Visit all of the official websites for the car rental agencies in your area, and click on the "Specials" or "Promotions" link featured on the homepage of each car rental agency.
Access online coupon sites to obtain online promotion codes and digital coupons for direct sales discounts on car rentals. Direct sales are purchases made directly from a rental car company without the use of third-party vendors like Priceline, Expedia and HotWire.
Go to reputable online travel sites like Priceline.com, Expedia.com and Hotwire.com. Provide your preferred travel information and dates to generate a grid table of prices for each car rental agency in your area.
Lock in your rental car rate by scheduling your reservation as early as 14 days in advance to avoid the last minute hikes in rates.
Opt not to use the car rental agency's insurance if you have your own. Using the agency's insurance will add daily fees on top of the daily rate for the vehicle.
Pay for your rental by credit card if possible. Car rental agencies tack on large security deposit fees that usually amount to an additional $150 or more when payments are made with cash or debit cards.
Get the most out of your purchase. Car rental agencies charge by the calendar day, not the hour. This is what most agencies do not disclose. (For example, if you pick up the car up at 6pm on the pick-up date, in most cases, you are told that the car must be returned at the same time on the return date. But you are actually being charged until midnight that night.
