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by Curtis Carper

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The regular business traveler is always on the hunt for a bargain, being able to find cheap car rental is just another way to contain the never ending expense of travel. Cheap car rental rates can easily be found almost anywhere thanks to the Internet. Preplanning is the key to success when your looking to rent a car at a reduced rate the next time your job requires you to leave town.

Hotwire.com will find you the best deal between a number of car rental agencies. Simply enter the dates and location that you will need transportation ,and they come up with a listing of what's available with their affiliates.

Most major car rental agencies can rent cars for one way trips. Some have special arrangements with large corporations or government agencies as well. They may also have a special discount program for when you need cheap one way car rental. You may even qualify for a discounted rate depending on the time of year, or the location you wish to drop the car at, when your done. Be sure to ask for any promotional package within a time span if your travel can be scheduled with some flexibility.

If the agency your doing business with has pickup and drop off points away from major airports, money can be saved as most air ports charge user fees that can amount to well over 10%. Taking the city bus to the agencies downtown lot can easily save you $50-$75.

If you own a car that has full coverage insurance you can also save money by deleting the optional collision damage insurance that they will always try to sell you. In most cases your own insurance will provide rental car coverage, be sure to verify with them before you go. The savings will amount to $20-$25 a day or more.

Cheap car rental deals can be found. Coupons, discounts, special programs, all the major car rental agencies have them. For a quick reference go to www.rentalcarmomma.com to find the best coupons, and discounts from all national agencies all in one web site.

In your quest for a cheap car rental deal it's best to stick with reputable rental agencies. Stay away from the little local garage who keeps a small fleet of extremely well used cars for short term rentals. You have no idea to what level they've been maintained, or what insurance the dealer may, or may not be carrying on his small fleet. With a national agency you can be assured the fleet is properly serviced and repaired regularly, and that all insurance is current and reputable. This security is invaluable and should never be ignored.

Always pay for your rental car by credit card. This gives you protection against scams such as unauthorized charges added after you picked up the car. Yes there are some agencies that have gotten a reputation for poor business practices. By using your credit card you are only liable for a maximum of $50 by Federal law for unauthorized charges. Some credit cards reduce that liability to zero. In most instances a problem can be cleared up within 60 days without any out of pocket expense, once you contest a charge the credit card company will hold the charge without interest until the issue is resolved.

We all like to save money, being able to get cheap car rental is one of the easy ways you can make your travel more affordable without creating an inconvenience on your part. Preplan well enough ahead to find the best deal and make use of the Internet. It's a valuable resource when looking for cheap car rental deals.

Learn more about this author, Curtis Carper.

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