UPTOURIST

When traveling long-distance or out of the country, taking your personal vehicle with you can be both challenging and expensive. Even if you are traveling by car, the wear and tear you could put on your own ride could come back to haunt you later. Naturally, most travelers believe it’s easier to rent a car. Car rentals are a convenient means of getting around and remove the need to put more mileage on your car than you’re comfortable with.

If you’re thinking of renting a car for your next trip, then you probably know it’s not a cheap convenience. Though advertised daily rates may seem appealing consumers generally end up paying several hundred dollars more than they anticipated on renting a ride.

When you’re on a tight travel budget, the only way to keep transportation costs from dipping into your spending money is to find ways to save. One quick method is getting free auto insurance quotes for a policy with benefits to travelers for insurance on rental cars.

Choose the Most Practical Car

It can be tempting to want to select a rental car that is unlike your personal vehicle. Perhaps you want to see what it would be like to ride in an SUV or luxury car. You may need to save those dreams for another day by renting large and luxury vehicles are costly. When deciding on which car to rent, choose something practical. Opt for a ride that will comfortably fit you, your passengers, and your luggage. Economy and compact sized cars are often the most affordable.

Do Price Comparisons

There are car rental agencies all over the world, so why book with the first company you see? To get the best deals, it is recommended that you compare at least three different rental cars from separate agencies. As you review price, remember to see what’s included in the rate to ensure you’re making the most economically wise decision.

Bring Your Own Car Insurance

Like your personal vehicle, you’ll be required to have valid insurance to drive a rental. Car rental agencies will often offer you the opportunity to use their insurance for an additional fee per day. This can really drive the daily rate up and ruin your budget. So, it’s ideal that you use your own insurance. If your auto insurance policy also covers rental cars while out of town, it’s a way to save money.

Bring Your Own Car Seats

If you’re traveling with kids you’re required by law to have them properly secured in a child safety seat. Again, rental agencies have these types of things on hand for your “convenience”, but you’re going to pay for it. To keep the daily rate low, you should simply pack your own car seat.

Same Goes for GPS

Unless you’ve been to your travel destination in the past, you’re going to need help getting around. Tourists often use GPS to navigate their way. Rental agencies will ask if you need a device such as this for your trip, but will again, add to your daily rate. This is really a pointless expense as most drivers have their own portable GPS. If not, there are navigation apps that can be downloaded on your mobile phone and used for free.

Fill Up Before Returning

When you’re provided with a rental car the gas tank is generally full or close to it. You can use this gas freely but must return the vehicle with the same amount of gas when you’re doing using it. The rental car company may neglect to tell you this because they can simply fill the vehicle up themselves when you return. The only problem is, they will charge you for this inconvenience. So, look for the most affordable gas and fill up the tank before returning the car.

Be Timely on the Return

When you’re on vacation the concept of time can easily get mixed up. Travelers are often late departing from their destinations, but if you have a rental car, this tardiness can cost you. If you’ve reserved a car and promised to bring it back by a certain hour, it needs to be back by then, otherwise, you could end up getting charged for an additional day.

Rental cars really are a convenience when you’re traveling. You can safely commute to and from the places you want to explore on the trip without having to rely on local transportation. Not to mention, it’s a lot more affordable, in some instances, than taking your own car and it eliminates the wear and tear issue. If you’re interested in renting a car, but want to stretch your travel budget, these tips will certainly help you keep your daily rates low.