How to Save Money on Rental Cars

Cut travel expenses on your next holiday trip or family vacation by picking up some travel tips on how to save money on rental cars. While a straight booking quote may sound sky high, you can often bring the price down considerably by using some smart booking strategies.

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Renting a car is a great way to save wear and tear on your own vehicle. It is usually cheaper than taking a taxi everywhere once you arrive in your destination city, too.

While coupons for rental cars will save you a few dollars, you can rack up more savings by doing the following:

• Multiple Travel Bookings: Booking your flight or hotel online? Check to see if you can add a rental car for a low additional fee. Always read the fine print and compare to coupons to see if you are saving the most you can before clicking the purchase button.
• Comparison Shopping: Do some comparison shopping online before you book your rental car. Look for the best deals at generic websites, along with special offers, coupons and rates from large namebrand websites too.
• Frequent Renter Clubs: If you do a lot of traveling, it may be worth joining a frequent rental club or program. You can often get special insider coupons, rates, specials or upgrades just for joining.
• Other Membership Discounts: Ask about rate discounts for being a member of other travel clubs, like AAA or AARP. Sometimes credit card issuers have agreements with certain car rental companies; likewise, some airline travel rewards cards might, too.

The additional fees are often what end up costing the traveler the most money. Just because you have a coupon, take the company up on a special offer or qualify for a discount does not mean you will end up paying that low price. If you are trying to decide between two rental companies with similar prices and discounts, it may be worth comparing their extra fees.

The biggest extra fee people incur is the rental car insurance. Car rental companies often try to get consumers to pay big additional fees for collision damage, personal injury damages or a "full-coverage" type of insurance for the time they rent the cars. However, if you do your homework, you may be able to avoid paying this high cost of rental car insurance.

Start by calling your regular automobile insurance representative. Many policies will cover a rental car, so find out the level of coverage. Often, you can forgo any additional insurance. If you are not covered, or are poorly covered, by your auto insurance policy, check your credit cards. Credit card rental car insurance can offer coverage for a rental car that may be enough for your peace of mind.

Ask about all the extra fees before you book your car rental. If you need a pick-up or drop-off at the airport or hotel, you may be charged for it. Out-of-state drivers or young drivers (often under 25 years old) will often be hit with a high additional fee. Also, ask about whether or not you will be charged a mileage fee in addition to the per-day/week fee you are all ready paying. Some companies charge rental per day, while others charge per mile; some will charge mileage in addition to a flat rate if you go over a particular amount.

The last thing to do is find out how much gas to return in the car. You may need to return it full or you'll be charged a high fee for them to fill it up. Other companies automatically tack on a fee for filling the tank, meaning you waste money if you bring it back with more than a quarter or half-tank.

Remember that when you book any rental car, you will have to pay taxes and surcharges on the vehicle rental. Add that into your vacation budget. Look online to find cheap gas prices in the area you will use the rental car; combine with a gas rebate card to save even more money.

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