How to Rent a Car Cheaply for One Day

Avoid renting a car at an airport because the rates are generally higher.

Rather than book a one-day car rental by going to the nearest rental agency or calling them on the phone, you can save money by putting a little more effort into the process. If you can plan ahead, you can avoid paying extra for the car. Car rental prices vary depending on the location of the rental agency, the availability of cars and the length and date of your reservation, according to Budget.com. (Reference 3)

Instructions

1. Investigate whether or not the credit card you use for the rental, or your auto insurance company, will cover the cost of any damage incurred while you are driving the rental for the day. Don't pay for the car rental agency's insurance coverage (often called collision damage waiver or loss damage waiver) if you know you have coverage fro your own insurance. Be aware that in some states this coverage is compulsory and built into the car rental cost. (Reference 4)

2. Bid for a rental car on a site such as Priceline.com or Hotwire.com. You might be able to get a daily rate at a considerable savings over renting directly from the car rental agency.

3. Refuse any expensive extras that can increase the rental bill. Global-positioning units is one such extra.

4. Read the fine print on your car rental contract. You need to know if you are responsible for filling up the car with gas before you return it that day, and what time you should have the car back to the agency so you won't incur additional fees.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for a small car agency that may have cheaper rates such as rentawreck.com, which rents used cars, or a car dealership.

• Often, bidding sites will not allow you to change your reservation or receive a refund in exchange for giving you a substantially lower rate than what you can get elsewhere.

• If a car rental agency is in an airport, they are under contract to pay concession fees to the airport for each rental, no matter if you rent it for just one day, according to Independent Traveler.com. This means higher rental costs for you. (Reference 4)

References

• Fodors: How to Rent a Car Cheaply
• Los Angeles Times: How to Get a Great Rental Rate
• Budget: Common Questions
• Independent Traveler: Car Rental Hidden Costs

Resources

• Priceline: Find Cheap Car Rentals
• Hotwire: Cheap Car Rentals
• Rent A Wreck: Used Car Rental and Leasing