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by Andrea Paulsen

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Need to rent a car for your vacation or business travel plans but find it frustrating, confusing and expensive? Following a few simple guidelines and tips will help you get the cheapest rental car deal possible while avoiding extra charges and fees.

TEN TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY ON A RENTAL CAR

1. DECIDE HOW MUCH CAR YOU NEED - This will depend on how many people will be traveling in the car and the distances you plan to drive. If your destinations are fairly close to your hotel, check into public transport - you may not need a rental at all. If that's not an option and you definitely need a rental, don't rent more car than you need for comfort and safety.

2. RESERVE ONLINE - Don't just rent a car from the first company you run across in the airport. Check rates and fees before you travel for cheap rental car deals and reserve in advance. You may get a cheaper rental rate if you book your rental and airfare through the same site. Some rental companies offer a discount if you make your reservation online and you may also be able to lock in that cheap rental rate, so that the rental company can't make any last-minute changes.

3. RENTAL INSURANCE - Do you need to buy insurance from the car rental company? Before you even contact a car rental agency, check into any existing coverage you may already have and don't buy insurance for anything you may already have coverage for.
* Personal Insurance - Contact your auto insurance agent about your current auto policy. Your agent can tell you what your policy covers and what it doesn't. In most cases, you won't need to buy a Collision Damage Waiver if you carry collision coverage on your personal policy. However, you should check into coverage for other possible claims for bodily injury and "loss of use". Loss of use is what the rental car company will charge you for down time on the rental car if it requires repairs. Check your policy limits, you may have the bare minimum and be liable for what your policy does not cover.
* Credit Cards - Call your credit card company or read your credit card agreement. It may automatically cover you for things like deductibles or you may get a cheaper rate for insurance on your rental car.

4. INSPECT THE VEHICLE - Before you drive the car off the lot, go over it and check for any damage, dents, scratches, etc. Make sure the headlights and directional signals work. Check that the odometer and the gas gauge readings match what is on the contract. If you find any damage or discrepancies, report them immediately and make sure that the rental company has noted them. You may even want to take pictures of the vehicle before you leave the lot of any pre-existing damage. Don't end up paying for damage you didn't do.

5. PRE-PAY FUEL - Most companies offer a "pre-pay fuel" option, but you are probably better off just refilling the tank yourself before you return the car. You won't get any rebate on unused gas, so if you aren't going to use a full tank, don't take the option and refuel the car yourself. Make filling the tank the last thing you do just before you drop the car off and keep your receipt. If the rental company branch is at the airport, shop around for gas, the gas prices near the airport are probably higher than the surrounding area. To find the lowest gas prices in your area, check at MSN Auto:
http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx

6. ADDITIONAL DRIVERS - Make sure that anyone who is going to drive the rental vehicle is listed on the rental contract. Do not allow anyone who was not authorized by the rental company to drive the vehicle under any circumstances.

7. MILEAGE - Discounted rates may sound like a great deal but read the contract carefully, they often do not allow unlimited mileage. If there is a per day mileage cap, make sure that your travel plans will not exceed it.

8. ONE WAY RENTAL - If you are planning on a one-way rental, find out what fee the company will charge for letting you drop the vehicle off at a different location. There are some companies that will allow pick up and drop off between any two of their locations, so there are ways to get a cheap one way car rental if you look for them.

9. A DAY IS 24 HOURS - If you rent a car on Monday morning and return it Tuesday night, it is no longer a one-day rental. The rental car day is 24 hours, and you will be charged extra if you return the car even one hour late and for every hour thereafter. Check the time by which you must have the car back in order to avoid paying late return charges.

10. BE FIRM - The rental agent's aim is to sell you as many upgrades and extras as he possibly can, that's how he makes his commission. He won't mind selling you insurance you don't need and he'll have a great sales pitch for any extra service he throws at you. Think about it, do you really need GPS? Remember forewarned is forearmed, so have all your information at hand, know what you need to purchase and what you don't and above all, practice the word "no".

Learn more about this author, Andrea Paulsen.

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