for the first time, this is going to be a great read. So, let’s start.
1. Find The Right Company
It’s all about the perfect match. Yes, we know, nothing is perfect in this world, but you can at least rent a car without a fuss. In the day and age of the internet, reviews are all over the place. Once you’re in a specific area you need to search the available car rental companies. This shouldn’t be too hard. All you need to do is to focus on the positive reviews which are focused on the price. By simple comparison, you’ll be able to find the most cost-effective choice. Reputable selections can be found if you click here if you know where to look. Ups looks like we gave you a good direction.
2. Stay Away From The Airports
Renting a car at an airport when you’ve just landed in a new city is the obvious and the easiest choice. So what isn’t? It isn’t cheap. The car rental companies at the airports are known as being the most expensive. Yes, they have great perks but all of it comes with a price. The reason for the price you’ll pay is called a surcharge. It comes in the form of a CFC (customer facility charge). These facilitator charges can amount to a couple of hundred dollars all depending on the number of days you’ll be renting. So, if you want to go the harder but more cost-effective route you’ll be renting away from an airport. Yes, it might be less convenient but it’s worth both your time and money.
3. See If It’s Free
This is far fetched but you could get lucky. Rental companies have depots all over the country. Sometimes it happens that one depot has too many cars while the other one lacks vehicles. What the company needs is for someone to relocate the cars.
If you’re going in the same direction the company might give you a free ride if you deliver their car to the designated location. This is not something car rental companies promote or make public, but nothing costs you to ask them the right question. If the answer is the one you’d love to hear you have yourself a free rental.
4. Use Your Insurance
Car rental companies take great care of their vehicles, and they want them insured at all times. This is why in the price for renting they’ll try to sell you the insurance policy, and charge you for it. This is fine in most instances. But if you already own a car the chances are that your insurance covers even the rentals. So, one of the ways for you to save money is not to spend it twice.
Once you’re assured by your insurance company that your insurance covers the rented cars you’re free to decline the insurance that the car rental company offers you. So, by not paying for the same thing twice, you’ll save. This is not a situation where a company is trying to fool you. No, they’re looking out for their interests and you should do the same for your wallet.
5. Compare Days and Weeks
This could make a great difference. Most people like to assume things. It is a great misconception that weekly rental will be cheaper than day-to-day one. It could be like that, but it is not a rule written in the stone. Yes, sometimes it will be cheaper to rent for a full week than for the four days.
If you pay attention to details and do the calculus you need to make a wiser decision. As we said, sometimes this method will prove to be more cost-effective. But, sometimes, it will be cheaper if you pay day-for-day. It all comes down to the car rental company and its policies. What you need to know is also that there are penalties included if you return the car earlier to some dealers. You need to see this before you rent. In any case, don’t tell in advance that you’ll return the vehicle earlier than planned.
6. Ride Economy
Car rental companies have fleets of cars. You can go for luxury ones or SUVs, but the best choice for your wallet will always be the economy class. They come cheaper from the get-go, especially if you reserve them. This also comes with a handy catch. The economy class is the most rented among all companies. This is why even if you reserve a car of your choice, the chances are that someone will pick it up from the lot before you get there. When this happens the company will probably hand you a better option for the same price as a form of an apology. This way you’ll get a chance to drive a better car for the price of an economy one. This doesn’t usually happen, but reserving a car in advance might lead you to pull this trick out of your sleeve.
7. Pay With Credit Cards
This is a great way to save money. Banks offer premium services to their loyal clients. In some cases, you’re entitled to car insurance by only possessing a credit card from a certain bank. Also, there’s a chance that membership in some banks grants you a perk of being an elite member of their partner car rental companies. You might not be aware of it, but perks like these exist. That’s why it’s important to know your bank and not only the renting many. By knowing what your credit card brings to the table you could save a lot.
