So you’ve planned your next trip, location and all, and now it’s time to figure out transportation. For cities that have public transit, this just requires finding ticket prices and routes, but for places that might require a personal car to visit all the different sites you want to see, this calls for getting a car rental. Here are some best practices to make sure you get a car rental that fits your needs and doesn’t break the bank.
Check for Fees
Imagine the convenience of picking up your car directly from the airport. Now imagine that convenience with a $50 price tag attached to it. This is what Cameron and Natasha from their blog, The World Pursuit, warn against. In their post with 13 tips, the first tip warns renters to notice if there’ll be an airport pick-up fee and to take note of how much it is. The example Cameron and Natasha provide is that in their trip to Calgary, picking up the car from the airport was a $50 surcharge, whereas taking a cab into the city was only $25. Once inside the city, they could then pick up their rental car from the rental office with no surcharge. Now that’s $25 more for other adventures.
Time for a Card Check
Sometimes how you pay can also save you some money on how much you pay. Especially for those who travel quite a bit and plan to rent a car on those trips, it’d be worth it to apply for a rental-friendly credit card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. Mark Jackson from Brad’s Deals even has a post on the best credit cards for rental cars this year.
Think Twice about Adding Insurance
Normally, insurance is a fantastic idea; you get coverage in case anything happens and knowing how unpredictable life can be, it seems like a safe choice. Sometimes, though, your primary insurance already includes coverage on when you rent, as suggested by Kelsey Sheehy from NerdWallet in this post. This might not be the case when you rent a car overseas, but it goes to show how important it is to read the fine text when you’re renting a car and understanding what type of coverage you get from your insurance so you don’t purchase something you already have.
Before Adding Extras, Calculate the Fees
Some car rentals will provide the option to purchase an electronic toll pass and at first glance (like insurance), it seems like a safe and helpful plan. It’s essential to read further to see how they calculate the cost for an electronic toll pass, as suggested by Judd Hall in this post on SkyScanner. For example, does the rental company bill you at the end for how much you use, or is it a daily convenience charge? These make a difference depending on the route you’re planning to take, so it’d also help to have your itinerary planned out. For example, if you will be going through tolls multiple times everyday of your trip, it might actually be worth it to purchase the electronic toll pass. If you only plan on passing through a toll once or twice throughout a long duration of your trip, it might be the financially smart decision to skip on the pass.
It can be nerve-wracking going out to rent a car for the first time, no matter what age. Knowing things to keep an eye out for and fees to avoid can make the process just a little bit easier. Susan Johnston Taylor from U.S. News also has a helpful list of seven mistakes to avoid during the rental process, and David Slotnick has his own compilation of tips in his Business Insider post. As you’re preparing to rent your first or next car, the bottom line is to always do your research and read the fine print. With those two practices, you’re sure to be well-prepared to hop in your next ride with confidence.