Renting a car is cheaper but maybe too expensive for you if you don’t know the proper ways of saving of handling a rented car. Some of the ways to save big on a rental car include;
Don’t rent up-sells
Like the first tip on not buying up-sells on insurance and other such things, be sure not rent a GPS or baby seat for the car. Your phone can work as a GPS. If your airline charges for luggage, then bringing a baby seat may be expensive. But if you can get it on the plane freely, carry it to the checking counter and they may load it with your stroller for free to save by not renting one from a car company.
Book early especially during peak (high) season
A high demand attracts a higher charge for hiring cars and this is the exact situation in the high season, as you get closer to peak you’ll want to book in advance as possible to ensure that you’re not only getting a great price but also a car at a fair price.
Beware of the cancellation policy
Prepaying to save money could sometimes be your most expensive decision. Changes in flight schedules, dates, cancellations for illness getting a better price hotel in a different area among other issues could necessitate cancellation or adjustment in a booking. Cancellation fee could cost you large sums of your penny and double that if you cancel within 24 hours ahead of schedule. Make sure your plans won’t change if you are prepaying to avoid extra charges by the service provider.
Be a frequent customer, or at least pretend to be
Blanton recommends joining a car company’s membership program and renting a car at least once a month, if only for a day. This qualifies you for free upgrades and special offers as a “loyal” customer, even if you’re only a customer one day a month. This could also lead to discounts on the daily charges as the service provider wants to win your loyalty as their client.
Ask for discounts.
Your major concern at the rental counter should be an offer for any discounts depending on how long the trip will be, endeavor to ask for discounts especially if your trip is going to take many days. In many cases, car hire companies are willing to give a special offer to clients who want to use their services for a longer period. This could save you lots of cash that would have otherwise been spent if you never asked.
Compare prices
You have the opportunity to compare prices from many different rental car companies at once, which is always something you should do before renting a car. Like it is the case with auctioning where the highest bidder takes the item on sale, comparing price offers of different car rental companies helps you determine who offers the highest discount off what you would pay with a more well-known rental car agency.
Prepay to save upwards of 20 percent.
If you’re checking out your options online, you’ll notice that most car rental companies offer two different rates, one for prepaid customers, and a higher one for customers who wish to pay when they pick up the car.
Rent outside the airport.
Rental rates at airports are normally more expensive than rates in other places in downtown. Look at the rates from pick-up spots closer to your hotel or even in the city center. Make it a point to always make a comparison for those to rates from airport agencies, though sometimes the price difference will be small, or the airport might even cheaper. Also consider that you may need to organize transportation to the rental agency, whether you can take a hotel vehicle, or you have to pay for mass transit or a taxi into the city.
Reserve the car longer than you think you need it
Adding a few extra hours or even an extra day can lower your base rate, and if you return it early, many rental car agencies will give you a prorated refund for an early return. This is also a good idea if you’re not sure what traffic will be like on the day of your return, or if you’d like to give yourself a little more weekend wiggle room. Many rental car companies will charge you for a whole new day if you return the car an hour later. Make sure you ask the rental car company for clarity and check the terms and conditions of your rental agreement before you decide to do this.
Don’t pay for insurance you don’t need.
Most rental car companies may try and get you to buy additional insurance, like loss damage waivers or personal effects coverage. If you have your car insurance, you probably don’t need to purchase this additional insurance, just make sure you double-check before skipping out on it entirely.
Rent a standard size car
When planning a trip for a vacation, it may sound ideal to drive a better car than what you’re driving. However, it’s always better to just stick with economy cars that can be rented at a cheaper cost than the big vehicles. If it’s just you or two, you won’t need a big car.
Get four more hours for free
Unless you’re a meticulous planner and can arrive and depart at the same time from the airport during your trip, you’ll be paying for a full day of a car rental when only using a few hours. Most car rental agencies will give you a one-hour grace period on returns, but after that, you’ll pay for a full day on the last day of the rental. If you need the car for a few more hours, ask for it.
Don’t go downtown to try to save
This seems counter-intuitive to common advice of renting downtown, away from an airport, because you’ll save more. The $20 to $30 savings in rental car fees isn’t worth the headaches of getting downtown from the airport and back to pick up and return a rental car. It’s not worth the hassle of going downtown. It can take more time, cab fare and usually isn’t worthwhile, except if you have a kind friend or relative who will drive you from the airport to the rental car agency downtown, it could save you some money.
In conclusion: Spending less than what you expected for your trip is every traveler’s joy, You could save big on a rental car Uganda if you give attention to some of the small issues that seem to be ignored. Details like the cancellation policy could save you lots of money in case you change your program after booking.