Savvy travelers know that if you rent a car at an airport location, you pay a premium. A friend of mine finds a rental location near the airport and takes Uber or Lyft from the airport to the remote location. He saves lots of money this way.
Use a credit card that will provide insurance on auto rentals and avoid paying the rental company’s insurance. If you accumulate airline miles, see if you get miles for renting with certain car rental partners. Shop around for the best deals on sites such as Kayak.com.
Photo by Kaique Rocha from Pexels
Bonus Tips
- Don’t prepay for gas. Instead, use your cell phone to find a cheap place to fill up just before you get to the rental return center.
- Don’t pay for GPS or satellite radio--you can use your phone for these things. Buy a cheap clip and take it with you.
- Think twice whether or not you actually need a rental. Perhaps Uber and public transportation are a better option in some cities. Splurge on a nice restaurant with the money you save.
