Car Rentals: How to get the best deals on a vacation?

Are you working late nights at the office? Are your kids keeping you busy at home? Are things getting stressed day by day and all you can think of is running away? Well, vacations can be just that, a chance to get away from your daily life and de-stress your mind and body. It is something that you wouldn’t imagine yourself doing while sitting behind your office desk.

Vacations are essential as they provide the change necessary for us to not only find ourselves but socialize, explore new places as well as try out new cuisines. Traveling, on the other hand, is much more comfortable now. Where it once took months to reach from one side of the planet to the other, now it only takes hours. You, therefore, need to find yourself the right place to go to and get the best deal that is available on the market.

A lot of people end up purchasing expensive travel tickets and even more expensive car rentals and hotel rooms. This can be avoided and here is how you can get the best deals on your vacations.

1. Use car rentals along with a Repositioning Cruise instead of just a Cruise

Cruises are excellent when it comes to relaxing your mind and body, but they can be costly especially in peak seasons. Ships often have to move from one place to another because of the weather or the tourist seasons such as summer in Alaska or winter in the Caribbean. The companies, therefore, give discounted rates to tourists because that is way better than sending the ships empty. Take advantage of these one-way repositioning cruises because they not only serve your needs for a vacation but also save your pockets from emptying too soon.

On the other hand, you might be able to find the best rental car deals by choosing a company that’s far away from the airport and save a few precious bucks.

2. Avail online Discount Packages

If you have previously traveled through a traveling agency before, you might be accustomed to getting emails offering discount packages and other deals for vacations. The only downside to this method is that the destinations might not always be what you are hoping for but hey, at least you do not have to worry about your money.

You can select your car rental dates and location after browsing through major car rental websites. Most sites have the best potential deals including taxes updated weekly, even daily and this time spent researching can help you save lots of money in the long run.

3. Use Specialized Sites

Wondering where to book a room or how to rent a car? Well, there is a simple solution for that. All you need to do is search online for specialized travel sites such as roomkey.com. These sites often have the best deals on rooms across the places that you are planning to visit. Having useful information about the different places you could stay in is always a good idea especially if you are a backpacker who is low on cash.

Rental companies often offer discounted car rental deals when renting over a weekend or for a specific time period. Some companies can even help you save a chunk of your rental expenses with deals such as rent for three days and pay for two.

4. Know when the right time to travel is

Wednesday is known all around the world as the most affordable day of traveling by plane. Buying your tickets after 3AM is also a smart way of decreasing your traveling expenses as the ticket prices scale down.

Similarly, including weekends in your car rentals can help save a lot of cash. If your vacation schedule is flexible, make the most of the weekend deals offered on rental websites. Signing up for car rental emails is a fun way to stay updated with ‘seasonal offers’.

There are other such tips and tricks that you can learn online if you do your research right. That way, your vacation will not only be a memorable one, but you will also be stress-free knowing that you can still sustain yourself after coming back all fresh.

5. Land Senior Discounts

Who says aging is a bad thing? If you aren’t already aware of this, you should know that being a senior citizen can land you great travel discounts. It’s finally time for you to retire and what better way to do it than to go on a long vacation to the Bahamas or just chill out in the sunny days of Greece. Many hotel chains, as well as airlines and rentals, offer travel discounts to people who are older than 60 which is an excellent option for you to explore.

6. Choose your vehicle wisely

The type and size of that sleek metal piece will play an essential role in determining the amount you are supposed to pay for car rental. Look for a new, small and compact vehicle with an innovative engine that does not use much gas. It is also a great idea to try out new car models because they require you to spend less on gas and offer great mileage.

There are several other ways of availing opportunities that most people waste. Whether it is an email offer or a discount coupon, you are advised to keep it because who knows, you might need it at a later time. It never hurts to contact your bank to ask if ‘any specials or rental discounts’ are available on your rewards credit card.

Ask around with your family or friends to see whether they have prior experience with a travel agent and do question how much the trip cost was overall. In the end, the vacation is the primary goal, and regardless of what you get, you have to accept it and relieve yourself of further stress.