Car Hire: How To Save on Car Hire

How To Save on Car Hire

Traveling can get really expensive. There are so many costs involved - both planned and otherwise. That's why it's always very useful to find ways to save some cash in different aspects of your trip.

If you're planning to hire a car on your holiday, then you might want to consider some of these tips to get the best car rental deals:

1. Compare car rental prices and insurance deals from various companies. One of the best ways to do this is through the Internet. When comparing prices, always look at additional costs (mileage, gas, insurance coverage, etc.) and make sure that you get good deals on these things too.

2. Reserve and book your rental car as soon as possible. When a car rental company gets busy, they also end up increasing their rates. It's just a supply-and-demand thing. That's why it's a good idea to get your car reservations in place as soon as you confirm your travel plans.

3. Traveling off-season often gives you great deals. Check with the car rental companies if they have any specials going on, if you're not traveling during a busy season. If you happen to be traveling during peak season, it still doesn’t hurt to ask if there are specials you can avail of.

4. If you're booked on a package deal holiday, you might consider asking if you can get a special deal on car rentals together with your package.

5. Ask if the car rental company is affiliated with any hotels, restaurants or entertainment venues where you can get discounts if you hire a car through their company. You never know if you can catch a good deal this way.

6. Check if you've got any discount cards, premium club memberships, frequent flyer programs, or special coupons that you can use with your car rental. It's definitely worth finding out if you can maximize your existing deals by getting extra points, rebates, additional gifts or discounts.

7. Look in to getting the smallest possible car or the best value size class car. Apart from getting cheaper car rentals, you might even get a free or discounted upgrade. But, make sure that you don't rely on any upgrades. Otherwise, you might get stuck with a car that's smaller than what you really need.

8. Consider hiring a car using a weekly plan rather than a daily one, especially if you're traveling for more than 5 days. In weekly plans, you can get an equivalent of 1 to 2 days free car rental. But then, you must also be careful to check each car rental company's policy on this, as you might be penalized if you return a car too early. But, if there are no such penalties, then it might be worth looking in to, especially if your travel plans are flexible and you might need an extra day or two.

9. Make sure that they have convenient locations for pick-ups and drop-offs. Otherwise, you might end up paying extra for additional commute.

10. Find out how well the car rental company treats their customers. While there may be no exact monetary value on this, a company’s customer service may just make the most difference in your travel experience. Great customer service is priceless!

With these tips and ideas in mind, it is hoped that you will find the best car rental deals available. And, apart from what you stumble upon on the Yellow Pages or the Internet, it’s also useful to ask for referrals of good car rental companies from people you know. Often, you can find out about car rental companies that offer great deals through friends, family and acquaintances.

In any case, have a terrific trip ahead and drive safely.

Article by Sheila Coggins (http://www.shaicoggins.com/), a freelance writer, a professional blogger and an avid traveler.