Cheap Car Rentals

Renting a car can be expensive. It is easy to find cheap car rentals, but you must make sure you have all the paperwork necessary to save time and money.

Cheap Car Rentals

Renting a car for business or pleasure can be a daunting task with all the limitations car rental companies have these days, but knowing how to navigate the system can save you both time and money.

The Car Rental Procedure

Generally, you will to meet at least three criteria to rent a car:

1. You should meet the car companies minimum age requirement.
2. You should have a valid driver’s license.
3. You should have a valid credit card.

Most car rental companies require a renter to be at least 25-years-old, though some companies will charge extra for young drivers (18-24 of age). Since the young driver rates vary by company, and the type of car you want to rent it is always best to check first.

Car rental companies will usually keep your credit card on file as a guarantee of payment and also in case there is any damage to the car and you have declined their insurance. Some companies have cancellation policies where you are charged if you do not cancel within a certain time period (normally 24 to 48 hours).

The Best Car Rental Deals

The best car rental discounts usually occur on the weekends--Friday through Sunday--but remember some locations and companies like Enterprise aren't open on Sunday outside of their airport locations so you will have to either return the car early or pay for an extra day.

Two of the best sites for finding deals on rental cars are Hotwire (www.hotwire.com) or Priceline (www.priceline.com) where you can bid on the price of your car. However these sites are more effective for renting cars in larger cities and at airports. Remember that cars rented at the airports typically have some sort of airport tax or surcharge added in the fine print of your contract. So it is sometimes cheaper renting cars from another location.

In most cases the smaller the car, the cheaper the price though if you check the individual websites of places like Hertz (www.hertz.com), Enterprise (www.enterprise.com), Budget (www.budget.com), Alamo (www.alamo.com) or Dollar car rental (www.dollar.com) you can find extras like coupons for free upgrades. Some rental places also discount rental cars for AAA members, military personnel and include bonus air miles points on certain airlines.

Another good place to comparison shop for the latest deals is at TravelZoo (http://car-rental.travelzoo.com).

Things To Consider when Seeking a budget Car Rental

As always, booking in advance is always best as some smaller locations will run out of the smaller "economy" or “compact" cars first, leaving the higher priced gas-guzzling SUV's in the lot.

Another thing to take into consideration is the length of your trip. Some Car rental companies will charge by mileage, while others will give you a certain number of miles free. But there are companies out there with unlimited miles which is much more practical and cost saving for people driving long distances. Most companies will have a daily, weekend and weekly rate available so make sure you ask if you are going to be driving a long distance or have the car for a few days.

If you plan on taking the car into another state or another country across the border make sure to ask the company about their policy. Some companies will not allow renters to take their cars into Canada or Mexico and some will charge extra for cars going out-of-state, so be sure to double check when you rent.

Where the rental companies will try to get you to pay more is on the gas and the insurance. In most cases your own personal auto insurance policy will cover you driving a rental car. There are also a number of credit card providers that include car rental coverage, if you use their card. However, it is imperative that you check with both your insurance company and credit card company first but you should NEVER, under any circumstance, drive without being covered by insurance.

Car rental companies usually offer the option to either pre-pay for your gas or fill it up yourself. In most cases, whatever the fuel gauge reads when you drive off the lot is what you are expected to return it with. With pre-paying, car companies usually charge a much higher rate for gas and it is usually cheaper to fill it up yourself. However, if time is going to be a problem and you won't have time to stop at a gas station before you return the car, pre-paying for fuel is a good idea.

Just remember, in most cases you're responsible for speeding tickets, so drive smart and safe when you rent.