How To Save Money On a Rental Car

Want to save money on a rental car? Here are a few tips to keep in mind when booking your next car rental:

When To Book

Shop around and compare pricing for the dates of your trip several months in advance. Because rental car inventory has been unpredictable, I like to reserve a car at least 4 months in advance. This allows me time to secure the kind of car we need for our trip. Make a reservation with free cancellation so you can always cancel if you find a lower price later.  

Shop Around Even After You’ve Made Your Reservation

My biggest tip that I’ve learned over the years is keep checking prices well after you’ve made your reservation. Prices can fluctuate which can work in your favor. Recently, I booked a car in April for $643 for an October trip. One month before the trip I checked prices again. The rate had come down to $376 for the same car, same dates, same trip. I rebooked the car at the cheaper rate and cancelled my original reservation. This is not the first time I’ve saved money this way. Continue to shop around up until your trip.

Check Prices with Costco Travel

We prefer to reserve cars thru Costco Travel for several reasons:

1. Cost – They usually offer the best price
   
2. No Prepay – You don’t have to prepay for the car when making a reservation
   
3. Free Additional Driver- Car rental companies usually charge to add an additional driver. Costco Travel doesn’t charge for adding one additional driver. 
   
4. Free Cancellation- There is no penalty if you need to cancel your car reservation. Also, in the event that you forgot to cancel and are a no show, you are not penalized.

To learn more about booking a car with Costco Travel, read my recent blog post here.

So when you are booking your next trip, try some of these tips to help save money on a rental car. I hope they work in your favor!