Every person who drives a car has had any experience with a car rental service, and they have usually ended them dragging an empty wallet around. Renting a car has become somewhat of a science in terms of savings. Here are some of the proven tips on how to find a perfect rental car on a budget.
Rent Early
According to some data, more travelers this summer have booked trips less than a week out than in the previous years. However, booking last minute won’t usually get you a deal. The best and easiest thing to do as the car rental dealers over at cheap car rental Dubai monthly suggest is to book early, especially if it’s for longer periods like months, for example. Many car rental companies will also reward their travelers with lower prices for booking the car in advance. As we’ve previously mentioned, this can pay off tremendously, especially if you’re renting a car monthly.
Compare Rates
One of the best tips anyone can ever give you to find a perfect rented vehicle (on a strict budget) is to compare hourly and weekly rates. As one would assume, the daily rates would be cheaper than the weekly rates, but it isn’t always like this. If you’re traveling for three or four days, it’s sometimes much more reasonable to book a car for a week and then return it early. So, before you book, be sure to check if the weekly rate is more affordable than the daily one. Be sure to read the fine print, too, so you don’t encounter some extra charges for returning the car early (yes, this has happened before).
Don’t Book At The Airport
Another very important tip to budget your car rental is to avoid renting a car at the airport at all costs! Even though it’s quite tempting to use the airport as your rental car pickup location, especially if you’re flying in, resist it! Many car rental companies will charge you more money for the “privilege” of picking up the car at the given location. Instead of throwing the money away, be sure to choose a non-airport pickup location; even if you have to pay some money for an Uber or a cab to get you to the location, it’s worth the savings.
Tweak The Rental Times
As many experienced car rental services will tell you, the rental times can be tweaked to your advantage. If you have some free time in your schedule, adjust the drop-off and pickup times to see the different price options. Try these minor tweaks, especially if you are near a weekend or close to five days, specifically. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover that you qualify for a cheaper weekly rate or the whole weekend. Another thing to keep in mind is that longer rentals are typically the better deals, and the shorter weekends may be more expensive because the rental companies want you to keep the car longer.
Loyalty Programs
Another proven tip that will help you find your perfect rental car on a budget is to become a member of your favorite car rental company’s loyalty program. There are no downsides to doing this, only the benefits. Some of the common benefits are skipping the line at rental counters and access to members-only deals. This is where the budget aspect shines. Furthermore, most of these programs have partnerships with hotels and airlines so that you can use points from your rentals toward future stays and flights too. If you can, become a member of as many loyalty programs as you can qualify for, it’s definitely worth the benefits, and it will be easy on your wallet.
No Upgrades
Last but not least, be sure to stay away from any kinds of upgrades and insurance. The car rental company’s salesperson will try and persuade you to purchase a lot of fancy stuff that you will ultimately never use. Bottom line – you don’t need any of it, and be sure to remember that. Though some of the stuff may not seem expensive, the cost can quickly add up to a significant amount. Some of the common upgrades you should say no to are the GPS – you have it on your phone, satellite radio – once again, use your phone, and flyer miles – don’t consider them unless you fly often.
Be sure to consider these tips the next time you find yourself in need of a rental car. With the many proven tips to minimize the costs, you will be all set. Be sure to consider all of them, as different car rental companies have different rules.