For millions of tourists, car rentals have become a more affordable and convenient option to roam around and explore the city the way they want. Similarly, for businesses, car rentals have become a viable option in several ways. But how do you ensure that you’re not paying unnecessary premiums for car rental services?
Well, to begin with, you can follow our lesser-known tips for low-cost car hire. But before we dive deeper into these strategies, let’s first understand the benefits of car rentals.
Benefits of Cheap Car Rentals:
Car rentals offer several benefits over booking super-expensive cabs or hourly taxis. Here are some of the top reasons why you should consider car rentals:
- Flexibility: With a rental car, you have the freedom to create your own itinerary. You can decide when you want to leave and how much time you want to spend at a particular place without giving two hoots about a running meter. You can also take your rental car to places where you won’t find taxi services and make spontaneous plans without worrying whether you will get a cab back to the place you’re
- Cost-effective: A rental car is affordable in most cases when you want to explore places on your own. It becomes even more affordable when you are in groups as the cost of renting a car per individual comes down further. In some cases, it would be a cheaper alternative than buying multiple individual tickets for public transportation.
- Convenience: There is no doubt that car rentals offer convenience like no other mode of transport. You can travel easily with your luggage to remote locations or make space for your pet without disturbing anyone on a bus or train.
- Time Efficiency: You get to save time when renting a car. You can make your own schedule and need not depend on the timing of trains and buses to reach your destination. You can also take breaks as per your needs and still reach your destination on time.
- Accessibility for People with Mobility Issues: If you have mobility issues or are travelling with someone facing challenges, a rental car is indeed the perfect option. You don’t need to worry about the facilities public transport or cab drivers offer in such cases.
- Peace of Mind: Last but not least, car rentals come with peace of mind, as you can go to any place with a sense of security, you can head back from anywhere and at any time you want.
Hidden Tips to Get Cheap Car Rentals
Now that you have learned about the various benefits car rentals offer, let’s take a look at the tips to get cheap car rentals:
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Book Well in Advance
Booking in advance saves you money when it comes to hotels and flight tickets. You can avail yourself of similar discounts when looking for a car rental. Many service providers offer decent discounts if you book car rentals well in advance.
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Bundle and Save
Many travel websites offer bundle packages that include your car rental as well as hotels and flights. You can use the bundles to get substantial discounts on each component of your trip, be it car rental, flights, or hotels.
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Off-Airport Rental Locations
You should try to get a car for rent from off-airport locations, as car rental providers near the airport charge an extra premium. You can easily take a taxi from the airport to car rental providers offering affordable services. You can easily do the math by adding the taxi fare to the overall cost and checking which option saves you more money.
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Consider Local Rental Companies
Local rental companies may not have many offices across the city. But they do offer competitive rates than large service providers of car rental services. You can just do a simple Google search to search nearby local car rental companies to get your rental four-wheeler at affordable prices.
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Compare Before Booking
You should compare the prices of several car rental providers to get the best rates on your booking dates. You can visit multiple online websites and call multiple car rental providers to get cheap car rentals.
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Flexible Dates and Times
If you are flexible with your dates and times, you can get additional discounts on your car rental booking. You can check and ask the service provider for dates on which they can provide the cheapest car rental services.
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Optimise Rental Duration
Car rental service providers usually charge the rentals on an hourly or daily basis. If you’re renting a car on a daily basis, it is best to take the car as early in the day as possible and return it as late as you can. By doing this, you will ensure that you have the car for the maximum number of hours. In simple terms, you can get more rental time at the same cost if you carefully optimise your rental duration.
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Check for Discounts
Last but not least, you should check if a car rental provider is offering discounts based on certain memberships, credit or debit cards or other modes of payment. You can use these discounts to get cheap car rentals and save more on your entire journey.
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Be Flexible to Different Car Types
If possible, be flexible with different car types, especially if you’re on a budget. You can get car rentals at cheaper prices if you go for hatchbacks and sedans instead of SUVs and MUVs. If you’re travelling solo or as a couple, a hatchback could be the perfect option for your travel.
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Be Open to Prepaid Rentals
Some rental companies offer discounts if you prepay for your car rental booking. While this may limit flexibility, it can result in significant cost savings for your entire trip. You can directly check with rental companies for such discounts.
Final Words
Using the above-mentioned tips and tricks, you can book affordable car rentals and save on your journey while enjoying flexibility and convenience. Book in advance, compare prices, and consider local companies for cheap car rentals.
