For travelers, it's important to save money on transportation. Renting a car can be easier and budget-friendly if you keep up with some useful tips.
While renting a car, there're a lot of decisions to be taken. For example; do I have to buy insurance for the car rental? What's the mileage plan provided by the company? Do I have to prepay for fuel?
Keep in mind! Making the wrong choice can cost a lot. And if you're travelling, such extra costs can affect your travel budget as well. For obvious reasons, transportation is one of the biggest expenses for any traveler. Therefore, any mistakes while renting a car will simply blow a traveler's budget. Here're a few mistakes you should avoid while renting a car. So let's dive in;
Don’t Rent At the Airport
This is what most people do and end up paying way more than it actually costs. You don't have to make any rental car arrangement at the airport. People think that it's very much convenient to arrange car rental and even believe that renting a car elsewhere is more trouble than it's worth. But you don't realize that airport car rentals are usually way more expensive than others. And why is it like that?
First of all! The Taxes. Some of the airports charge up to 30% on your rental and the other places, and such taxes are about half that rate. For sure, the renting & operating business space at the airport is costly. That's the reason why that cost is passed on to the customers. Have you ever thought why airport food is overpriced and why airport buys are unwise? For the same reason actually. So just weigh the cost of transportation at the airport and the inconvenience before making a decision.
Failing to Work Pricing Structures
Car rental agencies prefer rewarding longer keeps. Most of them have a weekly rate that's quite cheaper on a per diem basis. For example; the three-day rental often cost you $56/day, but a weekly contract will cost $28/day. Most of the agencies define a week as at least 5-days. It may sound unusual, but the 5-day rental might be cheaper than the three-day keep when renting a car in Doha. It's imperative to ask for the available rates to determine the best rental period. You don't have to look at your need for a car and book for that time-frame.
Fuel costs depend on the provider. Some will offer you a full tank, and expect the same at the time of return. But others will provide a half-tank of gas and expect to bring back at the same level. Failing to do so would surely cost money. You will need to either pay a refueling penalty or donate gasoline. At the time, you'll come across a plan, in which you'll pay for the gas in advance at a lower price.
Companies realize that the odds are very much likely to be in their favor with these plans. But you know what! You rarely hit these estimates – Their Internal Math – correctly, and they benefit financially from your miscalculation.
