Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Money saving tips when renting a car

Many options exist for travelers who want quality rental services at cheap car rental rates . Looking into each option can increase your chances of finding the best rental deals. There are benefits and risks associated with each that should be considered before you make a final decision.

Blind Rental Sites

For travelers who do not care who they rent from, it is possible to get great deals through these sites. You may end up with a well known car rental agency or a lesser known one. It is a risk you take when you use these sites. Only you can decide if the discounted price is worth it or not.

Use an Aggregator

You can comparison shop at aggregator sites. All you need to do is enter your travel information such as departure and arrival dates and times. You will need to provide personal contact information to get quotes from multiple rental agencies. Review the quotes to see which offer the best services at the lowest rates. Then make your reservation. It is that simple.

Rent Locally

This means if you travel internationally, you can get better rates using the rental companies in your destination country. You have a better selection from which to choose when you add them to the mix. There are websites that can help you with this so you can get the lowest rental rate possible. You will most likely have to have an international driver's license to rent a car locally.

Avoid Airport Rentals

Airport locations are the most expensive option because they are often legally required to add surcharges to your rental fees. And this additional cost can increase your final price by nearly 45%. Never pay more than necessary.

Understand Restrictions

Violating restrictions can cost you. If you drive your rental car to restricted areas, you may have an additional fee to pay. Rental companies in countries that limit travel use GPS devices to monitor the location of rental cars so there is no way to trick the company. There may even be limits on the number of miles you can drive during the rental period.

Check Conversion Rates

International car rental may involve currency conversion. If you do not have the option of using your own currency, be sure you know what the conversion fees are so you are not surprised by the additional cost with this cheap car rental.

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