Car Rental requires several steps. A credit card is required, as well as a reservation and confirmation. By doing the legwork yourself, using a computer and having a little patience, it is quite possible to save money over the online car rental reservations rate. Surprisingly, it is also a low risk venture.

"A rental car will cost you exactly this much!" That's what the agencies want you to think. Actually, they change their rates constantly. With a little bit of training and a little bit of vigilance, you can spot the good deals. The technique described here is easy, and absolutely legal and abides by all the rules. Pay careful attention and learn how to save yourself a bundle when renting a car!

1. If you are planning to travel, it is best to make a reservation prior to doing so. You'll want to find the best deal possible, and make sure that there are no penalties for cancellations. The majority of car rental agencies don't incur cancellation fees, unless it is peak season or the reservation is for a specialty car. You can skip this step if the booking is being made on a last-minute basis.

2. Wear your walking shoes and don't forget your laptop!

3. At the rental car company, use your computer and go to Hotwire, Priceline, or any other discount website. Normally, you are not allowed to reserve rental cars within two hours prior to your pickup time, so be prepared to wait. You might want to bring a novel to occupy your time. At the website, choose a reservation for your necessary length of time. Then pick the class of car just under the one you actually desire.

4. If you use Hotwire you will get a total for the best deal they offer you. From there you can research other companies to try to get a better deal. If you find a cheaper price then go with it and you will save some money. If Hotwire is best, go back and keep that reservation.

5. Take your car rental reservation price, your discount site estimate, and shop around. Walk from agency to agency and negotiate. Smile, be polite, and be cunning, whatever it takes to get a price lower than what you have. You see, the more people who walk up to a car rental agency in the airport, the better location that agency gets. They have a reason to give you a good price as a walk up. They want your traffic. They want you to come back.

6. Don't stop until you've seen them all. Don't hesitate to reveal the discounts that you have been offered. If Hertz offered you a $10 discount, tell National Car Rental. They may want to beat that price. Remember, they want your business. Make them compete for your rental car choice.

7. Once you make your reservation you can still search for a better one. If you find that better deal simply call and cancel your original. You have nothing to lose and possibly a better deal to make.

8. You've almost arrived at a great deal, but don't sign anything just yet. Let the agent know that you'll only accept if they upgrade you to the next class, free of additional charge. This sounds like a lot to ask, but it's really quite simple for the rental agent to arrange. It's their call. The only time this approach fails is when they really are sold out and don't have anything in the next class up to offer you.

This is a simple method for finding the best deal for a rental car. Don't settle for whatever you find first. Be persistent, use the approach, and you will find a value. Don't let yourself be bullied around by car rental agencies!

Richard Edmunds worked as a manager of a big name Car Rental Agency for the past 20 years before retiring. He now spends his time writing car rental articles for you about such topics as Rental Car Coupon Codes and How to Negotiate the Best Car Rental Deal

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