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Getting the best deal on your rental car
The rental car can be a big vacation expense, and getting the
best deal you can on the transportation you need is important to
keeping your vacation fun while staying within budget.
One way to keep costs as low as possible, of course, is to
choose the smallest, most economical car you and your family are
comfortable with. Choosing a compact, subcompact or economy car
makes sense on a number of levels. For one thing, such cars are
generally less expensive to rent in the first place. The other
important consideration, however, is gas mileage. You as the
renter of the car will be responsible for keeping it gassed up,
including topping off the tank before returning it. Buying a car
that gets great mileage will definitely help your travel budget
stretch farther.
If you need a larger car or minivan, it is important to shop
around for the best deal you can find. While it is important to
shop around no matter what type of car you are considering, it
is even more important when trying to rent vehicles for which
there is a lot of demand, like convertibles, minivans or SUV's.
Shopping around at a number of travel related web sites, as well
as at the web sites of the rental companies themselves, is
usually the best way to land the best deal.
The length of the rental can have a large impact on the cost as
well. Weekly rentals are often far less costly than a comparable
daily rate spread over a week. So if your vacation plans are for
a week or more, be sure to inquire about special rates.
Joining a frequent renter club, or using the same rental car
company each time, is a great way to get some special coupons
and some very good deals. In addition, most car rental companies
partner with at least one airline to provide frequent flyer
miles or other types of rewards when you rent a car. In
addition, many airlines run bonus programs where you get extra
miles or extra credit, so be sure to inquire about these bonuses
when making your reservation.
Another great way to save money and keep your rental car budget
low is not to buy things you do not need. In most cases, this
means waiving the optional collision insurance coverage offered
by the rental car company. Many rental car companies really push
this insurance, but in most cases you are already covered and
can safely decline it.
For instance, most automobile insurance policies already provide
collision coverage for rental cars, so be sure to check with
your car insurance company before starting to plan your
vacation. Even if your insurance company does not cover your
rental car, chances are one of your credit card companies does.
Many credit cards provide coverage for rental cars paid for with
the card, so be sure to check with your credit card company to
see if they provide this coverage.
Another method to keep rental car costs to a minimum, and one
that many people are unaware of, is renting a used car. There
are a number of large national companies, and a number of
smaller local companies as well, that rent used cars at a much
lower price than comparable new cars. In most cases, these cars
are only a few years old, and they provide the same protection,
and the same transportation as more costly new cars.
About the author:
Tony Robinson has travelled extensively throughout this
wonderful planet with his family in tow. For great travel saving
tips, techniques and articles on visit
http://www.budget-travel-site.com
Written by: Tony Robinson
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